COLUMN: On Parliament Hill – Building homeowners, not just housing

When we hear platform promises, pitches, and possible scenarios, we understand they are rooted in a belief system or worldview. I know behind every letter I receive are ideas about how the world could be different.

My worldview is rooted in doing everything within my jurisdiction as a federal representative to set my constituents and the rest of Canada up for success. Conservatives do not believe government should be the perpetual provider. Government’s role is to create the conditions for Canadians to build their own future—to work, save, own and prosper. We don’t want government building a life for Canadians; we want to make it possible for Canadians to dream, design and build their own lives.

This is why the divide between political parties can be so profound. It’s not just a disagreement over individual policies or programs. It reflects the different beliefs in the role of government and the role of Canadians to build a better future.

Housing is a good example.

It perturbs me that according to a recent Royal Bank of Canada poll, 68 percent of Canadians dream of buying a home, yet only half of that number imagine being able to do so in the next couple of years.

You may recall that, back in 2016, the World Economic Forum (WEF), one of the world’s most influential global policy forums, published a speculative vision of life in 2030 based on an essay by Danish politician Ida Auken titled 8 Predictions for the World in 2030. The vision described a future where people would own far fewer things and instead access goods and services as needed. The phrase that went viral on social media was “You’ll own nothing. And you’ll be happy.” It is important to note that WEF’s article was understood as a thought experiment, not legislation or a binding policy proposal published and promoted as a future scenario.

But the idea, speculative or otherwise, is concerning.

Ownership matters. A home is not merely shelter; it is equity, security, and an inheritance.

I believe every Canadian matters and should have every opportunity to pursue what is best for themselves and their families.

When it comes to housing, government assistance should be designed as a pathway to independence—not a system that creates indefinite dependence. The government’s role is to provide opportunities for Canadians by removing barriers that prevent their success.

Back when I served as president of Steinbach Credit Union, a group of local entrepreneurs initiated a community-focused housing project bringing together the credit union, local builders and developers with a shared goal: helping renters move into home ownership. What that meant was first-time buyers received support through customized lending solutions, outside traditional lending practices enabling residents to own their house instead of perpetually renting. Such partnership can offer promising possibilities.

Clearly, this is a very different scenario than expanding a permanent rental market, which is the direction of Mark Carney’s Liberal government.

While Prime Minister Carney’s press conference this past week was largely the repackaging of projects already announced or already under construction, the numbers remain alarming. Among homes currently being built, rental construction has reached a record high. The plan we see unfolding is not about removing barriers and creating opportunities for Canadians, but instead about providing more rental housing. BMO Capital Markets explained it as Canada becoming a ‘nation of rentals’, falling to levels the bank said are usually seen in recessions.

Conservative Shadow Minister for Housing, Scott Aitchison warned, “Of the homes that are being built, they are disproportionately smaller rental apartments and condos, not the single-family homes young Canadians aspire to own.” He added, “Construction of homes intended for homeowners fell to a 30-year low in 2025.

Canadians have not lost their desire to own a home; they have lost confidence that the system will provide them with a realistic and achievable path to get there.

With Prime Minister Carney’s many housing announcements, Canadians would reasonably expect to see more homes being built and greater opportunities for families to buy. Yet the reality tells a different story. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) projects that housing starts will fall by as much as 21 percent by 2028. Of equal concern, Canada is building less than half of the estimated 430,000 to 480,000 annual housing starts needed to restore pre-pandemic affordability.

Throughout Canada’s history, the path to home ownership looked different. As MP Aitchison noted, “The deal was simple: work hard, save, and you could afford a home. Now, after 11 years of Liberal government, that deal is broken as home prices in Canada have grown 28 percent faster than incomes since 2015, the worst in the G7, according to the OECD.”

The housing affordability crises didn’t happen overnight. It is the result of intentional and deliberate policy direction of the Liberal government to control the prosperity of Canadians. But I fully believe it can be reversed. Canadians can build their own future when given the opportunity to work, save, own and prosper.

It needs to start with a Conservative approach—removing government barriers and believing in the ability of Canadians to build their own future.