OREA Commends Government of Ontario’s Transformative Bill to Boost Housing Supply and Keep Costs Down

TORONTO, March 30, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- “It’s no secret that we’re at a critical time for housing in Ontario. Economic uncertainties and rising cost of living are impacting the province’s housing market, from new construction to buyers and sellers on the sidelines. We need our leaders to take charge and steer us in the right direction to get housing starts and sales back on track.

The Building Homes and Improving Transportation Infrastructure Act, introduced today by the Government of Ontario, is exactly what we need to see if we want to right the ship. This proposed legislation features a wide suite of REALTOR®-led solutions, and the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) and our nearly 100,000 Members commend the Ford Government for listening and standing up for the next generation of homeowners.

We are particularly thrilled to see the Bill proposing to enact a longstanding recommendation from OREA – cutting red tape to make it easier to build housing supply. This includes proposals to simplify municipal land-use planning approvals, as well as reviewing the Building Code in depth to reduce barriers to new homes. These ideas will help bring more missing middle housing options to market and further enable modern housing construction methods like factory-built housing across the province.

The new Bill also proposes several actions to address the runaway costs of development charges (DCs), as highlighted in our latest policy report. OREA is pleased to see the provincial government championing transparency and accountability through the proposed disclosure of DCs and other hidden fees in new home agreements of purchase and sale. In addition, today’s announcement of $8.8 billion in federal and provincial funding over 10 years to support Ontario municipalities that reduce and maintain low DCs aligns with OREA recommendations for all governments to work in collaboration to fund and enable necessary infrastructure.

The new proposed Bill will also see the Ford government continuing to advance the implementation of municipal services corporations for infrastructure required to support new housing in Peel Region, aiming to create a model that could be adopted province-wide. This is a big win for new home buyers and municipalities, as infrastructure costs could be amortized over decades, helping everyone keep more money in their pockets.

If implemented, these will be transformative initiatives for housing in Ontario, now and in the future. This is the kind of bold action we need to drive economic growth, support jobs, and keep the dream of homeownership alive. We thank Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rob Flack for putting this Bill forward and we look forward to collaborating on solutions to create a stronger, more resilient housing market in Ontario.”

- Kim Fairley, 2026 OREA President

For more information, please contact:

Jean-Adrien Delicano
Senior Manager, Media Relations, OREA
JeanAdrienD@orea.com
416-459-6059

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