Good morning! This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly roundup of regulatory developments, legislative discussions, political announcements and other government-related news related to residential and commercial construction and infrastructure, and related government initiatives. Every Monday, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.

Dates: 2025-10-26 to 2025-11-01

📋 In This Week's Newsletter

• 🏛️ This Week's Parliamentary Committee Calendar
• 🇨🇦 Canadian Federal GR News
• 🇺🇸 US Federal GR News
• 🗺️ Canadian Provincial GR News
• 💬 Government Consultations
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week

This Week's Parliamentary Committee Calendar

• Senate Standing Committee on National Finance: Examination of Federal Housing Programs: The Senate National Finance Committee meets November 4 at 9:00 a.m. to continue its study of federal housing creation initiatives; witnesses include Jeffrey Hudson Rankin (University of New Brunswick) and Kevin Lee (Canadian Home Builders' Association).
• Senate Banking, Commerce and Economy Committee: Canada's Housing Crisis Focus: On November 5 at 4:15 p.m., the Senate Banking, Commerce and Economy Committee will hear from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Association of Construction and Housing Professionals of Quebec regarding the housing crisis and relevant taxes and levies.
• Senate Banking Committee: Bank of Canada Governor to Testify November 6: Governor Tiff Macklem and Senior Deputy Governor Carolyn Rogers appear before the Banking, Commerce and Economy Committee on November 6 at 10:30 a.m. to discuss the economic outlook and banking regulation.

Canadian Federal GR News

Federal Government Announces $1 Billion Transitional and Supportive Housing Commitment

The Government of Canada launched Build Canada Homes, a new federal agency tasked with building and financing affordable housing on a large scale. As an early initiative, the government announced a $1 billion investment to develop transitional and supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. Collaborations with provincial, territorial, municipal, and Indigenous partners aim to pair federal investments with health care and employment supports. Sixteen communities across Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, and Alberta received funding under the Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund (HRIF), targeting measurable reductions in homelessness.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

Senate Committees Weigh Housing Measures and Market Data

The Senate Standing Committee on National Finance reviewed the efficacy of federal housing programs, with Parliamentary Budget Officer Jason Jacques reporting that Canada will require 690,000 housing units by 2035 to close the supply gap. Jacques discussed the housing accelerator fund and GST rebates, underscoring the challenge of compiling comprehensive data on completed units. Senators addressed macroeconomic contributors to the crisis, such as wealth concentration and immigration, and queried how federal initiatives, including Build Canada Homes and CMHC spending, interplay. Witnesses from the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association and Co-operative Housing Federation called for increased investment in non-market and Indigenous-led community housing, referencing Quebec's off-market housing model and Finland’s supportive housing. Municipal coordination and the lack of integrated urban Indigenous data remain challenges, with additional scrutiny promised in budget reviews.

Sources: senparlvu.parl.gc.ca, senparlvu.parl.gc.ca

Proposed Amendments to Bill C-4 Focus on Housing Affordability Through Tax Systems

In the House of Commons Finance Committee, MPs advanced Bill C-4, which aims to enhance housing affordability with targeted amendments to GST/HST rebate eligibility dates for new homes and a GST exemption for first-time homebuyers. The committee agreed to withdraw certain amendments to facilitate the bill’s passage and selectively overruled procedural inadmissibility to allow opposition amendments. Bloc Québécois’ proposal to adjust rebate eligibility was debated regarding its financial implications, while opposition members pressed for incentives favoring construction starts. The committee ultimately adopted multiple amendments with divisions, bundled votes for efficiency, and reported the bill to the House.

Sources: parlvu.parl.gc.ca

Union Training and Apprenticeship Fund Expansion Announced in Advance of Budget 2025

The Government of Canada, ahead of the November 4 federal budget, detailed plans to expand the Union Training and Innovation Program (UTIP) to support union-led apprenticeship training in Red Seal trades, with a $75 million allocation over three years starting in 2026-27. The Foreign Credential Recognition Action Fund, backed by $97 million over five years, will help expedite skills recognition for internationally trained workers in construction and health care. The government confirmed it will restrict non-compete agreements in federally regulated industries, aiming to support labour mobility. Temporary Employment Insurance measures and a digital reskilling platform are also planned. g and a fast-tracked pipeline for internationally trained workers.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

Competition Bureau Opens Consultation on Updated Anti-Competitive Conduct Guidelines

