KITCHENER, ON – Ontario Greens Leader Mike Schreiner is making it clear: housing should be built for people, not corporate profits. As the housing crisis worsens and young Ontarians are priced out of the market, the Greens have unveiled a bold plan to increase density, cut costs for first-time buyers, and ensure housing remains affordable without urban sprawl.
“Doug Ford’s housing policies have made it impossible for young people to afford a home,” Schreiner said. “Instead of building what Ontarians need, Ford is paving over farmland to help rich developers build mansions no one can afford. We’re here to change that.”
At the heart of the First-Time Homebuyers Plan is a commitment to building 2 million homes within urban boundaries while eliminating unnecessary fees and taxes that push up home prices. By legalizing fourplexes, sixplexes, and mid-rise developments in cities and along transit corridors, the Greens aim to make housing more accessible and sustainable—without destroying farmland, forests, and wetlands.
A Plan for Affordability and Smart Growth
The Ontario Greens’ housing strategy includes:
• Legalizing fourplexes and four-storey buildings province-wide, allowing for gentle density increases in all communities.
• Expanding density in major cities by permitting sixplexes in cities over 500,000 residents and mid-rise buildings (6-11 storeys) along transit corridors and main streets, maximizing affordable housing near jobs and public transit.
• Removing development charges on homes, condos, and apartment units under 2,000 square feet built within urban boundaries, with an Affordable Communities Fund to help municipalities cover infrastructure costs.
• Eliminating the land transfer tax for first-time buyers, cutting costs at closing and making homeownership more attainable.
“Our plan will increase housing supply where people actually need it, while keeping costs low,” Schreiner said. “We don’t need more suburban mansions—we need more affordable homes in walkable, transit-friendly communities.”
Ending Ford’s Developer Handouts
The Greens are taking direct aim at Doug Ford’s pro-sprawl agenda, which has prioritized land speculators and corporate developers over working Ontarians.
“Doug Ford is fueling a housing crisis by handing land over to billionaire developers while young people can’t even dream of buying a home,” Schreiner said. “Instead of building compact, affordable, and climate-friendly housing, Ford wants endless urban sprawl that drives up infrastructure costs and destroys farmland.”
Rather than expanding into the Greenbelt and protected lands, the Greens’ plan focuses on building smarter, denser communities that create affordable, climate-friendly housing options.
A Generational Fight for Housing Fairness
Ontario Greens Deputy Leader and Kitchener Centre candidate Aislinn Clancy stressed the urgency of the crisis and the need to make homeownership a reality for future generations.
“It’s time to bring some generational fairness back into the housing market,” Clancy said. “I want my kids to grow up knowing they’ll be able to buy a home in their community one day. But to get there, we need bold changes—more density, lower costs, and a housing market that works for people, not developers.”
With housing at the center of the 2025 election, the Ontario Greens are presenting the most progressive alternative—fighting for affordable, high-density, people-first housing while rejecting corporate land grabs and unchecked urban sprawl.
“We need housing for people—not profit,” Schreiner concluded. “Our plan will put an end to the housing crisis by building more homes where people need them, keeping costs low, and protecting Ontario’s natural spaces. It’s time for a governmenti that puts people before developers and ensures everyone has a place to call home.”
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