How could the shift from condos to rentals in Toronto affect Doug Ford?
Doug Ford may face pressure to adjust housing policy amid rental market growth. This trend is supported by CMHC data showing rental apartment starts in the Toronto area rose 82 per cent in the first half of 2026. As the Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford oversees the provincial government, which has introduced incentives like low-interest loans and sales-tax rebates to boost construction. The documented difficulty in making homes for sale financially viable creates a political challenge for the government to address the housing supply and affordability crisis.
- Effect
- Mild negative
- How direct
- Brind's reasoning
- When
- Over the long term
- The story
- Still developing
How it reaches Doug Ford
-
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation reported that the six-month trend in housing starts was almost flat in September, rising only 0.6% from August. CMHC also counted 143,929 approved building permits, an increase of 1.1% from August. Separately, Matt Young stated that a major housing development in Scarborough, originally planned as condos, would instead be built as rentals because it was more financially viable.
The full event1independent outlet -
The shift, coupled with CMHC data showing rental apartment starts rose 82 per cent in the first half of 2026, indicates persistent affordability and supply issues in the province. As the Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford's government is responsible for implementing provincial incentives, such as the Building Ontario Fund, to address these market failures.
No report states this step directly. Brind drew it from the reporting on each side of it, so treat it as an informed guess.
-
26th premier of Ontario since 2018
Everything about Doug Ford
Tap any step to see the evidence behind it.
The facts so far
As reported. Each one links to where it comes from.
- Rental apartment starts in the Toronto area rose 82 per cent in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier.bnnbloomberg.ca
- Matt Young converted planned condos along St. Clair Avenue East in Scarborough to rentals because it made more financial sense.bnnbloomberg.ca
- Provincial governments introduced incentives, including low-interest loans through Ottawa’s $55 billion Apartment Construction Loan Program.bnnbloomberg.ca
- Ontario announced an investment of up to $178 million through the Building Ontario Fund for Scarborough Junction.bnnbloomberg.ca
Why it matters
The housing crisis in Ontario is a critical political issue, as the affordability gap between incomes and housing costs continues to widen. The shift toward rentals, driven by developer financial decisions, suggests that current market conditions and existing provincial incentives may not be sufficient to stabilize the housing supply or make homeownership financially viable for families.
This trend is part of a broader struggle in the Canadian real estate market, where buyers are increasingly wary of pre-construction risks and investors are hesitant to provide the necessary demand for projects. The Premier of Ontario is tasked with balancing the need for increased housing supply with the financial realities faced by developers and prospective buyers.
What we don't know yet
- What specific policy changes could the provincial government implement to make homes for sale financially viable again?
- How quickly will the current trend of developers switching from condos to rentals accelerate?
What would change this answer
— Other considerations
Beyond this explainer
Explore connected ideas
Each opens in Related concepts: what the web connects to it, with Brind's news on it.
The ideas come from how millions of web pages place them near each other. The questions are Brind's AI reasoning, written only from this explainer and Brind's own reporting.
Who else could feel it
Other possible ripples from the same event.
Reporting
- bnnbloomberg.caYesterday
Keep going
Brind's analysis is written by AI from the reporting linked above and can be wrong. This explainer is a possibility worth considering, not a forecast: steps marked as Brind's reasoning are not stated in the reporting. It is not investment advice; do your own research.