The Federal Conservative shadow minister for housing, Scott Aitchison, says new numbers from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation have not lived up to the promises made by Prime Minister Mark Carney. The CMHC confirmed housing starts were down 11 per cent in September compared with last year, while starts through the first nine months of 2026 are down four per cent from 2025, Aitchison said in a news release Friday. “This is nowhere near the almost 500,000 homes a year Prime Minister Carney promised,” said the MP for Parry Sound-Muskoka. “Through September, housing starts are down five per cent in Ontario compared with the same period last year.” “CMHC also says construction is expected to slow faster than demand, leaving Canada well short of the 417,000 to 469,000 homes needed each year to restore pre-pandemic affordability,” the release said. “Conservatives will eliminate the GST on all new homes under $1.3 million, cut development charges in half and clear away needless red tape to make homebuilding cheaper and faster,” Aitchison said. Aitchison announced on Sept. 30 that he plans to retire from politics at the conclusion of Parliament’s fall session to pursue new opportunities after 30 years in public life.
