Advocacy – Ottawa Real Estate Board

OREB Urges Bill 97 Implementation as a Critical Step to Protect Tenants and Support Rental Housing Stability

New Report Shows Renovation Evictions Well Under 1%, Questions Costly Licensing By-law

Ottawa, ON – (May 19, 2026) — The Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB) is calling on the Province of Ontario to move forward with the implementation of tenant protection measures under Bill 97, the Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act, warning that a growing patchwork of municipal renoviction licensing by-laws risks creating inconsistency, confusion, and unintended consequences across the province’s rental housing system.

As municipalities, including Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa, Guelph, and Kitchener consider or implement their own local licensing regimes, OREB cautions that differing rules, processes, and compliance requirements are beginning to fragment Ontario’s housing policy framework. This emerging patchwork increases administrative burden, creates uncertainty for housing providers operating across jurisdictions, and risks discouraging the investment needed to maintain and expand rental supply.

“A patchwork of municipal by-laws with different rules in every city, creates confusion, drives up costs, and undermines confidence in the housing system,” said Tami Eades, President of OREB. “A clear, consistent, province-wide framework under Bill 97 is the right approach to protect tenants while ensuring we continue to support investment in rental housing.”

That recommendation is central to OREB’s newly released report Toward Balance: Recommendations to Protect Tenants and Prevent Bad-Faith Renovictions in Ottawa, that finds a proposed municipal renoviction licensing by-law is not supported by the available evidence and risks undermining housing supply and reinvestment. OREB’s report finds that renovation-related eviction notices in Ottawa represent less than one per cent of the city’s rental housing system annually, with an estimated 0.019 per cent of rental dwellings impacted each year based on an average of approximately 28 N13 notices annually over the 2017 to August 2023 period across more than 147,000 rental units.

An N13 notice is a formal document a rental property owner in Ontario can give a tenant when they need the unit vacant to carry out major work or changes. The report highlights that while concerns around bad faith renovictions are valid, existing data cannot distinguish between legitimate renovation activity and improper conduct.

“Ottawa needs policies that protect tenants from bad faith conduct while also supporting the reinvestment required to preserve rental housing affordability, quality, and supply over the long term,” Eades said.

Ottawa’s Aging Rental Housing Stock

Ottawa faces a significant housing challenge in the form of an aging rental housing stock requiring ongoing reinvestment. According to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, more than 47,000 or 32% of all rental units in Ottawa require repairs, including over 11,500 units in need of major repairs. The state of Ottawa’s rental housing stock underscores the importance of enabling timely renovation of units. It also provides an explanation of the increase in N13 notices by rental property owners.

Without timely repairs and continued construction, Ottawa faces a growing threat to both the quality and availability of rental homes. “If you make it harder, slower, and more expensive to renovate and reinvest in housing, it presents a barrier to investment and ownership of rental housing,” said Nicole Christy, OREB CEO. “The outcome is predictable: projects get delayed, repairs are deferred, and fewer homes get built. That’s a recipe for a weakened rental housing stock in Ottawa.”

A Better Path Forward for Ottawa

Rather than pursuing a costly and duplicative municipal licensing regime, OREB is calling on the City of Ottawa to build on its reputation as a leader in progressive, balanced, and data-driven housing policy by advancing a made-in-Ottawa approach that delivers real results.

The report recommends that the city:

Avoid a stand-alone municipal licensing regime and prioritize provincial action and targeted local supports.
Improve access to the Landlord and Tenant Board, including faster timelines and better enforcement;
Expand tenant education and support, ensuring renters understand their rights and how to access them;
Leverage existing municipal tools, including permits, inspections, and property standards, to ensure safe and compliant renovations; and
Establish a clear data collection and monitoring framework to better understand local conditions before introducing new regulatory systems.

“Ottawa has an opportunity to lead,” said Christy. “A balanced approach that protects and educates tenants while supporting housing reinvestment will deliver better outcomes than a costly and complex licensing system that may not address the root of the issue.”

Download the report here.

About OREB

The Ottawa Real Estate Board represents over 4,000 real estate professionals in the Ottawa region and is a leading voice on housing policy, market trends, and consumer protection. Through research, advocacy, and collaboration, OREB works to advance policies that support a strong, fair, and sustainable housing system.

