RENTT experts:
Tony Irwin, President and CEO, Rental Housing Canada (RHC)
Marielle Hossack, Director, Policy & Regulatory Affairs, Federation of Rentalhousing Providers of Ontario (FRPO)
David Hutniak, CEO, LandlordBC
Daniel P. Chin, President, Hamilton and District Apartment Association (HDAA)
John Dickie, Chair, Eastern Ontario Landlord Organization (EOLO)
Landon Field, CEO, Rental Housing Saskatchewan
Kevin Russell, Executive Director, IPOANS
RHB: Welcome to RHB Magazine ’s RENTT panel. We appreciate the time and effort involved in participating in today’s discussion and sharing your experience. Our readers will benefit from your input. Today we’d like to discuss some of the issues affecting rental property owners at the regional and national level. What policy change, funding priority, or regulatory reform will your association be advocating for most strongly this year and why?
Tony Irwin: Our top priority for 2026 is Development Charge (DC) reform. In some regions, DCs have increased by over 900 per cent since 2004. These rising charges, combined with slow approvals and high costs, make it difficult for projects to meet investor and lender requirements. Measures introduced in Budget 2025, including the Build Communities Strong Fund, ensure that infrastructure typically funded through DCs like water and wastewater systems is covered by the federal and provincial governments. We urge the federal government to work with all levels of government to ensure this critical measure is implemented.
David Hutniak: LandlordBC will continue to advocate for a balanced legislative environment, noting the BC NDP’s actions since taking power in 2017 have included some measures that have made it difficult to operate and improve existing purpose-built rental housing in BC. The most notable change was the September 2018 illconceived measure to change the RTA’s Annual Allowable Maximum Rent Increase formula from 2% + CPI to CPI only. We continue to argue for the return to the pre-September 2018 formula. We also continue to pursue tax policy that recognizes the importance of the service we provide. Ideas we’ve broached with the Province include limiting utility cost increases to CPI to align with the RTA maximum, creating an insurance pool, ending the elevator industry monopoly, and stopping municipal scope creep into residential tenancies. We will continue to reinforce that vacancy control would spell the death-knell of the sector. Fortunately, the BC NDP to date have understood this dynamic. We are appreciative the Province continues to make timely access to justice a top priority by properly funding the Residential Tenancy Branch and implementing positive operational changes. The RTB is still not perfect, but we are pleased with the progress they’ve made. We continue to keep the pressure on for future funding.
Landon Field: This year, Rental Housing Saskatchewan continues to advocate for policies
that support a steady and sustainable increase in rental housing supply. More supply means more choice and improved affordability for families, and we remain focused on solutions that make this possible. At the same time, we will continue to push back against measures such as rent control that restrict new development, limit available housing, and worsen long-term affordability. A central priority for us this year is securing the long-term continuation of Saskatchewan’s Secondary Suite Incentive Program. By reducing the upfront cost of building a legal secondary suite by 35 per cent, the program makes it far more attainable for homeowners, first-time buyers, and renovators to create new rental units within existing neighbourhoods. These suites make productive use of space already available in homes across the province, add much needed rental options without changing community character, and help improve affordability for both renters and homeowners through the added income they generate. We are advocating for this program’s continuation because it has proven to be one of the most efficient and practical ways to add new rental housing quickly. Saskatchewan’s large stock of single detached homes with basements and other areas well suited for conversion creates an ideal environment for this type of gentle and cost-effective growth. Given that planning, permitting, and contractor timelines can stretch over many months, a stable and predictable incentive is essential for giving homeowners the confidence to move ahead. Extending and protecting this program will help ensure Saskatchewan maintains a healthy pipeline of new rental supply and continues moving toward better affordability for everyone.