The Competition Bureau is seeking stakeholder feedback on its proposed guidelines for enforcing anti-competitive conduct and agreements provisions of the Competition Act. The consultation, running until January 29, 2026, consolidates previous guidance with a focus on changes enacted over the past three years. Businesses operating under federal regulation, including large-scale builders and contractors, are invited to submit comments on sections affecting enforcement against anti-competitive behaviours and agreements. The Bureau will publish all submissions unless confidentiality is specifically requested.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

Senate Banking, Commerce and Economy Committee Focuses on Housing Crisis and Rental Sector

At the Senate Committee on Banking, Commerce and the Economy, economist Armine Yalnizyan addressed risks from private equity in housing and suggested expanding the foreign buyer ban to rental properties. The committee debated measures to preserve existing affordable housing, labour mobility challenges, and the need for local investment by pension funds. Senators also discussed approval process reforms, with proposals for federal incentives tied to zoning and transit-oriented development. Yalnizyan pointed to the inadequacy of Employment Insurance and called for regulatory and revenue system modernization. The viability of new building as the sole solution was questioned, bringing focus to rental stock protection for the industry.

Sources: senparlvu.parl.gc.ca

Canada Announces $6.4 Billion in Critical Minerals Investments

Canada, via the Critical Minerals Production Alliance, announced 26 new investments and partnerships with nine allied countries to facilitate $6.4 billion in critical minerals projects. The government detailed plans to secure graphite and scandium offtake arrangements, mobilize public and private capital, and stockpile minerals for national defence using the Defence Production Act. The initiative includes collaboration with G7 partners and support for innovation in minerals R&D, with an emphasis on supply chain resilience for advanced manufacturing, construction materials, and energy infrastructure.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

Support Services for Homeless Veterans Expanded in Montreal

Federal funding exceeding $1.4 million was announced for two Montreal projects under the Veteran Homelessness Program. The Old Brewery Mission will receive $861,952 for enhanced services including psychosocial home visits, while La Maison du Père is allocated $641,441 for transitional housing and stability supports. These targeted investments fall under the Services and Supports Stream, funding customized initiatives for veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness, intersecting with the industry’s interests in multifamily redevelopment and service-oriented housing.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

Finance Committee Focuses on Trade Impacts for Canadian Manufacturers and Housing Inputs

The House International Trade Committee heard from industry associations about the implications of U.S. tariffs and upcoming CUSMA (USMCA) renegotiations. Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters raised concerns over non-renewal prospects, trade irritants in manufacturing supply chains, and the shifting of production to the U.S. due to tariff pressure. Representatives called for regulatory alignment and financial relief for affected sectors, including lumber, and a focus on supporting SMEs through market diversification. The construction and housing supply chain’s exposure to both tariffs and cost-push inflation was a recurring theme.

Sources: parlvu.parl.gc.ca

Government Tables National Advisory Council on Poverty’s 2025 Report With Major Housing Focus

Minister Patty Hajdu tabled the National Advisory Council on Poverty’s 2025 report before Parliament, emphasizing affordable and non-market housing as central recommendations. The report urges concrete action to expand deeply affordable and community housing stock, citing the launch of Build Canada Homes as a new tool for delivering large-scale affordable housing. The government also announced automatic benefits for low-income Canadians and the permanent adoption of the National School Food Program as measures targeting affordability.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

Senate Transport and Communications Committee Reviews Labour Disruption Impacts on Supply Chains

The Senate Committee on Transport and Communications conducted a session on the regulatory framework for maintaining transportation services during labour disruptions. Participants addressed Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code, discussing the government’s authority to intervene and alternatives such as designating occupations essential or revising strike/negotiation processes, referencing the American model’s 90-day cooling-off period. Officials from the National Supply Chain Office discussed the sectoral effects of service interruptions on construction, infrastructure, and public works.

