Global research reveals just how far Canada's housing crisis is pushing people
More than half of non-homeowners in Canada say they do not expect to ever own a home. That's the highest rate of homeownership pessimism recorded across 22 surveyed countries and more than double the global average, according to new research from Habitat for Humanity International.
The Home at What Cost? report, draws on surveys of 30,758 people across 22 countries conducted between April 10 and June 30.
Canada's result — 56% of non-homeowners giving up on ownership — compares with a global average of 23%, and exceeds the United States (42%), the United Kingdom (50%) and Australia (52%).
Two-thirds of Canadians (66%) made at least one financial sacrifice last year to cover housing costs, citing homes too expensive (54%), income too low (50%), and insufficient down payment savings (41%) as the main barriers.
Some 81% of those surveyed agreed that rising costs make homeownership increasingly difficult to achieve, a finding consistent with Canadian Mortgage Professional's analysis of why Canada's affordability problem persists.
| Canada housing data — Home at What Cost?, Habitat for Humanity International, 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Affordability barriers | |
| Finding | Canada |
| Agree rising costs make homeownership harder to achieve | 81% |
| Say there are too few affordable homes to buy | 73% |
| Non-homeowners: homes too expensive | 54% |
| Non-homeowners: income too low | 50% |
| Non-homeowners: insufficient down payment savings | 41% |
| Housing stability | |
| Feel secure in ability to remain where they live | 91% |
| Worry one unexpected problem could threaten housing stability | 44% |
| Identify affordability without constant stress as most important housing aspect | 48% |
| Source: Home at What Cost?, Habitat for Humanity International, 2026. Survey of 1,400 Canadians, conducted April 10–June 30, 2026. | |
Trade-offs that reach the essentials
The costs extend well beyond rent and mortgage payments. Over the past year, 36% of Canadians spent less on food, 25% drew from savings or emergency funds, and 40% cut social spending to meet housing obligations.
Nearly half (44%) said one unexpected setback, such as a job loss or unforeseen expense, could put their housing at risk.
Pedro Barata, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Canada in Toronto, said the findings signal a systemic failure.
"Canada's housing crisis has become an opportunity crisis. When people are sacrificing food, savings, and peace of mind to afford housing, they can never get ahead. They can't build the futures they want for themselves and their children."
The strain is sharpest among younger Canadians. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of Gen Z and Millennial respondents said housing costs make starting a family difficult, and 46% cite their housing situation as a primary source of stress, against a global average of 35%.
A national survey conducted by Abacus Data for the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) found that 89% of non-homeowners aged 18 to 29 still want to own a home someday, but only 29% of non-homeowners overall are confident they’ll ever manage it.
Broken systems, stalled confidence
Nationally, 73% of Canadians said there are too few affordable homes to buy. Globally, 56% of respondents said the housing system in their country is broken or simply does not work.
Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International, connected those numbers to a broader obligation.
"A home should never come at the cost of your health or your future. It should be the foundation of health, opportunity and financial security," he said.
The results arrive as Carolyn Rogers, Senior Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada, has cautioned that monetary policy alone cannot solve housing affordability, arguing that increasing housing supply and reducing the economy's reliance on rising home prices will require broader action from governments.
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