May 2025 – Ottawa Real Estate Board

Media Statement from OREB on the 2025 Ontario Budget

Ottawa – May 16, 2025 — Housing affordability and supply must be central to Ontario’s plan to protect our province against the threat of economic disruption caused by U.S. tariffs. The 2025 Ontario Budget makes important commitments to get more homes built faster and advance key local infrastructure projects that are crucial to our region’s long-term prosperity.

The Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB) welcomes the additional $400 million in funding for the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program (MHIP) and Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund (HEWSF). This new investment will help municipalities get more homes built faster in Ottawa and in communities across Eastern Ontario.

In addition, OREB is also encouraged by the province’s new $50 million modular housing commitment. Faster, factory-built solutions are a viable path forward in areas where skilled labour shortages and high material costs have stalled progress.

OREB continues to encourage the province to make amendments the Highway Traffic Act that would exempt factory-built homes from seasonal weight restrictions. This change is essential to ensure these homes can be delivered year-round to the communities that need them.

Finally, OREB supports the province’s willingness to explore options for uploading the Ottawa LRT. Should this proceed, it has the potential to alleviate future capital costs for local taxpayers and unlock funding for other housing-supportive infrastructure.

Paul Czan
2025 OREB President

Cabinet Changes in the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

Ottawa, May 13, 2025 – The Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB) extends its sincere gratitude to outgoing Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, the Honourable Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, for his dedicated service and commitment to addressing Canada’s housing challenges.

We congratulate and welcome The Honourable Gregor Robertson in his new role as Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada. As Mayor of Vancouver, Gregor Robertson led key housing initiatives, including the Rental 100 program, which added nearly 4,000 new rental units, strengthening the city’s rental housing supply.

OREB looks forward to working collaboratively with Minister Robertson to advance practical, forward-thinking solutions to Canada’s housing challenges—especially in communities where the need for affordable, diverse, and accessible housing is growing more urgent.

With more than 4,000 REALTORS® serving communities across the Ottawa region, OREB remains committed to advocating for policies that increase housing supply, streamline approval processes, support innovative housing options, and encourage infrastructure investments that contribute to a healthy, resilient residential and commercial real estate environment.

We also extend our sincere congratulations to the Honourable David McGuinty on his appointment as Minister of National Defence. With his appointment, Ottawa gains a strong voice at the Cabinet table on national priorities.

OREB looks forward to working with Prime Minister Carney and the new federal Cabinet to address shared issues that impact our local economy, including infrastructure development, housing affordability, and community well-being.

Paul Czan
2025 OREB President

Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025

OTTAWA, May 12, 2025 – Housing must be a cornerstone of Ontario’s strategy to remain competitive and resilient in the face of global economic disruption. With the introduction of the Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025, the province is taking meaningful steps to get more homes built and protect the dream of home ownership for future generations.

If passed, the bill will help accelerate homebuilding and infrastructure development by streamlining planning approvals, standardizing development charges (DCs), and harmonizing building and road construction standards across municipalities. It would also remove barriers to innovation in construction, support transit-oriented communities, and reduce costly local development fees to make housing more affordable and accessible.

These measures include policy recommendations like reforming DCs, streamlining approvals and permitting new innovative housing types championed by the Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB), the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) and REALTOR® associations from across the province.

Since 1921, the Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB) has been a trusted industry association. OREB’s over 4,000 REALTORS® are directly engaged with the housing needs and challenges of Ontarians every day. We are proud to contribute expert insight, data, and on-the-ground experience to support evidence-based policymaking.

OREB would like to thank Minister Flack for introducing this important piece of legislation. Given the size and scale of the housing affordability challenge, OREB encourages the province to continue to advance more policy changes in the weeks and months ahead. As a key partner, OREB is an advocate for a healthy residential and commercial housing environment that is affordable, accessible, and resilient for homeowners, renters, businesses and everyone who needs a place to live, work and thrive.

Now is the time to double down on our efforts to restore the dream of homeownership for hardworking families in Ottawa and across the province.

Paul Czan
2025 OREB President

Momentum Builds in Ottawa’s Housing Market Amid Greater Certainty

The number of homes sold through the MLS® System of the Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB) totaled 1,306 units in April 2025. This represented an 18.4% increase from March 2025, but an 11.2% decline from April 2024.

Home sales were 17.6% below the five-year average and 16.2% below the 10-year average for the month of April.

“While April sales were down year-over-year, we saw a healthy month-over-month increase—an encouraging sign of growing momentum as we move through the spring market,” says OREB President Paul Czan. “Inventory remains at higher levels compared to previous years, indicating a gradual move towards a balanced market.”

“With more certainty following the federal election, buyers are returning with greater confidence—but they’re proceeding cautiously, taking their time, including conditions in their offers, and being more selective,” adds Czan. “Sellers, meanwhile, are adjusting to longer days on market, which makes strategic pricing and thoughtful home preparation more important than ever. If the listing is priced well, shows well, it’s moving—possibly getting multiple offers. Looking ahead, we’ll be watching how the federal government’s recent housing commitments translate into action. Policies aimed at increasing supply, improving affordability, and supporting first-time buyers are welcome steps toward meaningful impact here in Ottawa.”

By the Numbers – Prices:

The overall MLS® HPI composite benchmark price was $631,200 in April 2025, a 1.1% rise compared to April 2024.

The benchmark price for single-family homes was $703,200, up 1.0% year-over-year in April.
By comparison, the benchmark price for a townhouse/row unit was $440,000, an increase of 4.4% from 2024.
The benchmark apartment price was $404,000, a 2.8% decline from the previous year.

The average price of homes sold in April 2025 was $707,180, a 0.4% increase from April 2024.
The total dollar volume of all home sales in April 2025 amounted to $923.5 million, a 10.8% drop compared to the same period last year.

OREB cautions that the average sale price can be useful in establishing trends over time but should not be used as an indicator that specific properties have increased or decreased in value. The calculation of the average sale price is based on the total dollar volume of all properties sold. Prices will vary from neighbourhood to neighbourhood.

By the Numbers – Inventory & New Listings:

The number of new listings declined by 3.8% compared to April 2024, with 2,589 new residential properties added to the market. New listings were 2.8% above the five-year average and 5.6% above the 10-year average for the month of April.
Active residential listings totaled 4,878 units at the end of April 2025, reflecting a 54.2% surge from April 2024. Active listings were 86.9% above the five-year average and 51.3% above the 10-year average for the month of April.
Months of inventory stood at 3.7 at the end of April 2025, compared to 2.2 in April 2024. The number of months of inventory is the number of months it would take to sell current inventories at the current rate of sales activity.