Author: RADU DEMIAN

Ontario’s housing push faces a structural hurdle: fragmented zoning and code rules add cost, delay approvals, and make standardized building designs harder across municipalities.
The proposed fix centers on provincewide standards, as-of-right townhouses and multiplexes, tighter limits on parking and setbacks, and code reviews that could streamline projects.
Even with immediate reforms, Ontario municipalities would still need years to update plans, amend bylaws, align infrastructure, and process applications before supply meaningfully improves.
A current opening remains: eligible new-home buyers can access temporary HST relief through March 31, 2027, but builder track record still matters before signing.
Because new supply likely will not reshape affordability before 2031, buyers should plan around current prices, financing power, timelines, and the risks they can carry.

A housing agency said US tariffs could keep more Canadian lumber at home, potentially supporting ~4K extra homes each year through domestic homebuilding.
Its analysis estimated more consistent use of Canadian wood products could lift annual ground-oriented housing starts by ~4%, adding supply where wood-based building is common.
Building costs for those homes could fall by as much as ~17% in some Canadian markets, with savings varying by location and housing type.
Detached homes and townhouses stood to benefit most because they use more wood products than high-rise apartment buildings, improving project economics for builders.
The opportunity could help housing supply and forestry, but lumber prices address only part of builders' challenges, alongside elevated financing, labour, and other barriers.

Halloween falls on October 31 because the ancient Gaelic festival of Samhain, considered the earliest known root of Halloween, occurred on this day.
In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to praise all saints.
Soon, All Saints' Day incorporated some traditions of Samhain and the evening before was known as All Hallows Eve, and later Halloween.
Over time, Halloween evolved into a day of activities like trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, festive gatherings, donning costumes and eating treats.
Today’s the day to eat candies and sweets to your heart’s content! Happy Halloween!

Canada's affordability measure improved by under 1 point in Q2 to ~53%, marking the smallest quarterly gain in nearly a year nationally.
Income growth drove the entire Q2 improvement, while home prices and borrowing costs stayed fairly steady across Canada, limiting broader affordability progress.
The economics team warned this recovery was losing fuel because stable prices and steady rates may not last, especially with upward pressure on longer-term rates.
Wage gains and a one-time federal benefit supported households in Late-Q2, yet some Canadian markets still posted their first affordability setback in several quarters.
Looking ahead, higher bond yields, possible 2027 central bank hikes, and rising utility costs could modestly raise ownership expenses as the new year begins.

Canada's central bank began building forecasts on a new model that gave mortgage renewals and housing supply a larger role in reading inflation.
That shift moved Canada's mortgage renewal wave closer to the center of rate-setting, highlighting how household financing pressures now matter more in policy analysis.
The model entered use in the previous month, a staff paper said, marking a recent change in how the central bank structures forecasts.
The governor said the model would be the primary tool for the Oct. 28 rate announcement and the upcoming Monetary Policy Report.
He said no model solves every problem, but this one may better fit a world shaped by supply shocks and stronger global connections.

For Canada, a home price index helps gauge home prices and trends in local neighborhoods, giving REALTORS® a clearer read on shifting market conditions.
Unlike avg. or median prices, the index tracks how buyers value housing features, aiming for steadier comparisons that better reflect underlying price trends.
The approach supports apples-to-apples price comparisons, helping REALTORS® explain values more accurately and giving clients clearer market context for informed home decisions.
Each month, the index uses >20 yr of listing system data and statistical models to define a typical home from sold property features.
Those benchmark homes are then tracked across neighborhoods and house types, giving REALTORS® another tool to spot trends and guide client conversations.

In Late-Q3, local Ontario markets logged 1.1K home sales as activity moderated, while sale prices varied by location, underscoring localized conditions for buyers and sellers.
In one Ontario county, 138 home sales closed at a ~$516K avg. price, alongside 442 new listings and 979 active listings during Late-Q3.
Another Ontario county held steady at 118 sales, while its avg. price eased to ~$635K and homes typically took 60 days to sell.
A third Ontario county had 31 sales, but pricing strengthened to ~$857K, with MoM gains near 27% and yearly gains near 8%.
Industry leaders said these differences showed Ontario housing stayed deeply local, making market specific guidance important and keeping housing issues visible during municipal election season.

Windsor — Most Expensive homes for September 2026.

Listings (sorted by price):
1. Listing N13824148 — $4,488,000
2. Listing X13747644 — $2,299,999
3. Listing 26019019 — $1,999,000
4. Listing X13751784 — $1,949,000
5. Listing X13806394 — $1,800,000
6. Listing X13789374 — $1,699,000
7. Listing 26020899 — $1,674,000
8. Listing 26007494 — $1,469,000
9. Listing X13580450 — $1,299,900
10. Listing 26018499 — $1,249,900
11. Listing X13727966 — $1,249,000
12. Listing 26023887 — $1,199,999
13. Listing 26016065 — $1,099,999
14. Listing 26021071 — $1,099,999
15. Listing 26022555 — $1,093,900