As changes to Residential Tenancies Act draw near, Yukoners react

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Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-30 17:51:39.0
Tags: [National, Housing, Affordability, Governance]

Yukon Party MLAs voted to pass statutory amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act, effectively eliminating territorial rent caps and reintroducing no-cause evictions effective December 1. The legislative changes, spearheaded by Community Services Minister Cory Bellmore and supported by Premier Currie Dixon, aim to transition the territory to a market-based rental system and encourage housing investment. The Yukon Residential Landlord Association estimated that landlords have withdrawn more than 200 rental units from the market since rent controls were implemented in 2021, while opposition parties and housing advocates criticized the measures for lacking supporting data and negatively impacting tenant housing security.

Dawson City, Yukon, leaders urge territory to retract no-cause eviction bill

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-29 19:12:01.0
Tags: [National, Housing, Affordability, Governance]

The Yukon Legislative Assembly passed Bill 8, enacting amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act that reintroduce no-cause evictions and scrap rent control. In response, Dawson City Mayor Stephen Johnson, the Dawson City Council, and former territorial NDP candidate Francis van Kessel sent letters urging Premier Currie Dixon and Minister of Community Services Cory Bellmore to retract the legislation due to severe rental scarcity and potential strains on community social services.

Yukon gov't passes amendments to Residential Tenancies Act, scrapping rent control

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-28 21:04:27.0
Tags: [National, Housing, Affordability, Governance]

The Yukon government passed legislative amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act, effectively scrapping the territorial residential rent cap and permitting no-cause evictions. Backed by Yukon Party MLAs and spearheaded by Community Services Minister Cory Bellmore, the changes are scheduled to take effect on December 1, 2026. While the territorial government asserts that removing rent control will incentivize private-sector rental housing investment and increase long-term supply, housing advocates and opposition politicians have criticized the policy for exacerbating cost-of-living pressures for tenants.

P.E.I. got cash to crack down on short-term rentals — but did it help boost the housing supply?

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-24 09:00:00.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Housing, Affordability, Tourism, Governance]

Tourism P.E.I. utilized federal funding from the Short-Term Rental Enforcement Fund to establish an inspection unit targeting unlicenced short-term rentals across Prince Edward Island. During its first year of operations, the enforcement unit identified 242 illegal short-term rental operations, which represented 10 per cent of the province's licensed tourism accommodations. Of those identified operations, the provincial government reported that 164 have subsequently ceased operating or transitioned into long-term housing options. However, housing advocates and municipal officials note that determining whether these regulatory enforcement efforts have measurably boosted the available year-round housing supply remains inconclusive.

Ontario and Canada Making Homes More Affordable in Sudbury

Source: Ontario - Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Date: 2026-10-23 19:00:00.0
Tags: [Ontario, Municipal, Housing, Affordability, Infrastructure, Finance]

The governments of Ontario and Canada announced that the City of Greater Sudbury will receive up to $45.3 million through the Development Charge Reduction Program (DCRP). In exchange, the City of Greater Sudbury has committed to eliminating development charges for all housing types from March 30, 2026, to March 31, 2029, a policy expected to reduce homebuilding costs by up to $22,162 per home and unlock 3,320 new homes. The federal funding flows through the Build Communities Strong Fund (BCSF) under a 10-year, $8.8 billion cost-matched infrastructure agreement. The DCRP funding will directly support improvements to local water and wastewater infrastructure, specifically transitioning the Garson East Drinking Water System and upgrading watermains and sanitary sewers in the Maley Drive growth corridor.

Ontario and Canada Making Homes More Affordable in Essex County

Source: Ontario - Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Date: 2026-10-23 18:00:00.0
Tags: [Ontario, Municipal, Housing, Affordability, Infrastructure, Finance]

The governments of Ontario and Canada announced up to $105.8 million in infrastructure funding through the Development Charge Reduction Program (DCRP) for regional and local municipalities in the County of Essex, including up to $51.2 million for Essex County, $77.6 million for the City of Windsor, $25.4 million for the Town of LaSalle, $11.8 million for the Municipality of Lakeshore, $8.4 million for the Town of Kingsville, $8.8 million for the Town of Essex, and $6.8 million for the Town of Tecumseh. In exchange, these municipalities have committed to reducing or eliminating development charges for all housing types between March 30, 2026, and December 31, 2030. Combined with a two-government agreement to provide relief on the full HST on eligible new homes from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027, the initiatives are estimated to save homebuyers up to $170,862 per home and unlock 36,372 new homes across Essex County.

Ontario and Canada Making Homes More Affordable in Windsor and Tecumseh

Source: Ontario - Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Date: 2026-10-23 15:00:00.0
Tags: [Ontario, Municipal, Housing, Affordability, Infrastructure, Finance]

The governments of Ontario and Canada are providing up to $84.4 million through the Development Charge Reduction Program (DCRP) to the City of Windsor and the Town of Tecumseh in exchange for reducing development charges for all housing types from March 30, 2026, to March 31, 2029. Windsor will receive up to $77.6 million to reduce development charges by 70 percent, funding stormwater management and roadway infrastructure projects while saving homebuyers up to $49,452 per home. The Town of Tecumseh will receive up to $6.8 million to reduce development charges by 50 percent, supporting new trunk sanitary sewer infrastructure and saving homebuyers up to $18,078 per home. Combined with a federal-provincial agreement providing full HST relief on eligible new homes, these initiatives aim to unlock 19,263 new homes across the region.