Sources: senparlvu.parl.gc.ca

US Federal GR News

FDIC and OCC Issue Proposed Rule Redefining 'Unsafe or Unsound Practice'

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation released a joint notice of proposed rulemaking to formally define 'unsafe or unsound practice' for section 8 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act. The proposed rule would focus the definition on practices likely to materially harm a financial institution and provide clearer supervisory standards for Matters Requiring Attention. Comments on the proposal are due by December 29, 2025.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

NCUA Seeks Feedback on Appraisal Standards and AVM Quality Control

The National Credit Union Administration is collecting comments on the extension and revision of its appraisal-related information collection for federally insured credit unions, incorporating new quality control standards for automated valuation models (AVMs). The proposed requirements ask institutions to enhance appraisal reliability and guard against data manipulation. The number of responses per year increased due to higher real estate loan volumes.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

FDIC Requests Comments on Community Reinvestment and Federal Deposit Insurance Collections

The FDIC is inviting feedback on the renewal of information collection policies associated with the Interagency Charter and Federal Deposit Insurance Application and Community Reinvestment Act reporting. The notice outlines unchanged application methods but indicates an increased annual respondent count based on current economic trends and bank respondent numbers.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

Treasury Seeks Comment on Expanded Real Estate and Information Collection Filings

The U.S. Treasury Department is seeking input on several IRS information collection requests, including Form 1099-S reporting of real estate transaction proceeds and other filings related to address changes and identity theft. The forms affect businesses engaged in property transactions as well as private households.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

DHS Announces Waiver of Statutes for Expedited Border Barrier Construction in Texas

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a determination under section 102 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to expedite construction of barriers and roads along the Texas border. The action waives federal, state, and local statutes covering environmental, land use, and cultural resource protections to accelerate operational control of the border region.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

Canadian Provincial GR News

Ontario Proposes Full HST Rebate for First-Time Home Buyers

Ontario announced a proposed full 8% HST rebate for first-time home buyers on new homes valued up to $1 million, which, combined with the pending federal HST rebate, could provide up to $130,000 in savings.

Sources: news.ontario.ca

B.C. Releases 2025 Labour Market Outlook With Projected Job Openings

British Columbia's 2025 Labour Market Outlook forecasts over one million job openings by 2035, with the construction sector expected to account for around 87,300 jobs, or 8% of total new positions.

Sources: news.gov.bc.ca

Ontario Funds Infrastructure to Enable Housing Development in Bathurst

New Brunswick and Canada are jointly investing $5.8 million for infrastructure upgrades in Bathurst, including road and utility improvements to support new housing at a former mill site.

Sources: www2.gnb.ca

Contractor Fined $80,000 After Workplace Fall Fatality in Ontario

KAS Aluminum & Copper Ltd. was fined $80,000 after a Toronto worker fatality tied to lack of required fall protection and incomplete Working at Heights training during a renovation project.

Sources: news.ontario.ca

Alberta Moves to Modernize Regulation of Private Career Colleges

Alberta announced proposed legislative amendments to strengthen oversight and transparency of private career colleges, including the establishment of a Student Tuition Protection Fund and stricter requirements for recruiters and program approvals.

Sources: www.alberta.ca

Government Consultations

Health Canada Opens Consultation on Registration of New Pest Control Products

Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency is consulting on the proposed registration of Isocycloseram (for cockroach gel bait) and new seed treatment products for control of insect pests in commercial, industrial, and residential buildings as well as on specified grains. Consultation closes November 8, 2025.

Sources: Canadian Government Consultations: www.canada.ca

What We're Reading This Week

• Rental construction is at a 50-year high in Toronto and Hamilton area, as more than 27,000 units converted from condos: Toronto and Hamilton set new records for rental housing conversions.
• Ottawa's immigration cuts have eased pressure on housing and labour markets: TD Economic report: TD finds reduced immigration has moderated recent housing and labour pressures.
• Will heritage stop housing development in the Annex?: The Globe & Mail examines heritage restrictions and their impact on infill housing.
• Provincial apprenticeship enrolment down, construction association says training changes to blame: CTV Winnipeg covers declining construction apprenticeship enrolment in parts of Canada.
• Opinion: To build big things, we must build the builders: Commentary on barriers to growing the construction workforce.
• Lumber industry warns of crisis as B.C. and Ottawa prepare for softwood summit: Industry leaders flag new concerns over softwood lumber and trade.
• On the campaign trail: Can Montreal fix its housing crisis?: CTV covers Montreal’s evolving approach to its housing challenges.
• The magic math of Liberal home economics: Editorial scrutinizing federal housing policy arithmetic.
• New Saint John housing project will help homeless people most in need: CBC on targeted housing investments for New Brunswick's most vulnerable.
• Financial Literacy Month 2025: Let’s break the stigma and Talk Money!: FCAC launches campaign to encourage open financial conversation.

.