micah verceles

Housing markets across Canada slowed significantly in 2018 as a result of higher interest rates coupled with mortgage stress tests and other policy changes that have constrained homebuying.

Our latest consumer research report, Annual State of the Residential Mortgage Market in Canada, released today, examines the negative impacts of federal policies on housing markets across the country.

Report author and Mortgage Professionals Canada Chief Economist, Will Dunning, shares how policy changes are disqualifying potential first-time homebuyers and creating considerable pressure on the rental market, which is in turn driving rental prices higher. The reduction of activity in the housing market and extremely low rental vacancy rates have had significant consequences on homebuyers and renters, as well as employment and the overall economy.

The report illustrates that, as President and CEO Paul Taylor has discussed with policymakers, a more reasonable stress test level and lending restriction reforms are now needed to strike a better balance for borrowers and policymakers, improving housing affordability and Canada’s economy.

Read the full report HERE