OREB STATEMENT ON INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING LINKED TO DEVELOPMENT CHARGE REDUCTION

OTTAWA, ON – The Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB) welcomes today’s joint federal–provincial announcement under the Canada–Ontario Partnership to Build, which introduces a new infrastructure funding initiative tied to reductions in municipal development charges. This represents a meaningful step toward addressing one of the most significant barriers to housing supply in Ontario.

Through a proposed $8.8-billion cost-shared program over the next decade, the Governments of Canada and Ontario have committed to supporting housing-enabling infrastructure, while prioritizing funding for municipalities that reduce development charges by 30 to 50 percent for at least three years. This approach recognizes the critical role that upfront government-imposed costs play in limiting housing construction and affordability.

In Ottawa, development charges on new single-detached homes can exceed $60,000, costs that are passed on to buyers and can limit the feasibility of new projects, especially missing-middle housing. The recent federal–provincial announcement to reduce these charges is a positive step, aligning with OREB’s long-standing advocacy to improve affordability and support new housing supply.

The City of Ottawa has signalled strong support for advancing this initiative. As a city focused on improving housing supply and affordability, Ottawa is well-positioned to work collaboratively with the other orders of government to implement measures that reduce development charges and unlock new housing supply.

When combined with the proposed enhanced GST New Housing Rebate, the reductions in development charges will directly lower the cost of building and purchasing a home, particularly for entry-level and missing-middle housing. Together, these measures represent an important step toward closing the affordability gap and allowing more projects to proceed.

OREB will continue to advocate for practical policy solutions that reduce costs, accelerate housing delivery, and improve affordability for residents across Ottawa.

OREB Welcomes Pro-Housing Measures in the 2026 Ontario Budget

OTTAWA, ON – The 2026 Ontario Budget comes at a critical time for Ottawa’s housing market, as pent-up demand, persistent supply shortages, rising development, and ownership costs continue to impact affordability, limit mobility for Ontarians, and restrict available housing at certain price points and inventory types.

The Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB) welcomes the removal of the full 13 per cent HST on qualifying new home purchases through a combined provincial and federal rebate from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027, subject to federal legislation. Eligible buyers could receive up to $130,000 in relief, with full benefits applying to homes valued up to $1 million.

By lowering upfront costs, this time-limited rebate is expected to provide short-term relief for homebuyers, support move-up activity, and encourage additional housing supply. It represents a meaningful step toward reducing upfront barriers at a time when many households continue to face barriers to entering or moving within the housing market.

OREB also welcomes the province’s investment in housing-enabling infrastructure, alongside the $1.2 billion Building Faster Fund to support municipalities delivering new homes, and continued investments in supportive housing. These measures are essential to unlocking supply.

The province’s commitment to work with the federal government to support municipalities that reduce development charges is also a crucial step, as these costs remain a key driver of housing affordability.

Together, these measures reflect the coordinated, multi-level government approach OREB has consistently called for and builds on sustained advocacy from the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA), and partners across the real estate and homebuilding sectors.

OREB recognizes the leadership of Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy and Premier Doug Ford and will continue to advocate on behalf of REALTORS® for practical, permanent solutions that reduce costs, accelerate housing supply, and deliver meaningful progress for consumers in Ottawa and across Ontario.

OREB Responds to Federal GST Rebate for First-Time Home Buyers

Ottawa, ON – The Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB) acknowledges that Bill C-4, the Making Life More Affordable for Canadians Act, has received Royal Assent, bringing into law key affordability measures, including a GST rebate for first-time home buyers.

The measure removes GST on new homes up to $1 million for first-time buyers and reduces it on homes between $1 million and $1.5 million. This is a targeted step to support market entry, but emphasizes that broader action is required to address ongoing affordability challenges.

OREB continues to advocate for co-ordinated action across all levels of government, including advancing a provincial HST rebate and expanding tax relief on newly built homes to support housing supply and improve affordability, alongside measures to streamline development approvals.

Media contact

Melanie Coulson
Director of Strategic Communications & Engagement
613-225-2240 ext. 247| melanie@oreb.ca

Housing and Affordability Take Centre Stage in Ottawa’s 2026 Municipal Election

While nearly half of voters undecided for mayor and council, Sutcliffe starts 2026 with a lead

Ottawa, ON – With less than nine months until Ottawa voters head to the polls, a wide-open municipal election is taking shape, and housing affordability is emerging as one of the clearest issues likely to determine who wins and who loses.