As the Yukon moves to lift rent control, we asked how many MLAs are landlords

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-23 11:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Housing, Affordability, Governance]

The Yukon government has tabled legislation to amend the territory's Residential Tenancies Act by lifting the residential rent cap and reintroducing no-cause evictions. CBC News analysis revealed that 6 of the territory's 21 MLAs (or roughly 28.6 per cent)—including four from the governing Yukon Party and two from the NDP—are landlords or have partners who are landlords, prompting conflict of interest concerns from the Official Opposition. However, the territorial conflict of interest commissioner determined that no conflict of interest exists regarding the vote because the legislative amendments apply broadly across the rental market rather than targeting specific properties or individuals.

Price spread between new and resale condos reveals market strength

Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-10-22 14:16:43.0
Tags: [Alberta, Housing, Affordability, Economy]

A report by Real Property Solutions (RPS) indicates that the price spread between new and resale condominium units in Alberta widened from $84,000 in 2023 to $136,000 in 2025, reflecting market strength compared to tightening spreads in British Columbia and Ontario. According to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. statistics up to August 31, new condo development accounts for only 10 per cent of housing starts in Edmonton, while freehold ownership represents 47 per cent and rentals represent 43 per cent. Realtors Association of Edmonton statistics for September showed apartment resales down over eight per cent year over year, with an average condo price gaining 0.6 per cent to nearly $209,000, maintaining a buyer's market.

Health care, affordability and the economy are the priorities in N.B. throne speech

Source: New Brunswick - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-20 16:31:56.0
Tags: [New Brunswick, Healthcare, Affordability, Economy, Housing, Governance]

The New Brunswick government's throne speech, read by Lt.-Gov. Louise Imbeault in Fredericton, outlines priorities centered on health care, affordability, and economic growth for the coming year. Premier Susan Holt's government announced that the opening of 30 new collaborative care clinics is ahead of schedule for completion by the end of 2027, alongside plans to name a mental health advocate and launch a health and long-term care workforce strategy. Additionally, the province is creating a trade diversification plan to target high-potential export markets outside the United States and is committing increased funding toward new housing infrastructure.

Ontario and Canada Making Homes More Affordable in Guelph

Source: Ontario - Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Date: 2026-10-16 15:20:00.0
Tags: [Ontario, Municipal, Housing, Affordability, Infrastructure, Finance]

The governments of Ontario and Canada announced up to $48.3 million for the City of Guelph through the Development Charge Reduction Program (DCRP) to support vital water and wastewater infrastructure upgrades, including the Biosolids Facility, Verney Booster Pumping Station, and Clythe Water Treatment Plant. In exchange, the City of Guelph has committed to reducing development charges by 30 per cent for all housing types from March 30, 2026, to March 31, 2029. This reduction is estimated to lower new home building costs by up to $21,623 per home, which, when combined with expanded HST relief on eligible new homes, could save families up to $151,623 and unlock an estimated 27,675 new homes.

Ontario and Canada Making Homes More Affordable in Orillia

Source: Ontario - Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Date: 2026-10-16 14:15:00.0
Tags: [Ontario, Municipal, Housing, Affordability, Infrastructure, Finance]

The governments of Ontario and Canada are providing up to $11.3 million to the City of Orillia through the Development Charge Reduction Program (DCRP) in exchange for the municipality reducing development charges by 50 percent for all housing types from March 30, 2026, to March 31, 2029. The federal funding flows through the Build Communities Strong Fund (BCSF). The reduction is estimated to lower homebuilding costs by up to $15,791 per unit, and when combined with expanded Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) relief, could save families up to $145,791. The municipal initiative and infrastructure investment—specifically supporting the expansion and modernization of the City's Wastewater Treatment Centre—are projected to unlock 2,025 new homes.

Housing advocate fears removing rent control will thwart plan to end homelessness

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-15 19:45:44.0
Tags: [National, Housing, Affordability, Social Services, Governance]

The Yukon territorial government endorsed the Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition's 112-page community action plan to end homelessness, titled A Place to Be, while simultaneously introducing a bill in the Legislative Assembly via Community Services Minister Cory Bellmore to repeal rent caps and reintroduce no-cause evictions. Kristina Craig, executive director of the Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition, expressed concern that the elimination of rent control will jeopardize housing stability for current renters and undermine progress toward the plan's 29 recommendations. Scott Kent, the minister responsible for the Yukon Housing Corporation, stated that the government supports the plan's vision but declined to endorse its target of reducing homelessness by 50 percent in two years, while highlighting forthcoming housing developments such as 34 units at the former Korbo apartment site in Dawson City and 184 units delivered in partnership with the Da Daghay Development Corporation.

