How REALTORS® Can Help Fix Canada’s Housing System

Canada’s housing system is no longer meeting the needs of its people. We’re building smaller, less family-friendly units, while the largest demographic cohorts—young Canadians and aging seniors—face growing barriers to finding suitable homes. When the only options available are small condominiums or large single-family homes, the result is a system that removes choice and shuts the door on homeownership for many Canadians. 

The size and type of housing being built today doesn’t reflect the needs of the people moving into them. Nearly half of all new housing completions in the past decade have been purpose-built rentals. While new renal supply is essential, this development imbalance has created a housing mix that doesn’t serve everyone. The “missing middle” of housing – family sized, ground-orientated homes that once defined the Canadian middle class and completed our communities – has all but disappeared from new construction. A healthy housing system needs diversity, with different types of homes that meet the needs of different people at different stages of life. 

While all supply is important in a crisis, the overreliance on condo and apartment construction has led to new units that are smaller and less suitable for long-term living. That’s why counting completions alone doesn’t tell the full story or solve the problem. 

A key part of the solution is that missing middle: semi-detached, row, and townhomes fill the gap between condos and detached houses. They create gentle density and real pathways for Canadians to buy their first home, move up, or downsize without leaving their communities.

And this is where REALTORS® play an essential role. 

You understand your clients’ aspirations better than anyone. You see first-hand the demand for more attainable, family-friendly, and right-sized homes in every market across the country. You recognize that restoring vibrancy and opportunity for Canadians means building homes that reflect real needs, not numbers. 

Following our 40^th annual PAC Days, CREA is calling on the federal government to take meaningful steps to unlock this missing middle and restore balance to the housing system.

To truly fix our housing system, Canada must:

• Make developing new housing less onerous across the housing continuum;
• Create a national strategy that addresses the housing needs of seniors;
• End homelessness; and
• Make homeownership more affordable and attainable for young Canadian families.

The Federal Budget 2025, tabled after CREA PAC Days 2025 on November 4, 2025, offered limited concrete measures to support Canadians currently aspiring to achieve affordable homeownership, and support for more onboarding of missing middle housing is absent – risking slamming the door on homeownership for many.

Be Part of the Solution

As REALTORS®, you play a critical role in helping Canadians achieve their homeownership goals. By advocating for policies that encourage the right types of homes in the right places, we can help create a housing system that truly reflects who Canadians are—and where they want to go next.

CREA has created a series of ready-to-share social media assets that highlight our recommendations to government and underscore the importance of building the “missing middle.” Sharing these posts on your own channels is an easy way to show your support, raise awareness in your community, and help influence meaningful change.

Together, REALTORS® can make sure that decision-makers, and Canadians, understand what’s truly needed to fix our housing system.