Author: homegoal.ca
This article was written and submitted by Carl Laffan, a Toronto-based architectural design manager specializing in office, residential, mixed-use projects.On September 14th, the federal government launched Build Canada Homes (BCH) — the “one-stop shop for affordable housing” that promises a “bold new approach and unprecedented investments to increase the housing supply in Canada.” The new federal agency has already proposed several positive initiatives and immediate investments that promise to deliver up to 45,000 new factory-built homes.While this announcement is a very welcome step in addressing Canada’s housing crisis, BCH’s first tranche of housing may not even deliver 1% of the…
Forget bidding wars—distressed listings are Toronto real estate’s hottest trend. Power of Sale listings have surged more than five-fold in three years, according to data from Valery Real Estate. A record volume of distressed sellers are flooding record inventory, shredding the narrative of a quick recovery. It’s a brutal reminder that real estate corrections are measured in years, not months. The Power of Sale Compels You… To Sell Your Distressed Property Today we’re looking at Power of Sale listings on TRREB, mostly across Greater Toronto and the Golden Horseshoe. The term is often confused with foreclosure, but the two work…
Over the next eight years, 4,000 church properties are expected to change hands. That figure might translate to big dollar signs in the eyes of some Realtors, but to others it’s an opportunity to better the communities they serve, says Cory de Villiers, managing director of Releven Realty Brokerage Foundation. Releven says it is Canada’s first non-profit (charity-owned and operated) real estate brokerage for faith properties. Its goal is to provide consultation, evaluation, tailored solutions and community impact options for congregations that have made the difficult decision to sell their properties, de Villiers says. As part of its service, it…
The Design District in Hamilton Mixed-use projects are no longer experiments on the edges of planning policy; they are the centrepiece of how cities and suburbs are being reshaped. Modern design trends involve ensuring that the relationships between different uses are being re-engineered to maximize tenant appeal, economic viability, and long-term resilience. Design has moved past simply stacking residential units on top of commercial or office areas; it now orchestrates how these functions interact, overlap, and generate value for each other. Podium-Driven Urban Fabric One of the strongest trends is the use of the podium as a unifying design device.…
As the redevelopment of the defunct Downsview Airport moves through the planning stages and toward construction, Beau Brooker is getting his bearings, having been brought on as Northcrest Developments’ first-ever vice president of construction this past July. Otherwise known as YZD, the project is unequivocally ambitious, set to transform the 370-acre former Bombardier site into seven interconnected neighbourhoods with tens of thousands new homes, commercial and cultural spaces, and sprawling parks, with a two-kilometre runway reimagined into a public street running through it all. It’s the master plan of all master plans that will be realized over the next 30…
Canadian entrepreneurs are building the future—they just aren’t building it in Canada. A new study warns the country’s startup scene failed to recover post-pandemic, with Canadian-educated founders increasingly creating jobs elsewhere. The authors blame rising domestic friction and call for cultural and financial incentives to reverse the trend. But the report overlooks the biggest hurdle to startups—and the jobs they create: Canada’s real estate addiction. About The Study Today we’re looking at a study on Canadian startups. Leaders Fund, a VC firm focused on early-stage enterprise software, analyzed 2,932 venture-backed companies that raised at least US$1M between 2015 and 2024.…
In 2024, spring and summer real estate activity was muted as buyers waited on the sidelines for affordability to improve. Then the fall came, and so did some major interest rate cuts from the Bank of Canada. This led to strong sales numbers across Canada and renewed optimism for the 2025 year ahead. Now we are deep into 2025, and the BoC has cut interest rates for the third time this year. Could this fall mark a rebound in the real estate market? Or will continued economic uncertainty deter buyers? Our experts weigh in on how housing supply, mortgage rates,…
Former Calgary Realtor Eric Drinkwater has been permanently banned from trading in real estate in Alberta after admitting to defrauding 71 people out of more than $3.5 million through a Ponzi scheme. The Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) announced the lifetime ban, effective Sept. 22, following a disciplinary hearing in May where Drinkwater admitted to soliciting fraudulent bridge loans. In its decision, the independent hearing panel described his conduct as “among the most severe” RECA has ever addressed. Drinkwater, who was licensed with Re/Max Real Estate (Central) and RE/MAX Complete Realty during the misconduct, was also ordered to pay…
In mid-August, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced more than 60,000 Ontario public service workers would return to a four-day in-office work week starting in October, before returning to the five-day in-person schedule of the pre-covid days in January 2026. The announcement followed similar moves from Canada’s big banks, including Scotiabank, BMO, TD, and RBC, all of which will require workers to be in office for at least four days a week starting this fall.The news has been met with mixed reactions from workers themselves, but the return-to-office (RTO) trend undeniably bodes well for commercial real estate — particularly the office…
Toronto real estate continued to spiral to new lows last month. Greater Toronto new home sales just printed the weakest August on record, according to Altus Group data. However, the weak demand was not for a lack of inventory, which came in at the highest level in at least 10 years. The issue is no one wants a condo—the high-rise crane capital of North America is now seeing fewer condo sales than single-family homes. Greater Toronto New Home Prices Are Down Over $400k Since Peak [Chart] Source: Altus Group; BILD GTA. Greater Toronto new home prices are falling sharply as…