National

U.S. tariffs set to slow pace of homebuilding in Canada: CHBA

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 04 Mar, 2025 10:55 AM

Canada's building industry says a trade war with the United States will slow down the pace of home construction.

Canadian Home Builders' Association CEO Kevin Lee says the U.S. tariffs levied against Canada today will have a "muted" impact on the industry on their own.

But he says an expected slowdown in the economy tied to tariff impacts could hold the housing market back, dragging down housing starts.

Today, CHBA CEO Kevin Lee spoke to reporters on Parliament Hill about the release of CHBA's #MunicipalBenchmarkingStudy, underscoring that policy change is needed to ramp up housing supply & address #housingaffordability challenges.

Watch 🎥 https://t.co/968y1iFKuq #cdnpoli
— CHBA National (@CHBANational) March 4, 2025

Canada has responded to U.S. President Donald Trump's trade salvos with retaliatory tariffs targeting $30 billion worth of U.S. goods, with billions more in counter-tariffs set to follow in three weeks.

Lee says that if these retaliatory tariffs hit critical construction materials coming from the U.S., they could drive up costs for builders.

He says municipalities can help offset the slowdown by speeding up approval processes and lowering development charges to get new homes built.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

B.C. minimum wage increases by 45 cents per hour starting June 1

The British Columbia government says the province's lowest-paid workers are getting a wage boost to keep pace with inflation. The Ministry of Labour says the minimum wage will increase from $17.40 to $17.85 per hour starting in June.

B.C. minimum wage increases by 45 cents per hour starting June 1

Earthquake felt on southern Vancouver Island is latest B.C. tremor

Residents across southern Vancouver Island reported feeling a 3.8 magnitude earthquake that struck off the southern coast, the latest in a string of tremors in British Columbia this week. Earthquakes Canada says it happened around 10 p.m. on Thursday.

Earthquake felt on southern Vancouver Island is latest B.C. tremor

Singh says NDP expects snap election call if Carney wins Liberal leadership

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Friday he doesn't think he'll have to chose between voting on tariff relief and bringing down the government because he expects a snap election call if Mark Carney wins the Liberal leadership. Singh told a press conference in Toronto that if the government was serious about introducing a relief package for workers who might lose their jobs due to U.S. tariffs, it would have recalled Parliament by now.

Singh says NDP expects snap election call if Carney wins Liberal leadership

Poilievre, Freeland rebuff Trump's call for Russia to rejoin G7

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is pushing back on U.S. President Donald Trump's suggestion that Russia be allowed back into the G7. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's office hasn't answered a request for comment on Trump's call for Russia's return to the informal assembly of the world's leading democracies — despite the fact that Canada is chairing the G7 this year.

Poilievre, Freeland rebuff Trump's call for Russia to rejoin G7

Nanaimo woman charged in fatal parking lot crash involving modified truck

A woman in Nanaimo has been charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death partially due to what police say were modifications made to her truck. RCMP say the 24-year-old driver was parked at Woodgrove Mall on March 21 last year when an 85-year-old woman parked her vehicle beside the truck.

Nanaimo woman charged in fatal parking lot crash involving modified truck

Trudeau says Canada will push back on U.S. tariffs with Trump administration

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday Ottawa will work to convince U.S. President Donald Trump that his "unacceptable" steel and aluminum tariffs will hurt both countries. A senior government official said that Trudeau spoke with U.S. Vice-President JD Vance about the impact steel tariffs would have in Ohio, which Vance previously represented in the U.S. Senate.