Marielle Hossack : Solving Ontario’s housing shortage requires policies that both accelerate the construction of new rental homes and ensure those homes can be managed responsibly within a fair, functional regulatory framework. One of our top priorities this year is ensuring the effective implementation of Bill 60 reforms to the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) that were passed but are not yet in force. The Ontario government has taken important steps to improve timeliness and fairness at the LTB, particularly by addressing delays and limiting abuse of the system by bad actors, while respecting the rights of responsible tenants and housing providers. As of February 2026, those measures have not yet been implemented. We’re working closely with the government to ensure the regulatory framework delivers real, on-the-ground improvements that restore confidence in the system and support the delivery of much-needed rental housing.
Q&A on national housing issues
RHB: What would you like the federal government to focus on to support rental housing and rental property owners / developers across Canada?
Tony Irwin: The federal government should modernize tax policy to encourage long-term reinvestment in the rental sector. One of the most impactful changes would be adopting a “like-kind exchange” model similar to Section 1031 in the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. In the U.S., developers can defer capital gains taxes if they reinvest the proceeds from a sale into a new
RHB: What one systemic barrier in limiting rental housing supply nationwide, and what could the government do to help overcome those barriers?
Tony Irwin: The most significant systemic barrier is the lack of coordination between all three levels of government. Even with federal low-cost financing, municipal red tape and provincial tax structures keep many projects stalled. To fix this, the federal government should use infrastructure funding as a lever. Transfers should be tied directly to municipal performance, requiring cities to adopt as-of-right zoning, faster
Daniel Chin: In 2026, our primary focus is on protecting and extending the life of Hamilton’s existing rental housing stock through policies that support reinvestment rather than unintentionally discouraging it. Much of the region’s rental housing, particularly mid- and high-rise buildings constructed decades ago, continues to house thousands of residents affordably, but it now faces growing pressure from aging infrastructure, climate impacts, and rising operating costs. Ensuring these buildings remain safe, resilient, and livable requires sustained capital investment. We are advocating for incentive-based, outcomefocused policies that encourage upgrades related to energy efficiency, climate resilience, and building performance. When governments align regulatory goals with practical investment pathways, housing providers are better positioned to improve tenant outcomes while preserving long-term affordability and supply. Protecting what already exists is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to address housing challenges in our region.
John Dickie: Having the City of Ottawa stay the course in cutting back on regulations on rental property and housing development. The City has just adopted a 50-point plan to become the most housing-friendly city in Canada. That has included rolling back numerous restrictions on development. It has also included an expansion of the property sizes and types that can be built in many areas of the City. For example, many properties that were limited to three units can now be improved with up to six units. Larger developers can build property for ancillary uses along street fronts, on land that also serves new and existing larger apartment buildings. As-ofright zoning is allowing faster development, which makes development less costly.
Kevin Russell: Both the Nova Scotia Residential Tenancies Program and the Nova Scotia Small Claims Court process require meaningful reform. These systems were originally designed to provide a straightforward, efficient mechanism to resolve landlord-tenant disputes. Over time, however, they have become increasingly overburdened, slow, and inconsistent. There is growing concern within our membership about uneven decisionmaking and a lack of procedural consistency, which undermines confidence in the system. A dispute resolution framework must be predictable, timely, and balanced to maintain fairness for both housing providers and tenants. The government’s perception that dissatisfaction on both sides means the system is “working” is misguided. When both parties lose confidence in the process,
it signals structural problems that require reform, not validation. Our focus this year will be on restoring efficiency, consistency, and procedural fairness to both systems.
RHB: If you could make it a reality, what regulatory change would be most impactful on your region?
Tony Irwin: Purpose-built rental developments are multi-year projects that require predictable financial planning. Our goal is to lower these costs and modernize the regulatory environment to ensure more rental projects can move forward. Current Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) regulations can make progress challenging. Some RHC members describe MLI Select as a “loan of last resort” because of onerous requirements, such as having to submit two-year project budgets in an uncertain economic climate. We encourage the government to streamline the application process and remove redundant submission requirements. We are also calling for a reduction in the affordability criteria within MLI Select to make the program more accessible for both new construction and refinancing.
"Purpose-built rental developments are multi-year projects that require predictable financial planning."
