Now that the federal election is over and Mark Carney has been elected Prime Minister, hopefully we can get down to business – the business of managing the U.S. tariff challenge and other related economic issues. As it pertains to housing, we must now count on the Liberals delivering on their pre-election promises to develop Canada’s most ambitious housing plan since the Second World War – however that may be shaped post-victory.

Canada Housing Plan

For what it’s worth, the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) says there were many wins during the campaign, and other areas of concern that CHBA will seek to improve. “It is expected that the many wins for CHBA with the Liberal government last year, as reflected in the 2024 Budget and the companion ‘Canada Housing Plan’ document, in which CHBA recommendations found themselves extensively, will continue to be implemented – CHBA will work to ensure they are.”

in the Greater Toronto Area, there is some concern that Carney’s pledge for Ottawa to get into the homebuilding business may be slightly off-target.

“The idea of a public builder may sound appealing, but it requires us to buy into the idea that governments can do it better, faster and cheaper,” says Dave Wilkes, president and CEO of the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD). “We need only look at the track record of countless government infrastructure projects and procurement processes to dispel this idea, as time and time again, these efforts have been plagued by cost overruns and extensive delays.”

However these initiatives play out in the coming months, we’re now fully into May – what would normally be busy spring season in real estate. But for the above and other reasons, it’s a different period – one punctuated by uncertainty and concern.

New-home buying opportunities

But that doesn’t mean a lack of opportunities.

As our feature on Spring Homebuying on page 14 examines, there are plenty of new-home buying opportunities for the well-prepared and undeterred, whether they are in move-in ready inventory homes or builder incentives and upgrades.

Incentives vary from builder to builder and are sometimes shared with buyers only in sales offices. They are also available for the proverbial “limited time only and subject to change without notice,” so it’s best to check with builders directly.

One project was even offering a new car with the purchase of a new home.

Yes, you read that right.

The best way to discover these opportunities, then, is get out there and explore. Identify your desired neighbourhood, know what type of home you want and can afford, look for builders that are offering such product, and visit their homesites.

It’s spring, and while not perfect this year, it’s a great time to explore.