Canada’s retrofit mission is the key to unlocking housing and economic growth

Every major party in the last federal election promised to build more housing. But few talked about the homes and buildings we already live and work in. Nearly two-thirds of Canada’s housing was built before 2000, and much of it is overdue for essential upgrades: roofs, windows, insulation, heating and cooling systems, even kitchens and bathrooms. These aren’t just aesthetic — they’re energy, cost, and climate problems.

They’re also our biggest opportunity.

As Prime Minister Mark Carney sets his government’s agenda, he has emphasized the need to “build an enormous amount of infrastructure at speeds not seen in generations.” That includes the infrastructure to restore housing affordability and strengthen our economy.

A national retrofit mission answers that call. It’s a made-in-Canada economic strategy rooted in work that already needs doing, in every part of the country. And crucially, it’s also the foundation for building new housing faster, cheaper, and sustainably.

Old buildings, new economy

A retrofit mission is a strategic approach to upgrading Canada’s homes and buildings at scale. It means investing in skilled trades, using Canadian-made components, and setting clear performance rules so households and businesses can plan ahead. It transforms the patchwork of grants and pilots into a coordinated effort — one that unlocks affordability, creates good jobs, and drives innovation.

A retrofit mission grows the workforce, supply chains, and manufacturing capacity needed to support new housing. That’s because many of the same skills, products, and design tools needed for retrofits also support new construction, particularly when it must be zero-carbon and climate resilient.

Scaling up retrofits builds the ecosystem that lets us scale up housing — and we can start right now.

The math makes sense

We can’t afford to let aging homes crumble, nor can we afford to tear them down. A UBC study found that retrofitting costs about two-thirds of what rebuilding does, meaning every third building is “free.”

A deep energy retrofit — upgrades to insulation, air sealing, ventilation, windows, and mechanical systems — can reduce energy use by up to 90 per cent and cut operational carbon emissions by as much as 99 per cent. That translates to lower energy bills, more comfortable homes, and less strain on the grid. And it helps homeowners and landlords reinvest in housing rather than deferring maintenance year after year.

Roughly 12 million existing low-rise houses in Canada must be retrofitted by 2050 to make them low-carbon and resilient to the effects of climate change. That’s 480,000 homes a year. We won’t get there with one-off rebates and voluntary programs that disappear at election time. We need a mission that aligns the entire ecosystem — from homeowners to trades, municipalities to manufacturers — with consistent policy, predictable timelines, and real standards.

Momentum is building — we just need to scale it

We’ve seen what coordinated action can do. Since 2000, improved codes and new technologies have helped reduce energy use per square metre by 30 per cent. Emissions from housing have stayed relatively flat despite population growth, and a cleaner grid has chipped off another 16 megatonnes.

Canadians are ready. Last month, over 700 industry leaders convened at the Retrofit Canada Conference. And over 100 applicants responded to the federal governments Deep Retrofit Accelerator Initiative and Greener Neighbourhoods Pilot Program launches in 2022. That’s how quickly people mobilize when the right supports are in place.

Canada needs these programs to scale up. With current funding set to expire in 2027, now is the time to reinvest and create long-term stability. That means moving from scattered pilots to a coordinated national mission that embeds retrofits in core government strategy.

What we need now is commitment: mission-scale policies that strengthen affordability and build an economy rooted in Canadian strengths. We can scale up what’s working, and redesign where there’s room to improve. We can grow the market with confidence by setting standards that unlock investment and create long-term demand.

A made-in-Canada solution to housing and affordability

This is the kind of leadership Canadians are looking for — a vision for the economy that starts with real problems and ends with practical solutions. A retrofit mission isn’t a silver bullet, but it brings out the best of industry strengths and government supports, and makes a clear commitment to Canadians: lower costs, safer homes, cleaner air, and stronger communities.

It also strengthens economic resilience by scaling up demand for energy-efficient goods and services already designed, built, and delivered by Canadian companies. Coordinating demand can reshape supply chains, reduce trade dependencies, and position Canadian innovators to lead in global clean economy markets.

As Prime Minister Carney has emphasized, Canada must quickly build the infrastructure needed to strengthen our economy and resilience. A retrofit mission is that future: it starts with the homes we already have and builds the country we need next.

We already have the people, tools, and technologies. What we need now is the political will to connect them.