To date, three candidates have officially declared their intention to run for mayor: Mark Sutcliffe, the incumbent; Jeff Leiper, a long-time Kitchissippi Ward councillor and chair of the city’s planning and housing committee; and Alex Lawson, a local home builder. Neil Saravanamuttoo, an economist with senior experience at Finance Canada and the G20 Global Infrastructure Hub, recently announced that he is considering entering the race.

New public opinion research from the Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB) was conducted in December 2025 by Abacus Data, prior to Lawson and Saravanamuttoo jumping into the race. It shows that 49% of Ottawa residents remain undecided about who they will support for mayor, while 47% are undecided at the city council level, underscoring how unpredictable the race is.

On the question of voting intention for mayor, 28% would cast their ballot for Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, 10% for Councillor Jeff Leiper, and 49% are undecided if the election were held today.

Similarly, 32% of residents would vote to re-elect their current city councillor, and 47% are undecided on how to vote if the election were held today.

At the same time, many residents are questioning whether the city is doing enough, quickly, setting the stage for housing, cost of living, and service delivery to become decisive election issues.

A city divided on direction, with voters still up for grabs

According to the survey, almost four in ten Ottawa residents (38%) believe the city is headed in the right direction, while a similar share believes the city is on the wrong track, and a significant portion remain unsure.

This uncertainty in the city’s direction mirrors the uncertainty in the political landscape, with roughly half of voters still weighing their choices for both mayor and council.

“With nearly half of voters undecided, the election in Ottawa is still taking shape,” said Tami Eades, president of the Ottawa Real Estate Board. “Voters are forming their opinions, so there is a real opportunity for candidates in these early stages to focus on policy and what solutions they’ll bring to council if elected. One thing is clear: the data shows that housing affordability and cost of living are front of mind as voters assess who they trust to lead the city.”

Cost of living and housing dominate voter priorities

Housing affordability and cost of living stand out as the most important issues shaping how residents will vote.

More than one in three residents (37%) identify cost of living as the most important issue facing Ottawa today, followed by housing affordability (19%), transit reliability (11%), and homelessness and encampments (10%). When asked what candidates should be focused on heading into the 2026 election, nearly two-thirds (63%) say cost of living should be a priority, while more than half (53%) point to housing affordability.

Housing and related costs are set to play a decisive role at the ballot box. Eighty-two per cent of residents say housing-related issues will be important in determining who they support in the 2026 municipal election, underscoring the central role housing policy will play in shaping the next council’s agenda.

“A home is the biggest cost in most family budgets,” said Eades. “With so many voters undecided, candidates have a real opportunity to connect with voters on issues like housing and get them interested in their campaigns.”

Residents want action and results on housing

The research shows that Ottawa residents are concerned about the state of housing. Nearly four in five residents (79%) say housing is unaffordable, while only five per cent believe it is affordable today. Over the past year, 52% say affordability for homebuyers has worsened, and 57% say affordability for renters has declined, despite market statistics showing some easing, highlighting sustained pressure across both ownership and rental markets.

Housing affordability is also reshaping long-term decisions for many households. Among homeowners, nearly one in four (24%) say they plan to give or pass their home on to their children or family members rather than sell it on the open market, a signal of growing concern that homeownership is becoming increasingly out of reach for the next generation.

“For many families, housing affordability has become a generational issue,” said Nicole Christy, CEO of OREB. “Parents are giving up financial flexibility to afford their kids a chance at homeownership and the many benefits it brings. Voters want solutions to this and more.”

Housing policy as a test of leadership

Beyond housing, the survey highlights broader issues shaping voter attitudes ahead of October 26, 2026. Seventy-six per cent of Ottawa residents say they are concerned about the future of downtown, including vacancies, safety, and economic activity. Confidence in major city projects and municipal finances is mixed, and 40% of residents say they would prefer to keep taxes as low as possible, even if services do not improve.

“With so many voters still undecided, housing affordability isn’t just another policy issue, it’s a litmus test,” said Christy. “Candidates who can bring innovative solutions or show real progress on housing will be best positioned to earn trust in 2026.”

About the survey

The Ottawa Real Estate Board–Abacus Data State of Housing Survey was conducted from December 10 to 22, 2025, among 1,000 residents of the City of Ottawa. Results are accurate within ±2.77 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

About the Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB)

The Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB) is a non-profit association representing more than 4,000 member REALTORS® in the Ottawa region. OREB advocates for policies that promote housing affordability, protect consumers, and support a fair and efficient real estate commercial and residential marketplace.

