Niagara and Canada face two simultaneous crises: a shortage of housing, particularly affordable housing, and a climate crisis that is resulting in droughts, floods, wildfires, and more. One demands accelerated construction at the lowest cost possible; the other demands a more expensive approach with higher standards of efficiency and emissions. These must be balanced.

If building standards are not changed, accelerating the pace of building construction to meet e.g. Ontario’s target of 1.5 million homes by 2031 will represent a massive increase in carbon and greenhouse gases. Other countries are already moving towards greener building codes; Canada must do the same, but in such a way as to incentivize and reward developers who embrace these codes, rather than adding to their costs.

Use of fossil fuels for space and water heating in Canadian homes accounts for 13% of national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Including electricity used for cooling, lighting, and appliances increases that total to 18%, and when the materials and construction processes for construction are included, the housing sector’s share reaches 30%.

At the same time, building costs are increasing faster than inflation. Between 2014 and 2024, the composite building construction price increase (BCPI) increased by about 40%, driven by higher material costs, labour shortages, and supply chain disruptions.

The GNCC recommends not only adopting green building codes, but adopting policies such as development charge reductions and more attractive financing streams to green buildings. Green building codes introduced without incentives will slow construction and increase the price of housing; to achieve both greener and cheaper buildings will require government investment.

2024-ongoing