The data, released by Habitat for Humanity Canada, reveals the outlook for home ownership, housing shortages and the rising cost of living. “This survey underscores how deeply Canadians are concerned about their housing situations and futures as affordable housing becomes increasingly unaffordable,” Julia Deans, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Canada, said in a press release. “To address these growing concerns and make affordable housing and homeownership a reality for all Canadians, we need a comprehensive approach from not-for-profit organizations, businesses, individuals and all levels of government.” The vast majority of Canadians surveyed (96 per cent) claimed their own cost of living has increased in the past year, and 78 per cent claim they have to cut back on their budget for food, transportation and debt payments. Among homeowners and renters, 40 per cent of Canadians surveyed say they are worried about paying their mortgage or rent in the next year and a quarter (27 per cent) feel generally pessimistic about the country’s housing problems. The survey results also analyzed different perspectives by age demographics. Gen Zs and Millennials, for example, were reported to be more than twice as likely as Boomers to worry about paying their rent or mortgage. Canadians aged 26 to 34 (Millennials) were found to be the most pessimistic about housing sentiment — more than Gen Zers, Gen Xers and Boomers. The results also suggest that a lack of housing supply is the biggest factor of concern in the affordability crisis, with 90 per cent of Canadians surveyed believing the lack of affordable housing is the main problem. But the findings point to another problem adding to the crisis: discrimination. The survey reports that one in 10 prospective home buyers or renters have experienced racism, sexism or various forms of discrimination when trying to find a home. BIPOC Canadians, the results say, were more than twice as likely (18 per cent) as non-BIPOC Canadians (8 per cent) to have experienced some degree of discrimination when considering housing options. Some discrimination, the results say, is rooted in an acronym: “NIMBY.” It stands for “Not In My Back Yard” – a term used for neighborhoods that reject the development of affordable units in their area. The survey finds that more than half of Canadians (54 per cent) believe that NIMBYism is the main obstacle to increasing the number of affordable housing. Seventy-one per cent of Canadians agree with the statement that “people are concerned about the impact of affordable housing on property values and their neighbourhoods,” the survey shows. Despite this shaky sentiment, Deans believes there are still reasons to be hopeful. “In our work, we see firsthand how access to stable housing transforms futures and strengthens intergenerational resilience,” Deans said. “We must act now, and we must act together to address systemic barriers and create sustainable solutions to achieve affordable housing for all.”