Media contact

Melanie Coulson
Director of Strategic Communications & Engagement
613-222-7129 | melanie@oreb.ca

OREB Welcomes Adoption of New Zoning By law

OTTAWA, ON – Ottawa is facing a housing affordability crisis affecting residents across the city. Young families are being priced out of neighbourhoods where they work and grew up; seniors are unable to downsize within their own communities, and both homebuyers and renters are struggling to find housing that meets their needs at a cost they can afford. OREB’s REALTORS® work every day with buyers, sellers, landlords, and tenants, and see first-hand how limited housing choice and rising costs affect both those seeking housing and those working to provide it.

The Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB) welcomes city council’s decision to adopt the Zoning By law, intended to address Ottawa’s housing affordability challenges.

The new zoning by-law is good for home buyers and sellers. It will increase housing supply and expand the range of attainable housing options across the city. The new by-law provides the regulatory foundation needed to deliver more homes in the locations where people want and need to live. It also supports mixed use and transit-oriented development, reduces unnecessary barriers such as minimum parking requirements in urban areas, and creates greater certainty for housing investment.

The new zoning by-law is also good for landlords and tenants. It modernizes zoning rules, providing greater certainty for investment in more affordable rental housing. This will give renters more choice and reduce pressure on the cost of rental housing.

OREB acknowledges that zoning reform is not easy. Across Ontario, municipalities have announced ambitious housing policies only to retreat or dilute them in the face of local opposition. Ottawa’s decision to adopt the new Zoning By law demonstrates leadership and alignment with its Official Plan, housing targets, and long-term economic interests.

OREB is proud to have been one of the leading advocates for the new zoning by-law. Notably, OREB made the new zoning by-law a key component of its delegations to city committees, a priority issue during its recent days of action, a focus of our opinion editorials over the past year, and recent research we commissioned with Abacus Data.

OREB appreciates the leadership shown by Mayor Sutcliffe, Members of Council, and City staff, and looks forward to continuing to work collaboratively to support policies that expand housing opportunities for Ottawa residents.

Housing and affordability top voter concerns as Ottawa heads toward 2026 elections

82 per cent of residents say housing-related issues will be important in determining who they support in the 2026 municipal election

Ottawa, ON — With just nine months until the 2026 municipal elections, housing affordability and the cost of living will continue to be the most pressing issues for Ottawa residents, according to new public opinion research from Abacus Data released today by the Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB). The poll is among the largest surveys of Ottawa residents since the 2022 municipal election, with 1,000 responses.

Cost of living a major concern

According to the survey, more than one in three residents (37 per cent) say cost of living is the most important issue facing Ottawa today, followed by housing affordability (19 per cent), LRT confidence and transit reliability (11 per cent), and homelessness and encampments (10 per cent). Cost of living was identified by 63 per cent of residents as a priority issue that candidates running in the 2026 Ottawa municipal election should be focused on, followed by housing affordability (53 per cent), transit reliability (37 per cent), and the city budget and taxes (32 per cent).

“People are struggling to make ends meet, and they want action to help make life more affordable,” said Tami Eades, president of the Ottawa Real Estate Board. “A home is the biggest cost in most families’ budgets, so the number one thing the city can do to ease the cost-of-living crisis is to help generate more attainable housing. With an election happening in October, it’s clear that candidates need to be focused on housing.”

Residents want more action on housing

The research shows housing affordability will likely be a major issue for voters heading into the 2026 municipal election. More than three-quarters of residents (77 per cent) say housing in Ottawa is unaffordable, while only five per cent believe housing is affordable today. Over the past year, 51 per cent say affordability for homebuyers has worsened, and 59 per cent say affordability for renters has declined even as rents have begun to come down, highlighting continuing pressure across both ownership and rental markets.

Housing is also set to play a decisive role at the ballot box. Eighty-two per cent of residents say housing-related issues will be important in determining who they support in the 2026 municipal election, underscoring the central role housing policy will play in shaping the next council’s agenda.

The survey also highlights how rising housing costs are reshaping long-term housing decisions for Ottawa residents. Among homeowners, nearly one in four (24 per cent) say they plan to give or pass their home on to their children or family members, rather than sell it on the open market. These findings underscore the growing concern that housing has become increasingly difficult to afford for the next generation, with intergenerational transfers seen by many families as one of the few remaining pathways to homeownership.

