Janice Myers CEO Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) via LinkedIn.

“We often talk about Canada’s housing shortage in terms of numbers, but behind every housing statistic is a family trying to figure out what comes next. They’ve outgrown their apartment, a detached home is out of reach, and the home that should bridge the gap often isn’t there. That’s the missing middle.

The missing middle is not one type of home. It’s a broad range of gentle- to medium-density housing, including duplexes, multiplexes, row homes, stacked townhouses, low-rise apartments, family-sized apartments and accessory suites. These are the homes that can provide more attainable options for Canadians at different stages of life, whether they’re renting, buying their first home, raising a family or looking to downsize.

For Canadians living in larger homes, hoping to downsize without leaving the neighbourhood they’ve called home, this lack of housing supply can force them into unnecessary sacrifices – choosing between staying in a house that’s become too demanding or having to leave the area they call home. Facing that choice, many opt to stay in their homes. It means there aren’t enough family-sized homes entering the resale market, creating a bottleneck that affects buyers and sellers at every stage of the homeownership journey.

The conversation around Canada’s housing shortage is focused on building more homes. But it’s just as important to build the right homes.

Canada needs to build millions of more homes in the next decade to restore housing affordability. Meeting this challenge means thinking beyond housing targets. Canadians aren’t looking to buy the next housing unit; they’re looking for their next home. That means carefully considering what we build, where and how we build it. It means building the missing middle, giving buyers and sellers the options they are looking for.

Canadians recognize this challenge as well. According to recent Abacus research, 76% of Canadians believe not enough affordable homes are being built, and 61% believe that the homes being built today don’t meet the needs of Canadian households – particularly when it comes to affordability, size, layout and family suitability.

That’s why CREA is advocating for government to put its existing tools to work. Adding a fourth Mortgage Loan Insurance (MLI) Select category focused on missing middle supply would incentivize developers to build three-to-eight unit buildings more broadly. It’s a targeted policy solution that meets builders where they already are while encouraging more of the homes Canadians need: lower-rise, family-sized homes with the bedrooms and space today’s households require…

The solutions to Canada’s housing crisis aren’t found in a single jurisdiction or over one election cycle, and the housing continuum isn’t just about income or tenure – it’s about ensuring Canadians can find a home that meets their needs and fits their budget, at every stage of life. We need years, even decades, of focused cooperation and concerted efforts to build the communities and the homes that all Canadians deserve…”

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