Report shows that since 2006 Habitat for Humanity’s home ownership program has boosted Canada’s GDP by $168 million in addition to delivering social and health benefits for families.
TORONTO, April 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Habitat for Humanity Canada, the country’s only national affordable homeownership organization, has released a report revealing a direct connection between Canada’s housing crisis and its growing productivity challenge. The study findings revealed that affordable home ownership unlocks 28% higher incomes compared to renting.
Canada is in the midst of an unprecedented affordable housing crisis. With home prices in major cities surpassing $1.1 million and rental costs reaching record highs, the dream of owning a home has slipped out of reach for too many Canadians. But this new research underscores that affordable homeownership is not just a social good—it’s a strategic economic tool.
Along with improved income, the study found that homeownership provides the foundation upon which many of the following improvements in quality of life and community engagement are built:
- 73% report their physical health is better
- 79% report better mental health
- 50% participate in more community events
- 50% say their children are doing better in school
- 51% feel more financially secure
These outcomes are tied to homeowners’ increased ability to invest in their careers, work more hours, and plan for the future, freed from the instability and stress of precarious housing.
“Homeownership should be within reach for working families—not just the privileged few,” said Pedro Barata, President & CEO, Habitat for Humanity Canada. “We’ve worked with thousands of families to help them become homeowners and have seen firsthand how transformational it can be. For families locked out of Canada’s expensive housing market, affordable homeownership is a launchpad—it builds stronger households through social and financial gain, creates brighter futures for kids, and creates a more resilient economy.”
In addition to unlocking income growth for families, the Habitat program has contributed substantially to Canada’s economy. Over a sample five-year period of the organization’s forty year history, (2019 to 2023), Habitat invested approximately $306 million in building and renovating homes, resulting in:
- A $241 million economic impact through the construction and supply chain (purchasing materials, labour costs).
- A further $70 million of economic impact created through additional jobs and wages beyond the initial construction and supply chain growth.
- A total economic footprint of $311 million, which has generated nearly $40 million in tax revenues.
As the country heads into a federal election, Habitat for Humanity Canada is urging political leaders to prioritize affordable homeownership—not just affordable housing—in their platforms. This is about more than individual economic mobility; it’s for the benefit of Canada as a whole.
The joint study, conducted in partnership with Deloitte, compares a nationwide sample representing 23% of families participating in Habitat for Humanity Canada’s affordable homeownership program with a control group of Canadians with similar characteristics who remained renters. The results reinforce the critical role homeownership can play in unlocking economic opportunity and financial resilience for families.
For more information on the report, visit this link. To learn more about Habitat Canada’s programs and advocacy, visit habitat.ca.
About the survey
To assess what role Habitat homeownership has played in the lives of families, Deloitte, in partnership with the local Habitat organizations, conducted a survey of families who have benefited from the affordable homeownership program to date. With an active mortgage portfolio of just upwards of 2,600 families, the 611 families represented in our sample constitute a response rate of about 23%. This is roughly in line with the 25% threshold used by Statistics Canada when administering long-form questionnaires in the Canadian Census of Population. We received survey responses from eleven of the thirteen Canadian provinces and territories, with Yukon and Nunavut being the two outliers. Nevertheless, these two territories currently only account for eight active mortgages, and therefore, their exclusion from the sample in no way biases our findings.
About Habitat for Humanity Canada
Founded in 1985, Habitat for Humanity Canada is a national charitable organization that brings communities together to help families build strength, stability and independence through affordable homeownership. Habitat’s unique national affordable homeownership program allows eligible low- to moderate-income families to purchase a home at fair market value with an affordable mortgage. With the generous support of donors and volunteers, and working with 45 local Habitats in every province and territory, we provide a solid foundation for better, healthier lives. Habitat for Humanity Canada is a member of Habitat for Humanity International, which was established in 1976 and has grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in more than 70 countries. For more information, please visit habitat.ca and follow on social @HabitatCanada.
For more information, please contact Katie Skinner at katie.skinner@citizenrelations.com, 416-910-9542.
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