Over a million Canadian homes require major repairs, CMHC warns
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation says nearly one million homes - about 6 % of the nation’s housing stock - needed major repairs in 2021.
According to a new CMHC analysis, close to one million Canadian homes required major repairs as of 2021, representing 6.1 % of all housing units. The need for repairs is concentrated in vulnerable groups, including Indigenous peoples, renters and occupants of government-provided or First Nations housing, where the rate climbs to 36.8 %. Tenants are more likely to face repair issues than owners, and the territories exhibit the highest repair-need rates, with over a quarter of homes in Nunavut affected.
The study notes that homes in disrepair are far more prone to mold, mildew and pest infestations, which can harm occupants’ health and reduce available housing. While repair rates have generally improved since 1996, the Northwest Territories saw a reversal. Laberge stresses that preserving the existing housing stock is essential for affordability, alongside new construction.
Why it matters
A large share of Canadian homes need repairs, risking health and limiting affordable housing supply.
In this story
