A new survey conducted for CityNews suggests that a majority of non-homeowners in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area have given up hope of ever entering the housing market. The poll, carried out by Canada Pulse Insights, found that among the 38 per cent of respondents who do not currently own property, only one quarter believe they will be able to purchase a home in the future. The remaining 75 per cent said they do not expect to become homeowners at all.
The most significant barrier identified in the survey is the rising cost of real estate. Eighty per cent of non-homeowners reported that home and condo prices are simply too high to consider buying. Another 20 per cent pointed to the difficulty of saving for a down payment. The results underline a growing sense of discouragement among younger residents and newcomers to the region, many of whom feel priced out before they even begin.
Participants were also asked about the current state of housing affordability more broadly. A large majority of Toronto residents, 83 per cent, described the conditions for buying a home as “bad or terrible.” In the surrounding GTA, 73 per cent held the same view. Access to rental housing is also being strained, with 78 per cent of Toronto residents and 70 per cent of GTA residents reporting poor or worsening affordability in the rental market.
When asked about political leadership on housing, only one in six respondents said they believe Mayor Olivia Chow has made progress toward improving affordability or rental assistance. The findings highlight the ongoing frustration many residents feel as living costs rise faster than wages and housing supply remains limited.
An earlier CityNews poll suggested that many residents see population increases as a key factor affecting affordability. Fifty-eight per cent of Toronto respondents attributed pressure on the housing market primarily to population growth driven by immigration, rather than to developers or landlords seeking higher profits. The most recent poll was conducted from September 30 to October 6 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
