As immediate concern with the COVID-19 pandemic faded, new issues have appeared on the public’s agenda, the most prominent of which have been the cost of living and the affordability of housing. In many parts of the country, both housing prices and rents have risen steeply. And interest rates – which affect the amount and duration of mortgage payments – have increased as a measure to counter inflation. This Focus Canada report addresses these issues by exploring the views that Canadians have about the prospects for home ownership and the challenges posed by the interest rate jump.
The survey finds that younger Canadians in particular have become more concerned about housing affordability, less optimistic about their prospects for home ownership and – for those who already own their own home – more worried about their ability to continue to make their mortgage payments.
Survey Details
This survey was conducted in partnership with the Century Initiative. This survey is based on telephone interviews conducted (via landline and cellphones) with 2,002 Canadians between September 4 and 17, 2023. A sample of this size drawn from the population produces results accurate to within plus or minus 2.2 percentage points in 19 out of 20 samples.
Focus Canada
Focus Canada is the longest running and most comprehensive public opinion research program on public policy issues in Canada.
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