New Affordable Housing Coming to Bradford West Gwillimbury

Source: Ontario - Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Date: 2026-10-15 19:00:00.0
Tags: [Ontario, Municipal, Housing, Affordability, Infrastructure, Social Services]

The Governments of Canada and Ontario announced nearly $15 million in funding through the Canada-Ontario Community Housing Initiative (COCHI) to construct 99 new affordable housing units at 31 Frederick Street in the Municipality of Bradford West Gwillimbury. Developed by LOFT Community Services, the Bradford House project provides supportive housing for seniors living with complex needs, featuring integrated physical, mental, and substance use health services. The funding package includes $15 million from COCHI, $24,589,779 from the federal Affordable Housing Fund, and $150,000 in CMHC Seed Funding, alongside land donated by the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury.

Ontario and Canada Making Homes More Affordable in St. Thomas

Source: Ontario - Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Date: 2026-10-15 18:00:00.0
Tags: [Ontario, Municipal, Housing, Infrastructure, Affordability, Finance]

The governments of Ontario and Canada are providing up to $19.6 million to the City of St. Thomas through the Development Charge Reduction Program (DCRP) and the Build Communities Strong Fund (BCSF) to support the design and construction of a new wastewater treatment facility. In exchange, the City of St. Thomas has committed to reducing development charges by 30 per cent for single-detached and multi-unit housing, and 50 per cent for remaining unit types from March 30, 2026, to March 31, 2029. This initiative is estimated to reduce building costs by up to $5,961 per home, save families up to $135,961 when combined with expanded HST relief, and unlock 6,196 new homes.

No new help for tenants facing end of rent cap, Yukon premier says

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-14 18:30:53.0
Tags: [National, Housing, Affordability, Governance]

Yukon Premier Currie Dixon's government introduced legislative amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act in the Yukon Legislative Assembly to eliminate pandemic-era rent caps tied to inflation and restore no-cause evictions, with the changes scheduled to take effect as early as December 1. Premier Dixon stated that the government has no plans to introduce new tenant subsidies beyond an existing federal-territorial housing subsidy program for low- and middle-income households. Housing advocates, the Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition, and NDP Leader Kate White criticized the repeal, warning it will exacerbate affordability and cost-of-living pressures amidst a tight territory rental vacancy rate of 2.4 per cent and a Whitehorse vacancy rate of 1.5 per cent.

Yukon to eliminate rent control, allow no-cause evictions

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-09 01:34:16.0
Tags: [National, Housing, Affordability, Governance]

Yukon Community Services Minister Cory Bellmore introduced amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act in the Yukon Legislative Assembly to eliminate the territory's residential rent control cap and allow no-cause evictions effective December 1. The previous rent cap, enacted in 2021 by Sandy Silver's government under a deal with the NDP, limited annual rent increases to the average rate of inflation for the previous two years. Under the proposed amendments put forward by the Yukon Party government holding a legislative majority, landlords will be required to provide tenants with at least six months notice prior to implementing a rent increase or eviction, an increase from the previous three-month requirement. Opposition Leader and NDP Leader Kate White criticized the changes as devastating for housing affordability, while questioning whether government members who are landlords could be in a conflict of interest regarding the vote.

Ottawa to provide $2B in rebates for homeowners who install heat pumps

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-08 15:57:40.0
Tags: [National, Energy, Environment, Housing, Affordability]

The federal government, led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, is launching a $2-billion rebate program to help an estimated 820,000 homeowners across Canada install new heat pumps or replace existing heating systems over the next eight years. Officials state that the program will save participating homeowners an average of $1,400 annually on heating bills while lowering emissions. Additionally, Ottawa is partnering with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) to offer low-interest financing enabling apartment building owners to retrofit more than 280,000 homes over the same eight-year period.

Ottawa considering ‘options’ as foreign home buyer ban nears end: minister

Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-10-07 20:34:15.0
Tags: [National, Housing, Affordability, Economy, Finance]

Federal Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced that the Liberal government is considering options regarding the future of the ban on foreign ownership of Canadian residential property. The restriction, originally enacted in 2022 to cool housing markets for Canadian buyers and previously extended in 2024, is scheduled to sunset in January 2027. The government's decision on whether to extend, modify, or allow the ban to expire will be evaluated based on housing stock availability and market evolution ahead of the upcoming federal budget.

C-227 (45-1) - National Strategy on Housing for Young Canadians Act

Source: Parliament of Canada (LEGISinfo)
Date: 2026-10-05 16:52:21.0
Tags: [National, Housing, Affordability, Governance]

Private Member's Bill C-227, titled the National Strategy on Housing for Young Canadians Act and sponsored by Liberal Member of Parliament Braedon Clark, passed second reading in the House of Commons with a 169-152 vote on February 12, 2026. The legislation aims to establish a national strategy addressing housing challenges specifically facing young Canadians. Following its committee review by the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (TRAN), the bill was deemed reported back to the House without amendment on October 5, 2026.