CMHC: Existing housing stock must be repaired, maintained

Key Takeaways:

• CMHC reports nearly one million Canadian homes (6.1% of national housing stock) required major repairs in 2021.
• Major repair needs are disproportionately concentrated in subsidized housing (9.4%) and Indigenous communities (up to 36.8%).
• Homes needing major repairs are 13 times more likely to contain mould and four times more likely to harbor pest infestations.

The Whole Story:

Canada must prioritize the repair and maintenance of its existing housing stock alongside new residential construction to prevent the erosion of affordable housing supply, according to an analysis by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).

The report, authored by CMHC Chief Economist Mathieu Laberge, reveals that nearly one million homes across Canada—representing 6.1% of the national housing stock—required major repairs as of 2021. While overall repair rates have remained stable since 2016, the total number of deteriorating homes has grown alongside overall housing stock expansion, threatening existing supply.

The analysis highlights significant structural disparities across tenure types and regions:

• Tenure Disparities: Renters face higher rates of major repair needs (7.3%) than homeowners (5.3%). Subsidized housing exhibits a repair need rate of 9.4%, while dwellings provided by local governments or First Nations record a major repair need rate of 36.8%.
• Indigenous Housing: Indigenous populations face major repair rates approximately three times the national average, with First Nations on-reserve and Inuit communities in Inuit Nunangat reporting rates five to six times higher.
• Territorial & Regional Variation: Major repair needs remain highest in Northern Canada, led by Nunavut at 26.6% and the Northwest Territories at 18.4%. Conversely, repair rates declined across most provinces and major urban hubs like Toronto and Vancouver between 1996 and 2021, driven by rapid new construction and renovation activity.

The report links deferred structural maintenance directly to health risks, noting that homes requiring major repairs are 13 times more likely to contain mould or mildew (25.2%) and nearly four times more likely to report pest infestations (38.6%) compared to homes undergoing regular maintenance.

Canadian households spend approximately $25 billion annually on home repairs and maintenance, with rental housing expenditures running 23% higher than owner-occupied homes due to an older average building age. CMHC notes that public capital programs—including the federal Affordable Housing Fund, which has committed $2.89 billion to renew over 174,000 non-market units since 2018—are critical to preserving affordable housing stock and preventing long-term structural losses.