Overview

• CMHC analysis estimates that lifting interprovincial trade barriers would add about 30,000 housing starts per year, raising total annual starts to nearly 280,000.
• The projected boost represents roughly 15% of the extra annual supply needed to restore pre-pandemic housing affordability by 2035.
• CMHC chief economist Mathieu Laberge says easing west-to-east transportation constraints is essential for moving domestic construction materials across provinces.
• A Statistics Canada survey cited in the report shows nearly half of construction firms avoid out-of-province suppliers due to distance and shipping costs.
• Bill C-5 has cut key federal red tape and accelerated infrastructure permitting, but provincial trade regulations and permitting rules remain significant obstacles.