Canada’s housing crisis demands 3.5 million new homes by 2030 to tackle affordability. The current prevailing mindset is to prioritize immediate housing needs, while climate concerns, build quality, and resident health take a back seat. This approach may seem practical now, but it is short-sighted, and high-risk for Canada.
Ignoring climate considerations in favour of immediate housing solutions leads to serious economic and environmental costs.
The Canadian Climate Institute warns that not addressing climate risks could cost Canada between $78 and $101 billion annually by 2050 due to increased energy expenses and climate damage. Failure to plan for the rapidly encroaching climate future will negatively impact the citizens we are working to house, and their communities.
Let’s be responsible with our housing investments. Net-zero ready homes, though more expensive upfront, can cut energy bills by up to 80% compared to conventional homes and are built to withstand extreme weather and climate impacts, reducing future repair and maintenance costs. All of Canada’s future homes need to meet these standards, and building to a lower standard today means expensive and unnecessary retrofits in the future.
The recently released Canada Green Buildings Strategy missed a crucial opportunity by not mandating net zero standards for new homes or tying federal funding to these criteria. Prioritizing short-term housing solutions while neglecting climate readiness will lock in higher future costs and environmental harm.
We need to stop planning as though our economy and social needs sit outside the impacts of climate change, and the need for action, when in reality, they are inextricably tied together. Failure to act on climate now, in our building sector, will create worse economic conditions for Canadians in the future. Let’s make responsible spending choices for Canada’s residents today and mandate net-zero ready standards for all new homes.
GREEN RESOURCES