Despite pledges to double housing construction to 500,000 homes annually, Canada managed only 259,028 housing starts last year, according to data from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Toronto saw a sharp 31% decline in starts compared to 2024, while other major Ontario cities experienced a 13% drop. With CMHC estimating that 430,000 to 480,000 units per year are needed to address demand, the shortfall remains significant. High development charges – exceeding $1