Housing Supply Efforts at Risk Without Skilled Workforce, Warns RESCON President

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Richard Lyall, president of RESCON, emphasizes the importance of a sustainable workforce for the success of housing initiatives at the Housing Summit 6.0, while acknowledging government efforts to improve housing supply.

During the recent Housing Summit 6.0, Richard Lyall, the president of the Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON), addressed critical concerns regarding the housing market and the necessity of a robust workforce to sustain government initiatives aimed at increasing housing supply. Lyall commended both federal and provincial governments for their strides in promoting housing construction, but he cautioned that without a sustainable supply of skilled labor, these positive developments could falter. "We commend all levels of government for their efforts," Lyall stated to the gathered audience of industry leaders, policymakers, and housing experts. "However, the success of these initiatives is directly tied to skilled labour supply and our ability to continue delivering housing." The summit served as a platform for discussing the current housing landscape, emerging trends, and potential solutions to ongoing challenges related to affordability. Lyall specifically praised Ontario Housing Minister Rob Flack for his leadership, calling him one of the most influential housing ministers in recent memory. Nonetheless, he highlighted that despite the government's recent actions, the Ontario housing sector faces significant structural hurdles. Many households still find housing affordability out of reach, and the supply of homes continues to fall short of demand in various markets. Furthermore, uncertainty within the residential construction sector has led some workers to exit the homebuilding industry entirely. While Lyall acknowledged that the current market slowdown has alleviated some immediate labor pressures, he warned of a looming workforce challenge that could arise as market conditions improve and housing production picks up pace. "As a generation of construction workers approaches retirement, and others have left the residential construction sector, we face potential labour shortages down the road," he remarked. He emphasized the urgency of determining how to address these workforce needs now to avoid future setbacks. This concern resonates throughout the construction industry, where demographic changes and workforce attrition threaten to impede the ability to scale up housing production in the coming years. Without a sufficient number of skilled tradespeople, achieving housing targets could become increasingly difficult. Lyall reiterated that while the government has introduced various measures to bolster residential construction and enhance affordability, many of these initiatives are temporary in nature. He argued for the necessity of making successful measures permanent and predictable. He reaffirmed RESCON's dedication to supporting housing policy development through research and advocacy, alongside collaboration with government and industry partners to find solutions that will boost housing supply. Minister Flack addressed the summit, noting the government’s significant progress in housing initiatives. One of the main objectives has been to expedite the approval and permitting processes. He highlighted legislative changes enacted through Bills 17, 60, and 98, aimed at streamlining planning and development. The government's strategy has focused on reducing the time required for building permit approvals and eliminating obstacles that delay construction. In addition to minimizing delays, the province has sought to tackle construction costs, a major factor contributing to housing affordability issues. A notable initiative was the collaboration with the federal government to remove the HST for qualifying new homes. While some critics have questioned the potential impact of this rebate, Flack reported that early results indicate the policy is yielding positive outcomes. Data shared by Flack revealed that new single-family home sales in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) tripled in July and August compared to the same period the previous year. Across Ontario, new home sales surged by approximately 130 percent year-over-year during the second quarter of 2026. "We got off to a bit of a slow start because some federal regulations needed to be put in place, but they’re working, and we look forward to continued acceleration here in the fall," Flack stated. Another significant initiative mentioned by Flack was the Development Charge Reduction Program, part of the Canada-Ontario housing partnership worth $8.8 billion. This program aims to encourage municipalities to lower development charges, a significant hidden cost in new home pricing. Flack committed to ongoing collaboration with municipal leaders, housing stakeholders, and industry associations to explore further ways to reduce costs and expedite construction. The overarching goal remains clear: to create conditions that empower builders to increase home production. "Our focus," Flack concluded, "is continuing to keep costs down and lower the time it takes to get housing built in this province."

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