It’s no surprise that housing starts have fallen sharply in Ontario. Unemployment’s up, the marginal home buyer is tapped out, and the Bank Of Canada is not in any hurry to offer relief. Elbows down, people!
In the first quarter of 2025, construction started on 12,700 housing units, which financial accountability officer Jeffrey Novak said is the lowest level since 2009.
That’s down 20 per cent from the first quarter of 2024, a year that also saw relatively low levels of housing starts.
Dougie may need to call in some favors from his buddy Mark, and soon…
Canadian unemployment is rising, and the country’s largest province is leading the trend. Ontario’s unemployment rate climbed to 7.9% in May—nearly a full point above the national average. A new report from BMO warns the province’s unemployment rate is now at a level not seen outside of the worst recessions.