“For many families, housing affordability has become a generational issue,” said Nicole Christy, CEO of OREB. “Parents are passing up the opportunity to add tens of thousands of dollars to their retirement savings so that their kids have a shot at the Canadian dream. Homeownership should be attainable for everyone, not just those whose parents can afford it.”

Transit and other issues

Beyond housing, the survey highlights a range of issues shaping voter priorities heading into 2026. Public safety, homelessness, and downtown conditions remain key concerns, with 76 per cent of Ottawa residents saying they are concerned about the future of downtown, including vacancies, safety, and economic activity. Confidence in major city projects is also mixed. More residents oppose Lansdowne 2.0 (37 per cent) than support it (27 per cent), and 43 per cent view the project as an unnecessary financial burden, reflecting sensitivity to large-scale spending decisions.

Transit reliability continues to be a major issue, with 37 per cent identifying it as a priority for candidates in the 2026 municipal election, and reliability and service disruptions cited as the top problems facing OC Transpo. At the same time, voters remain cautious about municipal finances. Forty-three per cent of residents say they would prefer to keep taxes as low as possible, even if services do not improve, signalling limited appetite for tax increases and a strong focus on value for money.

About the survey

The Ottawa Real Estate Board–Abacus Data State of Housing Survey was conducted from Dec. 10 to 22, 2025, among 1,000 residents of the City of Ottawa. Results are accurate to within plus or minus 2.77 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

About the Ottawa Real Estate Board

The Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB) is a non-profit association representing more than 4,000 member REALTORS® in the National Capital Region. OREB advocates for policies that promote housing affordability, protect consumers, and support a fair and efficient real estate marketplace.

Media contact

Melanie Coulson
Director of Strategic Communications & Engagement
613-225-2240 ext. 247| melanie@oreb.ca

OREB Statement on New Build Canada Homes and City of Ottawa Partnership

The Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB) welcomes the federal government’s new housing partnership with the City of Ottawa, announced today under the Build Canada Homes program.

The $400-million joint investment will deliver up to 3,000 mixed-income and affordable units, including 2,000 homes on federal lands supported by modern building methods, faster approvals and innovative financing. This announcement represents a meaningful step toward improving housing supply and affordability in the nation’s capital.

 We are particularly encouraged that one of the first Build Canada Homes partnerships is happening here in Ottawa.

“This city and this partnership is a model for how we want to build homes across the country,” Prime Minister Mark Carney said Monday, when he made the announcement at the Mayor’s Breakfast event with Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe.

Housing solutions must serve the full spectrum of needs in our community, from supportive and affordable housing to purpose-built rental and attainable ownership.

This approach aligns with OREB’s long-standing call for policy tools that expand choice, accelerate construction and reduce barriers to bringing more homes to market. Measures such as streamlined permitting, reduced development-related fees and collaborative public-private delivery models will help ensure that more Ottawa residents can find stable, appropriate housing that meets their needs.

This demonstrates both the urgency of our local housing challenges and the potential for real leadership and innovation in responding to them. OREB looks forward to working with all levels of government, industry partners and community organizations to help ensure these new homes reflect local housing needs and contribute to a more diverse, resilient and sustainable housing market for Ottawa residents.

OREB congratulates Build Canada Homes CEO Anna Bailão, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, and Prime Minister Carney for their leadership in advancing this initiative for Ottawa.

OREB Statement on Bill 60: Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act

Housing affordability remains one of the most urgent challenges facing residents across the City of Ottawa. Families are struggling to enter the housing market, young people increasingly doubt they will ever be able to buy a home in the communities they grew up in, and rental housing is becoming less secure and more expensive for many.

The passage of the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025 (Bill 60) is a welcome attempt by the Province of Ontario to speed up Ontario’s housing and infrastructure system by reducing lengthy delays across multiple government processes, including at the Landlord Tenant Board (LTB).

For years, systemic delays and backlogs at the LTB have undermined confidence in the system for both tenants and rental property owners and made the Ontario rental system difficult to navigate and unfair for many. OREB supports measures to speed up hearings, make dispute resolution more efficient, target chronic and high-risk tenancy issues, and restore confidence in the rental market to unlock more rental housing.

