By Jeremy Davis
From October 26 to October 28, REALTORS® and staff from real estate boards and associations from across Canada met in Ottawa for the Canadian Real Estate Association’s (CREA) annual Political Action Committee (PAC) conference or PAC Days 2025.
The annual event is an opportunity for REALTORS® to share their experience with federal Members of Parliament (MP) on the state of the real estate market, recommendations for the development of housing policy, and to advocate on issues of priority within federal jurisdiction on behalf of CREA.
This year marked the 40th anniversary of the PAC Days event and included presentations from the Honourable Gregor Robertson - Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada, Colleen Volk - President and CEO of the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Arlene Dickinson – Dragon’s Den and Canadian business icon, and Rick Mercer - Comedian and TV personality, David Colleto from Abacus Data, Scott Atchison – Shadow Minister for Housing, and Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, Melissa Lantsman, MP for Thornhill, to name a few. Attendees heard from experts on housing policy, political journalists, prominent current politicians and public officials, and political party insiders. Topics ranged from innovative home-building, the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s role in housing outcomes, advancing reconciliation in real estate, the current federal political landscape and inside political backrooms.
REALTOR® Members and staff who attended PAC Days 2025 conducted meetings with Members of Parliament and other representatives to advocate on CREA’s two key REALTOR® recommendations:
1. Leverage all Federal levers to unlock housing supply
The federal government should accelerate the construction of missing middle housing by embedding measurable housing delivery expectations across all federal funding, policy, and regulatory levers — including but not limited to infrastructure programs, Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and federal transfers.
CREA recommends embedding measurable housing delivery expectations across all federal levers to accelerate the construction of missing middle housing. By tying infrastructure and program funding to clear, outcome-based targets — like the number and type of homes built, faster approvals, reduced development charges, and modernized zoning — we can ensure every federal dollar delivers tangible housing results.
This would result in:
• Accelerating municipal approvals by tying funding to zoning modernization, reducing development charges, and permitting reforms.
• Maximizing taxpayer value by connecting infrastructure investment to new housing.
• Fostering intergovernmental coordination on national housing goals rather than siloed programs.
2. A balanced approach for Build Canada Homes — building the missing middle
Dedicate a modest share of Build Canada Homes (BCH) projects to market-based “missing middle” housing (townhomes, duplexes, family-sized apartments), leveraging prefabricated construction to scale delivery while maintaining affordability.
CREA’s housing analysis along with broader economic data make clear that Canada’s housing challenges go beyond non-market and community housing and span the entire housing continuum. From a national perspective, residential detached homes make up over 50% of all dwellings while condominiums represent 36%. Restoring balance requires building homes that reflect needs, not just a simple unit count. It is important to create attainable pathways for middle-class families who are increasingly being locked out of home ownership.
The Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board, Manitoba Real Estate Association, and Brandon Area REALTORS® also joined forces to co-host a networking reception with the Association of Manitoba Municipalities which was attended by many Members of Parliament, local City of Winnipeg Councillors, and staff from Build Canada Homes.
REALTORS® are at the forefront of what is happening on the ground in real estate markets across Canada and have seen first-hand the barriers that first-time homebuyers, families, and seniors are facing when trying to find suitable homes. Solving the housing crisis will require all levels of government pulling in the same direction, along with partnerships with the private sector, housing providers, real estate professionals and non-profits.
What REALTORS® bring to the conversation is expert knowledge in understanding local real estate market conditions, consumer homeownership needs, trends, and barriers to homeownership. This makes REALTORS® well-placed to add to the conversation around housing policy and while advocating for creative solutions to increase housing supply, address current housing challenges, and allow access to safe, stable, and affordable housing options.
The Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board will remain committed to advocating on behalf of the real estate industry through engagement with government and local stakeholders while aligning local priorities with national housing strategies. Together, we’re focused on contributing meaningful recommendations that address the housing crisis and support the needs of our community.
Jeremy Davis is the Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board’s Director of External Relations & Market Intelligence.