Ontario records low housing starts, even using new ways of counting them
Global News
The government recently updated its housing tracker for the first time in eight months, and it provides yet another glimpse into home building struggles.
Ontario’s final tally for housing starts in 2024 is well off what’s needed to achieve Premier Doug Ford’s goal of getting 1.5 million homes built, even with various new categories the government is adding such as university dorms.
The government recently updated its housing tracker for the first time in eight months, and it provides yet another glimpse into home building struggles.
The total housing starts for 2024 by the government’s calculations was 94,753. That includes 73,462 traditional housing starts, 14,381 additional residential units, 2,278 long-term care beds, 2,807 post-secondary student housing beds, and 1,825 retirement home suites.
But in order to meet the goal of 1.5 million homes built over 10 years by 2031, Ontario should have added 125,000 homes last year, with at least 150,000 this year and 175,000 the next. The province met its 110,000 target for 2023 after counting long-term care beds.
A spokesperson for Housing Minister Rob Flack said the government is seeing progress made through various funds it has established to help spur home construction.
“Our government is accelerating housing development, investing in infrastructure, and giving municipalities the tools they need to build more homes,” Alexandra Sanita wrote in a statement. She also noted there were 9,125 rental housing starts.
But this year is so far not shaping up well either, as highlighted by the province’s financial accountability officer, who flagged earlier this year that the starts for the first quarter of 2025 were at the lowest levels since 2009.
It’s a reality that builders are seeing on the ground, said Dave Wilkes, president and CEO of the Building Industry and Land Development Association.
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