Building Excellence

By Kevin Lee, CHBA CEO Those who work in the residential construction industry know how deeply Canadians value homeownership. Yet housing policy since last year’s federal election campaign has reverted to a focus on affordable (social) housing, after years of success by the Association in getting government to prioritize solutions that support homeownership and market-rate affordability. The good news is...

By Curtis Mercer, CHBA President CHBA began 2026 in full engagement mode. On Feb. 10, I joined CHBA colleagues from across the country in Ottawa for CHBA’s annual Day on the Hill. It was one of the busiest yet as CHBA builders, renovators, developers and association staff came together to meet directly with federal ministers, MPs and senior officials to talk...

By Alireza Khalili, Director of Business Development, Promise Robotics Across Canada, homebuilders are facing some of the toughest conditions in recent memory. To restore affordability, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC) estimates we’ll need up to 4.8 million new homes by 2035. That means building between 430,000 and 480,000 units annually – nearly twice the current rate of around 245,000...

By Sarah Caron, Director, Renovation Services, CHBA Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are quickly gaining attention as a possible answer to Canada’s housing challenges, offering flexible, compact spaces for families, renters and communities. Cities across the country are wrestling with housing affordability and densification while the housing industry faces acute labour shortages and escalating material costs. CHBA renovators and custom builders...

By Wayne Karl, Editor, Building Excellence When Natasha Paikin entered the homebuilding industry in 2018, things were a lot different. Housing was booming and demand was explosive. A couple years later COVID hit, and the entire sector had to rethink everything. And now today, market challenges are once again forcing builders to adapt. For Paikin, director of client experience at New...

By Nicole Storeshaw, Director of Government Relations, CHBA CHBA’s annual Day on the Hill is a signature event for the association. Member leaders and HBA staff from across the country meet with Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament and other officials to help boost the year-round federal advocacy done by CHBA. This year, delegates gathered in Ottawa with an even more...

By Evan Andrade, CHBA Economist Lack of access to proper construction financing products for factory-built construction is one of the major factors preventing greater industry growth in Canada. The challenge was one of several flagged by CHBA and its Modular Construction Council in CHBA’s Sector Transition Strategy. There are legal differences between real property and chattels as well as lending practices...

In September 2025 the federal government launched Build Canada Homes, a $13-billion initiative aimed at doubling annual housing production and scaling innovative construction technologies, including modular, panelized and mass timber systems, to deliver homes faster and with greater predictability.

Technology is playing an increasingly important role in shaping the real estate industry. From how homes are discovered to how projects are marketed and sold, digital tools are redefining the experience in ways that feel faster, more transparent and more connected.

It has been almost 10 months since the federal and Ontario governments announced the First-Time Home Buyer (FTHB) rebate, effective for all purchase agreements entered into on or after May 27, 2025. As everyone knows, the FTHB will be available only to first-time homebuyers (buyers who have not owned a home in the year of the purchase or four years before), and are purchasing homes up to $1.5 million. The full rebate of the HST is available for homes up to $1 million, then gradually reduces to zero when the purchase price becomes $1.5 million.