Housing Affordability Remains Key Issue for Municipal Voters Ahead of Election
Toronto, Canada, September 16, 2026 — Results from an Ipsos survey conducted on behalf of the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) reveal that housing affordability remains a significant concern for residents across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and Barrie as the October 26th municipal election approaches.
Most Residents Support Measures to Improve Housing Affordability
Seven in ten (70%) residents say they are likely to vote in the October 2026 municipal election. Housing affordability remains a prominent issue, with 85% expressing concern about housing affordability in the GTA overall, and 76% agree that they are frustrated by the limited progress made on housing affordability in the GTA or Simcoe County.
Housing affordability is expected to influence voting decisions, with 69% saying it will affect their vote. Six in ten (60%) say they are more likely to support mayoral candidates who include a focus on improving housing affordability in their platforms, while 82% believe municipalities are not doing enough to improve affordability, consistent across the various municipalities of the GTA and Barrie.
Housing Costs Bring Municipal Fees and Taxes into Focus
The survey found strong support for measures aimed at improving housing affordability. For example, 86% support reducing taxes for first-time homebuyers. Strong majorities also support lowering housing-related taxes, fees, and development charges. More than half (54%) believe municipalities rely too heavily on development charges as a source of revenue. A large majority (83%) support reducing development charges on new homes by up to 50% over the next three years, while 79% support maintaining those reductions beyond that period. Residents also expressed concerns about other municipal revenue sources, with more than half (55%) in Toronto saying the municipality relies too heavily on land transfer taxes and 63% of GTA residents saying the same about property taxes. As affordability pressures persist, support for reducing housing-related taxes and fees indicates a strong public appetite for measures that could lower the cost of homeownership.
About the Study
These are the findings of an online Ipsos survey conducted on behalf of the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) that was fielded between August 27th to September 9th, 2026. A total of n=1,712 residents of the GTA and Barrie aged 18+ participated in the survey which was fielded via Ipsos panels. Quotas and weighting were used to ensure the sample's composition reflects that of the regional population according to census parameters. This survey has a credibility interval of +/- 2.9 per cent 19 times out of 20, of what the results would have been had all residents of the GTA and Barrie aged 18+ been surveyed. The interval will be wider among subsets of the population.
For more information on this Factum, please contact:
Sean Simpson
Senior Vice President, Ipsos Public Affairs
[email protected]
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