New housing minister says supply, not costs, root of Canada's real estate crisis

Raffy Boudjikanian · CBC News

· Posted: May 14, 2025 7:08 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 minutes ago

New national Housing Minister Gregor Robertson said the mode retired of the existent property situation that has consumed lodging markets successful Canada is to increase supply, not trim costs.

"I deliberation that we request to present much supply, marque definite the marketplace is stable," helium said to journalists arsenic helium headed into his archetypal furniture gathering connected Wednesday. "It's a immense portion of our economy, but we request to beryllium capable to present much affordable housing."

Robertson was Vancouver's politician betwixt 2008 and 2018. During that time, information from the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation shows the mean terms of single-family and semi-detached homes roseate 179 per cent crossed the broader Metro Vancouver area. 

"We've seen increases similar that crossed Canada implicit the past decade," Robertson said, defending his record.

"I wasn't getting the assistance I needed from the national authorities erstwhile I was mayor, or the provincial government, of each stripes. We need, arsenic a authorities successful Ottawa, to beryllium delivering and partnering with cities and provinces." 

He noted that his acquisition arsenic politician gives him a unsocial position connected what benignant of assistance is needed federally to assistance those astatine the much grassroots level of this problem.   

Robertson bequest a mixed bag: municipality studies expert 

Urban studies prof Andy Yan said Robertson's remarks today show determination is one takeaway helium whitethorn not person absorbed from his years successful the mayor's chair.

"He possibly did not recognize however overmuch it's besides astir concern and demand," said Yan, who teaches at Simon Fraser University successful Burnaby, B.C. 

He pointed retired however Robertson had promised to extremity homelessness erstwhile helium became politician successful 2008, though homelessness, too, ended up surging nether his watch.

But Yan said Robertson needs clip to settee successful to his caller relation earlier anyone passes judgment.

"It's virtually his 2nd time connected the job. One has to springiness him the accidental to spot what helium learned, the lessons in being the politician of Vancouver."

On Tuesday, journalists asked Prime Minister Mark Carney if appointing Robertson to Housing indicated the authorities does not privation lodging prices to spell down.

"You would beryllium precise hard-pressed to marque that conclusion," Carney said. "We person a beardown presumption connected lodging and a precise wide policy," helium said. He added Robertson brings the benignant of acquisition needed to tackle immoderate of the lodging outgo problems.

During the predetermination campaign, Carney revealed 1 large portion of his solution is the instauration of a caller authorities entity called Build Canada Homes, which would straight oversee the operation of affordable housing. During the campaign, the premier minister also pledged to region the GST connected the acquisition of a location astatine oregon nether $1 cardinal for first-time buyers.