By Frank Lohmann, INTERIM CHBA CEO
On June 16, the CHBA Executive Committee informed all members that they had made the difficult decision to transition the leadership of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association. Kevin Lee, the former CEO, played an important role in strengthening CHBA’s voice across Canada, advancing the interests of our members, and helping establish the association as a respected advocate for the residential construction industry. His contributions to the industry and our association over the last 13 years were substantial, and working alongside him for the last six years on the CHBA staff has been a privilege.
Policy gains
The CHBA Executive Committee has retained a search firm, and the recruitment process is already underway for a new leader to support CHBA’s strategic priorities and future direction. In the meantime, I have been appointed Interim CEO to continue our advocacy, member services and industry leadership activities. In my former role as CHBA’s Senior Director, Building Science, I became very familiar with many facets of our industry and the challenges members face, and I am committed to assisting the board and association staff at all levels during this transition period.
CHBA’s advocacy will continue, building on recent policy gains at the federal level. The government’s 2026 Spring Economic Update that was released in April, along with substantial announcements made prior, took positive steps in the right direction after having lost momentum after the 2025 election, when we saw a decrease on policies to support the market-rate residential sector. After another year of consistent CHBA advocacy, the Update showed signs of meaningful progress toward a more complete housing strategy – one that addresses the challenges of delivering housing across the entire continuum. The Spring Economic Update represented a willingness to address the challenges facing market-rate homeownership, and CHBA will continue to build on that momentum.
One of the most promising measures announced recently was the Improving Housing Supply Act, which earmarks $1.7 billion for provinces and territories to help increase housing supply, ideally by reducing the tax burden that adds significant costs to new homes. A deal was reached with Ontario, which will use its funding allocation to remove the HST on all new home purchases for one year. A second announcement, this time for infrastructure support and reducing development charges, was also very welcome news. It will be imperative that deals with all provinces are reached swiftly, and CHBA
and provincial HBAs continue to push hard on this front.
Pledge to strengthen affordability
Moreover, CHBA was particularly encouraged by the federal government’s commitment to improve the building code process. New code requirements often have good intentions, but too frequently they are introduced without fully considering their cumulative impact on housing affordability or construction complexity. The government’s pledge to strengthen affordability analysis when evaluating future code and standards reflects a recommendation CHBA’s had for years. We need safe, high-performing homes, but we must also ensure they remain attainable for Canadian families.
The Update also acknowledged that we cannot solve a housing shortage without the skilled workers needed to build homes. The Update’s investments in apprenticeships are welcome, but residential construction also has unique workforce needs outside of Red Seal trades. It will be important to ensure that federal funding and future programming support the full range of occupations required.
Overall, we are cautiously optimistic. Of course, announcements alone will not solve Canada’s housing challenges, and many of these measures still require coordinated implementation. Rest assured, CHBA and your local and provincial HBAs will remain at the forefront of those conversations advocating for you.
