Trade Tensions with the U.S. Deepen Housing Anxiety in Canada
Between April 7 and 10, 2025, Abacus Data conducted a national survey of 1,800 Canadian adults (18+) as part of our weekly election tracking to understand how the how Canada-U.S. relations are impacting the state of housing in Canada. While housing affordability and availability remain top concerns, this wave of research explores how rising trade tensions with the U.S. are now seen as a direct threat to housing security – particularly among those facing high levels of precarity. As global instability grows, Canadians are increasingly viewing housing not just as a domestic issue, but as a key test of leadership and economic resilience.
Housing Affordability Is a Key Ballot Box Issue for Young Canadians and Renters
When asked to identify the top two issues that will most influence their vote in the next federal election, 20% of Canadians point to making housing more affordable, highlighting its importance as a ballot box issue. While ranking third behind cost of living (45%) and dealing with Donald Trump (33%), housing becomes significantly more salient among key voting demographics. For younger Canadians aged 18 to 29, as well as renters, housing affordability plays a much larger role – 30% in both groups identify it as one of the most important factors shaping their vote.
This reinforces that housing affordability, availability, and access remain critical issues – especially for those under the most financial strain. But as trade tensions and tariffs with the U.S. intensify, new pressures are compounding the crisis. These external factors threaten to drive housing concerns and costs even higher and must now be factored into any serious response. Addressing housing can no longer focus solely on domestic supply – it also requires a strategy that accounts for growing global economic instability.
Fear of Homelessness Emerges Amid Economic Fallout
Concerns about the broader economic fallout from the trade war with the U.S. are translating into real fears about housing security for many Canadians. More than half of Canadians (53%) express concern that the economic impacts of the trade war – including rising prices and a potential slowdown – could put them at risk of losing their home or even becoming homeless.
This fear is strongest among younger Canadians (73% of those 18–29), renters (62%), and those with high (63%) or extreme (79%) levels of precarity.
This highlights the emotional toll of economic instability: those already feeling vulnerable are most likely to fear being pushed to the brink by forces beyond their control. It’s a clear warning that growing uncertainty is making even basic housing feel out of reach for many Canadians and that international tensions are not just geopolitical – they’re hitting home in the most literal sense.
Rising Trade Tensions Fuel Housing Insecurity
As Canada navigates a trade dispute with the United States, the fallout is being felt far beyond the economy. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of Canadians say they are worried that rising tariffs and a worsening trade war could affect their ability to afford their mortgage or rent over the next year. These concerns are particularly acute among young Canadians aged 18–29 (80%) and renters (73%), who are more vulnerable to housing instability.
Among Canadians who are worried about losing their home or becoming homeless, 77% also express concern about their ability to afford their mortgage or rent over the next year. In contrast, only 13% of those who aren’t worried about losing their home share that concern.
The findings also show a clear connection between these worries and an individual’s emotional and financial outlook. Among those experiencing high (72%) or extreme (88%) levels of precarity – defined as heightened anxiety and uncertainty about the future – concern is sharply elevated.
As economic uncertainty grows, more Canadians – especially those already at risk – are beginning to see international trade tensions not as distant policy issues, but as direct threats to their ability to pay for housing.
Housing Construction Costs Under Threat
Beyond personal affordability, there is also growing concern that trade tensions could further worsen Canada’s housing supply crisis. A strong majority (78%) of Canadians are worried that ongoing tariffs and international trade disputes will drive up the cost of building homes. This fear is near-universal among those with extreme (94%) and high (83%) precarity scores, and more pronounced among Liberal supporters (83%) than among Conservatives (73%).
This data reinforces that, perceptions of global economic instability – and Canada’s relationship with the U.S. in particular – are being filtered through the lens of housing concerns, especially for those already experiencing vulnerability in their day-to-day lives.
The Upshot
Housing has emerged as one of the most pressing concerns for Canadians over the last 2 years – driven by rising prices, limited supply, and growing inequality. But as trade tensions with the U.S. escalate, that crisis is no longer seen as just a matter of affordability or domestic policy. For many, it represents something much deeper: a symbol of personal security in an unstable world.
Canadians – especially younger people, renters, and those already feeling stretched – are viewing international instability through the lens of precarity. They’re not just worried about tariffs or economic headlines; they’re worried about their ability to stay housed, to plan for the future, and to feel secure in their day-to-day lives. For those already living with heightened anxiety and uncertainty, global economic shocks aren’t abstract – they’re deeply personal.
This shift reveals a rising public demand: Canadians expect leaders to address not only the structural drivers of the housing crisis, but also the emotional toll it’s taking. People want more than promises – they want reassurance that their ability to purchase a home and keep a roof over their heads won’t be threatened by global instability or government inaction. In this moment, bold action on housing isn’t just good policy – it’s a test of leadership, trust, and urgency.
Methodology
The survey was conducted with 1,800 Canadian adults from April 7 to 10, 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 +/- 2.31%, 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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