New bill targets affordability and coordination for young homebuyers and renters
A new private Member’s bill introduced by Liberal Party MP Braedon Clark is aiming to address how Canada tackles the housing crisis facing young people.
The bill, set for debate in the House of Commons this fall, proposes a national strategy focused on Canadians aged 17 to 34, a demographic Clark described as “disproportionately impacted by the ongoing housing crisis.”
Clark, who previously served as housing critic in Nova Scotia’s legislature, said his experience shaped the bill’s direction.
“We just want to restore the affordability of housing for young people, whether they're renting, whether they're students, or people trying to save for their first home,” Clark said in a recent Global News Morning interview.
A coordinated approach across governments
The proposed strategy would require the federal minister to collaborate with provinces, territories, municipalities, non-profit housing associations, and Indigenous groups.
“One of the hard things about housing is that all three levels of government have a stake in the game,” Clark said.
“This strategy is designed to make sure that we're all working together to develop housing for young people that's affordable and that it's also tracked.”
The bill also mandates regular reporting to Parliament, aiming for transparency and accountability.
Wahi’s 2025 Homebuying Pressure Point Survey found that young Canadians feel much more pressure to buy a home than older generations. The survey says this pressure is similar to the expectations to get married or start a family. More than half of millennials (54%) and 41% of Gen Z have felt pushed to own a home, compared to just 30% of Gen X and 13% of baby boomers, who already have higher homeownership rates.
Regional realities and national ambitions
While the housing crisis is national in scope, Clark pointed to Nova Scotia as a “test case” for the strategy.
“Housing prices are fairly high, taxes in this province are also fairly high, and wages are fairly low compared to other provinces. That's a difficult mix, obviously, for people to manage,” he said.
“Nova Scotia in particular is a place where we can make real progress through the work that I'm doing with this housing strategy and also programs like Build Canada Homes.”
The Build Canada Homes initiative, launched last week, aims to create up to 45,000 mostly non-market affordable housing units across the country.
“One of the first six sites that was identified is actually Shannon Park in Dartmouth, which is literally just across the bridge from my riding,” Clark said.
“There will be hundreds of units there, a full community of mostly affordable housing for people.”
Political hurdles and timelines
Clark acknowledged the legislative process ahead, noting the need for cross-party support in a minority parliament. “I see this as a relatively nonpartisan issue, I hope. I think we all agree that young Canadians need help when it comes to housing,” he said.
If passed, the strategy would be developed over 18 months and reviewed thereafter.
Meanwhile, although Gen Z is good at saving, owning a home still seems unlikely for many of them. Only 26% feel confident they can afford a home in their preferred area within the next five years. Statistics Canada also shows that people under 35 are the only group who have lowered their mortgage debt since 2022, as higher costs and interest rates make buying a home harder.