In addition, OREB supports measures in Bill 60 aimed at addressing the impact of development charges and other barriers standing in the way of building more affordable housing. High and unpredictable growth-related costs are passed on to buyers and renters, making it harder for families to find homes they can afford. Bill 60 takes important steps to bring more consistency and transparency to how municipalities calculate, administer, and report on development charges. Improving predictability around DCs is a critical step toward lowering the cost of building homes for families, seniors, and renters.

As part of our association’s recent 2025 Days of Action at City Hall, OREB advocated for lower development charges, stronger protections for tenants and rental property owners, and a general city zoning by-law focused on affordability, certainty, and supply. These remain core OREB priorities and we will continue working closely with provincial and municipal partners to ensure Ottawa does not fall further behind on housing affordability.

While Bill 60 is an important step forward, the Bill does weaken some tenant protections. OREB will closely monitor the implementation of the Bill to ensure that it does not lead to unwarranted evictions, reduced appeal rights, or greater housing instability for renters. LTB reform is long overdue, and although Bill 60 represents an initial step, more work is needed to restore affordability and ensure balanced protections across the rental housing system.

OREB will continue to encourage the province to pursue measures that increase housing supply, strengthen overall confidence in the housing system, improve affordability and reduce costs for homebuyers. This includes expanding the HST rebate to all homes.

Paul Czan
2025 President
Ottawa Real Estate Board

Federal Budget a Step Forward, but Falls Short on Immediate Housing Affordability in Ottawa

Ottawa, ON — The Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB) welcomes the housing investments in Canada Strong: Budget 2025, as several measures align with the Board’s ongoing calls for coordinated action to expand housing supply.

OREB acknowledges the federal government’s efforts to boost housing supply through Build Canada Homes, including a $1 billion investment for transitional and supportive housing for those experiencing homelessness, and a recommitment to invest $2.8 billion through the Urban, Rural, Northern and Indigenous Housing Strategy.

While these are important ‘generational investments’, the proposed federal budget falls short of addressing the immediate affordability challenges faced by Ottawa residents, and lacks concrete measures to help Canadians currently aspiring to achieve affordable homeownership. The Budget missed an opportunity to explicitly encourage the construction of more missing middle housing such as townhomes, duplexes, and low-rise apartments that are entry points for many first-time buyers.

The Budget does confirm several previously announced measures, including the elimination of the GST on new homes for first-time buyers. These are important steps that will help lower costs, facilitate greater movement through the market, and encourage construction.

“Ottawa families are struggling to find homes they can afford,” said Paul Czan, President of OREB. “Although we are pleased that the federal government is investing in housing, we were looking for a stronger focus on coordinated action between all levels of government to make the dream of home ownership a reality.” A recent survey conducted by Abacus Data for OREB underscores the urgency of this challenge.

82% of Ottawa residents are concerned about the city’s housing situation.
67% describe local housing as unaffordable.
71% of non-homeowners still hope to buy a home
50% doubt they’ll ever be able to afford one in their community of choice.

The survey also found that 62% of respondents are worried that should their financial situation suddenly change, they could lose their home or rental unit. A concern that could deepen following Tuesday’s announced cuts to the federal public service, which may have a marked effect on Ottawa and area’s housing market.

“These numbers paint a stark picture,” said Nicole Christy, CEO of OREB. “Ottawa residents want more affordable housing options, especially missing middle homes that seniors, families, and young people can afford. The federal government has taken a step in the right direction, but there’s still more work ahead.”

In a city where infrastructure costs drive up the price of every new home, OREB sees value in the federal government’s move to connect federal infrastructure funding to affordability reforms. Historically, much of this cost has been covered through development charges, which in Ottawa can add up to $63,000 to the price of a new low-rise home. The new Community Housing Infrastructure Fund provides municipalities with federal support for these critical infrastructure projects, creating an opportunity to reduce development charges, lower costs, and accelerate construction.

Furthermore, OREB supports the federal government’s decision to eliminate programs that added administrative burdens without meaningfully improving housing supply, such as the Underused Housing Tax.

“Ottawa can’t solve its housing crisis without lowering costs and cutting red tape. This Budget gives governments an opportunity to do both, but it’s time to seize that opportunity.” added Christy.

While Budget 2025 takes meaningful steps to support housing supply and infrastructure, Ottawa residents still face significant affordability challenges. We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lower costs, accelerate construction, and expand attainable options like missing middle housing.

OREB will continue to call for stronger coordination between all levels of government to ensure federal investments align with provincial and municipal housing investments and reforms, opening more doors to attainable housing and home ownership in Ottawa.