Daniel Chin: The most impactful regulatory change for the Hamilton region would be the introduction of mandatory cumulative impact assessments for new rental housing by-laws, combined with regular, evidence-based review of existing programs. Rental housing is increasingly governed by multiple layers of municipal, provincial, and federal rules. While each initiative may be well-intentioned, their combined effect can create significant administrative burden and cost without always improving outcomes for tenants. Evaluating new regulations in isolation no longer reflects how housing actually operates on the ground. Requiring municipalities to assess overlap, cost, and real-world impact before introducing additional by-laws would improve policy effectiveness, strengthen compliance, and help ensure that limited public resources are directed toward measures that genuinely improve housing quality, reinvestment, and supply. Good regulation should be coordinated, measurable, and accountable.
John Dickie: The Province of Ontario appears to be willing to roll back inclusionary zoning, having come to the realization that making
developers include below-market units for rental or sale effectively drives up the costs of the market-level units, and will reduce development. Blocking inclusionary zoning should lead to more development, which in turn should moderate the market price of new units of any given size and quality. In turn, that should impact the price of new housing across the housing market, allowing more renters to buy housing to move into, thus making more rental units available to households who need them.
Marielle Hossack: The most impactful regulatory change would be meaningful reform to development charges, and alternative municipal financing tools for growth-related infrastructure. Today, development charges have become one of the single largest cost drivers for new rental housing, often adding tens of thousands of dollars per unit before construction even begins. These costs ultimately reduce feasibility, delay projects, and limit the supply of purpose-built rental housing, especially in high-growth regions. FRPO supports efforts to streamline and modernize the development charge framework, including limiting eligible costs, improving transparency in how charges are calculated, and removing infrastructure costs that are better financed through long-term tools like municipal bonds rather than upfront charges on new housing. When infrastructure is financed more fairly over time, instead of front-loaded onto new homes, municipalities can still fund growth while enabling rental housing to be built faster, at scale, and at more attainable rents. This is one of the most immediate levers governments have to unlock supply without compromising tenant protections or municipal fiscal health.
Kevin Russell: The most impactful regulatory change would be to make Residential Tenancies decisions related to non-payment of rent final and not subject to appeal to Small Claims Court. In Nova Scotia, non-payment decisions can currently be appealed to Small Claims Court, which often results in additional delays. During this period, tenants may remain in the unit without paying rent for several more months. This undermines the purpose of having a streamlined administrative tribunal process in the first place. A non-payment of rent matter is typically a straightforward issue of fact: either rent was paid or it was not. Removing the appeal layer for non-payment decisions would improve efficiency, reduce financial harm to housing providers, and restore confidence in the integrity of the system.
RHB: What issue, which is being overlooked at the national level, will have the most significant impact in your region in 2026?
Tony Irwin: Solving the housing crisis requires more than just economic measures. The critical shortage of skilled construction labour is being overlooked in the national conversation on housing. We cannot build the homes Canada needs without the people to build them. To hit our supply targets, the federal government must prioritize newcomers who are equipped to work in construction and the skilled trades. CMHC has already cited labour shortages as a primary driver of longer construction timelines, and the data bears this out. While the construction industry represents eight per cent of total employment in Canada, only two to three per cent of new immigrants and temporary foreign workers are entering the trades. RHC is calling for a realignment of immigration and non-permanent resident programs to specifically target these essential sectors.
"Today, development charges have become one of the single largest cost drivers for new rental housing, often adding tens of thousands of dollars per unit before construction even begins."
David Hutniak : Housing policy in general remains somewhat opaque. While there’s clearly a commitment by the federal government to new supply, it’s now a matter of translating it to results. I should add while we agree with the need for new supply, we would also like to see the federal government support existing rental, purpose-built in particular. One area where they should immediately do so would be to provide meaningful financial incentive programming for energy retrofits including cooling. Our Rental Apartment Retrofit Accelerator Program (RARA) is a sector-leading initiative in energy retrofits and has advocated to the federal government directly for more retrofit support for our sector. The other area that needs attention is immigration. Our sector has faced significant disruption and uncertainty because of the pendulum shifting immigration policy that has had negative impacts on both the operation of existing rental housing and creation of new rental housing.
