Affordable housing in Canada and the role of municipalities
Subject
Abstract
This thesis examines the housing affordability crisis in Canada through the lens of municipal governance, focusing on the role municipalities play in shaping housing supply through land use regulation, development approvals, and local administrative systems. While municipalities do not control macroeconomic drivers such as interest rates or immigration levels, they exert substantial influence over the feasibility, cost, and timing of housing delivery. Using a qualitative research approach, this study combines document analysis with semi- structured interviews with professionals involved in municipal planning and housing delivery. The findings identify systemic municipal barriers, including regulatory complexity, discretionary approvals, prolonged and uncertain timelines, institutional fragmentation, and political risk aversion. The analysis demonstrates that these barriers reflect a broader governance misalignment between housing need and municipal institutional design. The thesis concludes that municipalities can improve housing affordability within their existing authority by reforming zoning frameworks, streamlining approvals, improving information transparency, and realigning governance systems to prioritize housing outcomes while maintaining legitimate regulatory objectives.