Many Canadians rely on their home as the cornerstone of their personal wealth, but as much as Millennials and Gen Z may want to start building equity, for many, the dream of homeownership is still painfully out of reach.

The Re/Max Housing Market Drivers Report released this week examines nine major Canadian urban centres over 30 years, with triple-digit price appreciation reported from 1994 to 2024. The report found population growth, along with policy levers and market events, have long been pillars of the Canadian housing market, creating periods of extended growth and contractions in the country’s largest cities.

Halifax Regional Municipality reported the greatest increase in price percentage growth, rising 460% for a compounded annual growth rate of 5.91%. The Greater Toronto Area was a close second, with a percentage increase of 436.2% and a CAGR of 5.76%, while Saskatoon rounded out the top three, with a percentage increase of 377% and a compounded annual rate of return of 5.35%.

Re/Max Canada president Don Kottick said each generation has faced its challenges and obstacles.

“Today’s trade barriers, high interest rates and stringent lending policies may be overwhelming, but this too shall pass,” he said. “Historically, dynamics evolve from recovery to expansion, peak to contraction, trough to recovery. Cyclically, the trough is short and gives way to renewed growth. In retrospect, buyers may look back and realize that this period represented the best opportunity in recent years to get into the market at a reduced price point.”

Market Conditions are Softening, But New Buyers Still Struggle

Re/Max brokers are reporting balanced/moderating conditions in most markets, with affordability being an ongoing issue, despite more favourable conditions, including rising inventory levels.

Average price escalation continues to outpace wage growth, making it exceedingly difficult for first-time buyers across all regions to enter the market, according to the report. Additionally, many would-be purchasers are challenged by the mortgage stress test, debt burdens, downpayment requirements and high carrying costs.

A chronic supply shortage at lower price points is driving values higher for entry-level homes, while the cancellation of new construction projects has set the stage for tight market conditions in the future, according to Re/Max.

The report also points to a notable trend: empty-nesters and retirees now competing with first-time buyers for smaller homes, particularly bungalows, in many areas of the country, making it even tougher to break into the market.

Unlocking Opportunities to Ease The Path to Ownership

Re/Max included a list of 10 potential solutions to put homeownership back in reach for more Canadians. They are :

• Allow potential homebuyers to withdraw more than the allotted amount in the first-time Home Buyers’ Plan from their RRSPs and from their TFSAs.
• Remove the additional 2% requirement to qualify on the mortgage stress test.
• Extend amortization periods for first-time homebuyers.
• Remove Land Transfer Taxes on purchases under certain price points (to be determined by average price in each market).
• Remove GST and HST for all homebuyers on new housing product.
• Reduce or remove red tape, outdated zoning bylaws and restructure land-use policies, while speeding up the permit and approvals process.
• Incentivize the building of homes that meet the needs of today’s homebuyers, shifting focus to end users over investors.
• Policies and programs should prioritize first-time purchasers.
• Invest in and support innovations such as modular or prefab construction techniques that bring supply online faster and at a lower cost.
• Address supply of affordable homes as a percentage of available product or new construction.

“Affordability, population growth and supply shortages are the recurring themes shaping residential housing in Canada,” said Kottick. “While each market exhibits local nuances – Vancouver’s looming condo shortage, Edmonton’s affordability and Halifax’s steep climb in values are just a few examples – the shared pressures unite all major regions. Governments and private-sector players share a great responsibility in shaping Canada’s real estate landscape, addressing the housing crisis and ensuring sustainable urban development.”

Re/Max Kottick : Today’s Homebuyers Face Uphill Battle, But “This Too Shall Pass” by Courtney Zwicker | Real Estate Magazine