Landon Field: One of the most overlooked issues at the national level is the degree to which Saskatchewan’s housing market is outperforming
the rest of the country on key fundamentals, including housing starts, affordability, and rental market stability. While national forecasts warn of slowing construction and weakening demand, Saskatchewan is moving in the opposite direction. CMHC data shows the province led the nation in year-to-date housing start growth in 2025, with starts up 50.8 per cent in the first ten months of the year, and urban housing starts rising 71 per cent year over year in October alone. The provincial dashboard further confirms this trend, reporting a 41.8 per cent increase in total housing starts in 2025 and ranking Saskatchewan first among all provinces for percentage growth. At the same time, new home prices in Regina and Saskatoon continue to rise modestly, defying the national cooling seen in many cities and underscoring the strength of local demand. What is being missed nationally is how this sustained construction pace, paired with relative affordability, positions Saskatchewan for continued economic and population growth in 2026. CMHC’s 2026 Housing Market Outlook notes that while new home construction is expected to slow nationally due to higher costs and weaker demand, the Prairies are projected to remain above their historical averages, an important distinction not widely recognized in national narratives. Saskatoon’s June 2025 CMHC report also showed stable rental conditions, including a 2.5 per cent vacancy rate, healthy rent growth, and 500 new provincial housing starts contributing to supply stability. These indicators point to a market that is not only resilient but expanding at a pace unmatched elsewhere in Canada. In short, the biggest overlooked issue is that Saskatchewan is quietly emerging as a national leader in balanced growth, delivering affordability, strong construction performance, and market stability.
Daniel Chin: One of the most overlooked national housing issues, yet one with significant consequences for regions like Hamilton, is the gradual erosion of small and mid-sized rental housing providers. Much of Canada’s rental housing is owned and operated by local, noninstitutional providers who maintain older buildings and serve diverse communities. Increasing regulatory complexity, rising costs, and limited access to capital are making it harder for these providers to reinvest or even remain in the sector. When they exit, the loss of housing is often incremental and largely invisible, but the cumulative impact on supply and affordability is substantial. National housing policy increasingly focuses on large-scale development and institutional investment, but preserving existing rental housing depends just
as much on the viability of smaller providers. Recognizing and supporting this segment is essential to maintaining stable, affordable housing in communities across the country.
"One of the most overlooked national housing issues... is the gradual erosion of small and midsized rental housing providers."
John Dickie: Continuing or increasing funding for the Canada Housing Benefit. Plans are afoot to cut back on the Housing Benefit program funding because the federal government is funding more affordable housing construction than it did, through the new Build Canada Homes agency. While the federal government’s finances are under a lot of pressure due to the trade issues with the United States and the plan to increase military spending, transferring spending from housing benefits to construction subsidies will adversely affect many renters. Construction spending only produces new rental units four to six years in the future, whereas housing benefit spending helps needy renters now. Construction spending produces far fewer affordable rental units than the number of units that are made affordable each year through the housing benefits. In the very long term, construction subsidies can reduce the need for housing benefits, but Canada is nowhere close to the stage at which the housing benefits are not still desperately needed.
Marielle Hossack: The growing gap between housing policy goals and the real-world cost of delivering rental housing is being underestimated at the national level. Construction costs, development charges, financing pressures, and regulatory delays are quietly eroding the feasibility of new rental projects, even in communities that urgently need housing. Without coordinated action across all levels of government to align taxes, fees, and approvals with housing outcomes, projects will continue to stall. Housing delivery is not just a social issue; it’s an economic one. If investment continues to retreat, Ontario risks losing jobs, supply, and longterm affordability. What’s needed now is a shared focus on delivery: lowering barriers, restoring confidence, and enabling the private sector to build rental homes at the scale Canadians need.
RHB: Thank you for your time.
