News summary
CMHC: Canada still needs 417,000 to 469,000 starts a year
CMHC said recent affordability gains are at risk as construction slows, especially in the homeownership segment. Its Housing Supply Report estimates that restoring pre-pandemic affordability by 2036 would require 417,000 to 469,000 starts annually.
Source: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation · Published 15 January 2026 · Added 16 September 2026 · Canada
Why it matters
This is one of the few official, quantitative supply-gap ranges in a high-income country. It should be read with the model's assumptions, not as a universal law of housing.
Related topics: Housing Supply · Construction · Affordability
Read the original at Canada Mortgage and Housing CorporationCMHC estimates Canada needs 417,000 to 469,000 housing starts a year to restore affordability to pre-pandemic levels by 2036.