Rethinking Housing in Canada: Awareness, Trust, and the Push for Change
June 6, 2025
Between May 15 and 21, Abacus Data conducted a national survey of 2,273 Canadian adults (18+) to assess awareness, trust, and priorities related to the federal government’s Build Canada plan and the broader state of housing. The results reveal strong demand for more affordable options, flexible financing solutions, and meaningful progress across both market and non-market housing. As affordability pressures intensify, Canadians are looking for leadership that not only understands the crisis but deliver real results. For the Liberals, this presents an opportunity to show progress, rebuild trust, and demonstrate that their plan can deliver tangible results where it matters most.
Low Awareness, Fragile Trust in the Build Canada Plan
The federal government’s Build Canada plan, a national housing agency intended to accelerate home construction, is not registering with most Canadians. Only 40% are aware of the initiative, while nearly half (47%) say they haven’t heard of it at all. This lack of awareness reveals a deeper issue: even major federal efforts on housing are failing to connect with the public, despite widespread concern about the crisis.
Beyond limited awareness, confidence in the government’s ability to deliver is weak. Just 14% of Canadians believe the Liberals will follow through on the plan, while 33% don’t trust it will happen. However, over 2 in 5 (44%) say they somewhat trust the government, suggesting hesitant optimism overshadowed by doubt.
This signals a broader challenge for the Liberals: Canadians are uncertain not just about the solutions, but about the government’s ability to deliver them. Despite proposing a major initiative like Build Canada, low awareness and shaky trust suggest it isn’t yet shifting public perception, many still see the Conservatives as better equipped to handle the housing crisis. As housing remains a top political issue, the Liberals will need to rebuild trust, demonstrate progress, and convince voters their plan can deliver real results.
Are We Building What Canadians Need?
While Canadians agree there’s a housing crisis, there’s less clarity on whether current initiatives are producing the right kinds of homes. Just under six in ten (59%) Canadians believe the types of housing prioritized under the Build Canada plan, such as mid-rise apartments, modular homes, and mixed-income developments on public land, match the type of housing that’s needed today. However, many remain unsure, and some feel the plan misses the mark by overlooking more traditional or family-oriented options.
What’s clear is that Canadians want a broader mix of housing solutions. Non-market options are seen as essential, with one-third (34%) saying the country should prioritize purpose-built affordable or social housing and 23% highlighting the need for co-op or non-profit models. At the same time, many Canadians are still looking for market-based options – 29% want more small, family-oriented homes, while 26% point to modular housing and another 26% prioritize traditional detached single-family homes. The demand reflects a desire for both affordability and choice across the housing spectrum.
Overall, the public appears pragmatic and open to a range of housing types, especially those that balance speed of delivery, long-term stability, and access for those who need it most.
Canadians Prioritize Affordability Above All
Affordability stands out as the defining priority for Canadians when it comes to housing. Nearly half (48%) say the federal government’s top focus should be making housing more affordable for renters, while 43% emphasize the need to build more affordable housing overall. Among renters themselves, concern is even higher, 57% say rental affordability is their number one issue.
While fewer Canadians overall (24%) identify mortgage access as a top priority, that figure climbs to 30% among those planning to buy a home. This signals a significant group who feel locked out of homeownership due to financial and lending barriers.
Whether renting or buying, Canadians are united by one core demand: make housing more affordable. Their specific needs may differ, but the call for action is clear and urgent across the board.
Appetite Grows for Alternative Financing
A growing number of Canadians are not just questioning home prices, they’re questioning the financial system itself. Two-thirds (67%) have a negative view of the current mortgage and financing system – 27% believe it’s outdated and makes homeownership harder than it should be, 21% think it’s fair but needs modernization, and 19% believe it rewards people who have money or family help. Only 13% believe it works for most people. Among young Canadians and prospective buyers, the system is widely seen as one that rewards people who already have money or family support, an inequity that is increasingly hard to ignore.
In this climate, interest in alternative financing models is rising sharply. The most popular solution is rent-to-own with a portion of rent building equity, favored by 37% of Canadians and 48% of renters. Other innovative models gaining traction include 40-year mortgages with capped interest (20%), portable mortgages that move with buyers (17%), and wage-linked mortgages (17%) that rise or fall with income.
Among future homebuyers, enthusiasm for innovation is even stronger. They are more likely to embrace portable mortgages (22%), shared equity partnerships with governments or nonprofits (19%), and wage-based lending (21%). These preferences reveal that for many Canadians, affordability isn’t just about lower prices, it’s about flexibility, security, and fairness in how homes are financed.
The Upshot
These findings present both a warning and a window of opportunity for the federal government. Canadians aren’t just asking for more housing – they’re asking for solutions that reflect the reality of their lives: homes that are affordable, accessible, and tailored to diverse and evolving needs. While the Build Canada plan is ambitious in scope, it has yet to resonate with the public. Awareness remains low, and trust in the government’s ability to deliver is fragile.
And yet, the door isn’t closed. Canadians haven’t lost hope. There is a genuine appetite for bold, flexible, and inclusive approaches – whether through a more diverse housing mix or innovative financing options that make ownership feel within reach. Canadians are pragmatic. They don’t expect perfect answers, but they do expect a government that follows through.
Affordability remains the common thread. Whether renting or trying to buy, Canadians want housing options they can realistically access. But beyond price, the findings point to a deeper shift: traditional mortgage systems are losing public trust. A growing share of Canadians – especially younger and aspiring homeowners – are open to new models like rent-to-own, wage-linked mortgages, and shared equity solutions that offer greater flexibility and fairness.
For the Carney government, this is a defining moment. The housing file carries high expectations – but also an opportunity to reset them. Canadians may be skeptical, but they’re still open. They want to see a government that listens, adapts, and delivers. Delivering meaningful progress – especially on affordability and financing – could not only address the crisis but also rebuild confidence in federal leadership at a time when it’s most needed.
Methodology
The survey was conducted with 2,273 Canadian adults from May 15 to 21, 2025. A random sample of panelists were invited to complete the survey from a set of partner panels based on the Lucid exchange platform. These partners are typically double opt-in survey panels, blended to manage out potential skews in the data from a single source.
The margin of error for a comparable probability-based random sample of the same size is +/- 2.05%, 19 times out of 20.
The data were weighted according to census data to ensure that the sample matched Canada’s population according to age, gender, educational attainment, and region.
This survey was paid for by Abacus Data.
Abacus Data follows the CRIC Public Opinion Research Standards and Disclosure Requirements that can be found here: https://canadianresearchinsightscouncil.ca/standards/
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