After Years Of Remote Work, Toronto’s Office Market Is Heating Up
The RTO trend is reversing years of near-stagnant activity in the downtown commercial real estate scene, but the road back to the office hasn’t been seamless. Teagan Sliz January 23, 2026 In early January, the Ford government’s return-to-office (RTO) mandate took effect, ordering 60,000 public servants back to the office. The move culminates more than a year of RTO mandates from big names in tech and finance, reaching a fever pitch in late 2025, and has put a significant amount of pressure on...
read moreCanada’s rental market finally cools
New data showed a softer, more balanced landscape for landlords and lenders By Liezel Once 22 Jan. 2026 Canada’s apartment sector moved further from the red‑hot conditions of recent years in late 2025, as fresh supply, slower population growth and affordability strains pushed vacancy higher and took the edge off rent gains. Yardi’s latest Canadian National Multifamily Report showed the national apartment vacancy rate climbed to 4.5% in Q4 2025, the highest level since the firm began tracking...
read moreHuge disparities in housing approvals and development fees found across Canadian cities by Senate report
It can take 11 years from the time a first proposal is made until a housing project is completed in Toronto, the Senate committee on banking, commerce and the economy found in its study. Salmaan Farooqui Published January 21, 2026 A Senate report highlighting large discrepancies in building timelines and development charges among Canadian municipalities is calling for federal funding to be contingent on cities proving that they can fast track housing projects and lower builder fees. The report...
read moreCanadian Building Investment Soars On Taxpayer-Funded Rental Bubble
Canadian Building Investment Soars On Taxpayer-Funded Rental Bubble Stephen Punwasi January 23, 2026 Canadian real estate investment is suddenly booming again—but it’s not what it looks like. Statistics Canada (StatCan) data shows investment in building construction hit a record high in November, driven almost entirely by residential projects. Look closer, and the surge narrows fast—growth is concentrated in Ontario multi-family construction. These aren’t condos, but they’re largely corporate...
read moreWEEK OF JANUARY 26, EVENTS WITH JILLIAN KATZENBACK
Events for the week of January 26, 2026 2026 RHC Conference – Buildex Vancouver – PM Springfest – yBILD Committee cocktail reception – 2026 CMHC Rental Market Survey Breakfast – HDAA By-Law Survey – LPMA Dinner Meeting – LandPRO Conference – 2026 BILD Awards Entries Now Open – 2026 RHPNS Awards Gala, Dinner and...
read moreRental boom props up Canadian housing starts as cracks emerge
Elevated construction masked a softer outlook that matter for mortgage planners By Liezel Once 16 Jan. 2026 Canadian housing construction ended 2025 on a high, but the underlying signals point to a more fragile pipeline that mortgage professionals could not ignore. While December housing starts surged to an annualized 282,439 units – an 11% jump from November – the six month trend barely moved at about 264,400 units, underscoring how much of the strength came late in the year. Rental surge...
read moreOntario looks to pause affordable housing requirements near transit hubs in Toronto, Mississauga, Kitchener
Province says inclusionary zoning deters construction, opposition says affordable units sorely needed Ethan Lang · CBC News · Posted: Jan 14, 2026 Doug Ford’s government is looking to pause affordable housing requirements for new residential developments near transit hubs in Toronto, Mississauga and Kitchener, saying they are deterring construction during a housing crisis. The proposed amendment would pause inclusionary zoning in the three Ontario cities where it exists until July 2027....
read moreCanadian Urbanization Stalls: More People Snub Big Cities
Stephen Punwasi January 14, 2026 The Great Canadian migration to small towns wasn’t just a pandemic blip—it’s just getting started. Statistics Canada (StatCan) just released its 2025 urban (CMA) population estimates, and it reveals urbanization has stalled for the first time in decades. This isn’t just slower population growth—urban residents and new immigrants are increasingly avoiding Canada’s largest, most expensive cities. Canada’s urban population is slowing after years of growth were...
read moreNAVARRO-GENIE: Rent controls don’t fix housing shortages. They make them worse
By Marco Navarro-Genie Jan 17, 2026 Canada keeps trying to regulate its way out of a housing shortage. Argentina tried something else, and the rental market improved. Housing availability in Canada has reached crisis levels. In Vancouver, the average two-bedroom apartment rents for $3,170 monthly. In Toronto, it’s $2,690. By October 2024, Toronto counted more than 15,400 homeless individuals—double the figure from 2021. Vancouver’s streets tell a similar story of policy failure. Yet despite...
read moreWEEK OF JANUARY 19 EVENTS NEWSREEL WITH JILLIAN KATZENBACK
Events for the week of January 19, 2026 Extension, Entries for the RenoMark Awards 2026 – Buildex Vancouver – PM Springfest – yBILD Committee cocktail reception – 2026 CMHC Rental Market Survey Breakfast – The Interior Design Show – Home and Backyard Show – LandPRO Conference – 2026 RHPNS Awards Gala, Dinner and Tradeshow – 2026 RHC...
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