New OREA survey finds Ontarians support change and transparency in housing costs and policies

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Postmedia has not reviewed the content. by GlobeNewswire Article contentRecent polling finds over 6 in 10 Ontarians believe property taxes and government fees impact housing affordability in their community.Sign In or Create an AccountEmail AddressContinueor View more offersArticle contentTORONTO, March 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — New polling from the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) has found that Ontarians are increasingly concerned about housing affordability, and a growing share of renters and aspiring homeowners no longer believe that homeownership is realistically within reach.Article contentWe apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Article contentConducted by Abacus Data on behalf of OREA, the Housing Affordability in Ontario: Perceptions, Impacts, and Solutions (Wave 6) survey found that Ontarians are beginning to recognize that housing costs and the factors impacting affordability are no longer seen as purely market-driven – 62% of Ontarians surveyed say property taxes and government fees have at least a moderate impact on their ability to afford housing in their community.Article contentArticle contentIn particular, Ontarians have mixed sentiments towards municipal development charges (MDCs), accepting the idea in principle but lacking confidence in the practice. While many accept the logic of using MDCs to pay for infrastructure needed to support growth, two in five Ontarians (42%) believe it is unfair to pass MDC costs onto homebuyers, and many agree that MDCs make housing less affordable (71%).Article contentTop StoriesGet the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.There was an error, please provide a valid email address.Sign UpBy signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.Thanks for signing up!A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.Article contentMuch of the distrust lies in how municipalities’ management of MDCs are perceived – only 26% feel confident MDC revenues are used appropriately, and only 22% believe municipalities are transparent about how funds are spent. 70% of respondents are at least somewhat concerned that some municipalities have accumulated large surpluses of unspent MDC revenue.Article content“It’s clear that Ontarians want their municipal leaders to be transparent and accountable when it comes to collecting and managing the fees that enable infrastructure and growth for much-needed homes across the province,” said OREA President-Elect Kim Fairley. “If we want to create greater transparency and oversight with the costs that impact home prices, municipalities should be required to publish reports on how MDCs are used and allow the use of unspent MDC revenue to address other government-imposed costs, like property taxes.”Article contentArticle contentOn a provincial level, consistent with previous surveys, the rising cost of living (83%) and housing affordability (73%) remain firmly entrenched as top priorities that Ontarians want the provincial government to focus on, reinforcing the sense that pressures are persistent rather than temporary. The fact remains that homeownership continues to hold symbolic and practical importance, with more than two-thirds of non-homeowners (68%) saying they would like to own someday, including 88% of those aged 18-29.Article contentNearly 4 in 5 (79%) Ontarians want the Government of Ontario to make housing affordability a priority, reflecting the idea that housing has become a test of government sincerity and urgency, not just policy design. Anxiety about housing is near-universal among Ontarians across age groups and political party lines, with 86% expressing concern about housing in Ontario today.Article contentTo address Ontario’s housing supply crisis, OREA and Ontario REALTORS® have continually put forward action items for decision-makers to take that will have the most impact, including:Trending One tax change that could improve Canada's productivity and benefit all Personal Finance As East-West pipeline divide persists, Atlantic Canada's energy isolation is only getting worse Oil & Gas Heading for a mortgage default? Bank of Canada research lays out three telltale signs Mortgages Garry Marr: Bad news, Gen Z — The Freedom 55 guy is still working in his 60s and you will be, too Retirement PDAC 2026: New Brunswick says it wants to be the 'best place' to mine in Canada Mining Article contentAllowing water and wastewater services to be provided through a municipal services corporation, which would lower the upfront costs of building homes by allowing them to borrow and amortize costs among customers instead of using development charges.Implementing land use changes to end exclusionary zoning, in order to unlock more housing supply in high-demand neighbourhoods.Modernizing zoning to support commercial-to-residential conversions and greater density along transit corridors, which would bring more supply to market and save Ontarians time and money when commuting to work.Embracing factory-built housing, which offers an innovative solution that can quickly bring safe, high-quality housing to market.Article content“The dream of homeownership continues to be alive for young Ontarians and their families, but they need help to get there,” said Fairley. “Decision-makers need to embrace policy solutions and actions that lower the cost of homebuilding and speed up the delivery of new housing supply in order to bring affordability closer within reach.”Article contentTo read the full survey report, please click here.Article contentFor more information, please contact:Article contentJean-Adrien DelicanoSenior Manager, Media Relations, OREAJeanAdrienD@orea.com416-459-6059Article contentArticle contentArticle contentArticle contentArticle contentArticle contentShare this article in your social networkCommentsYou must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.Create an AccountSign in Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. One tax change that could improve Canada's productivity and benefit all Personal Finance As East-West pipeline divide persists, Atlantic Canada's energy isolation is only getting worse Oil & Gas Heading for a mortgage default? Bank of Canada research lays out three telltale signs Mortgages Garry Marr: Bad news, Gen Z — The Freedom 55 guy is still working in his 60s and you will be, too Retirement PDAC 2026: New Brunswick says it wants to be the 'best place' to mine in Canada Mining