Canada needs 5.8 million new homes by 2030. That means building roughly one-third of Canada’s existing housing supply all over again in just a few years. How and where we build these homes could have a major impact on Canada’s greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution and on our national climate change goals. 

But just how big an impact? New research provides the clearest picture to date.

If we build poorly, new housing could produce 143 million tonnes of climate pollution. That would be as a result of building leaky homes with the wrong materials and in the wrong places. On the other hand, if we build energy efficient and comfortable homes within urban boundaries, new housing could produce just 43 Mt.

In other words, building better could lead to 100 million tonnes less climate pollution, or the equivalent of 34% of Canada’s 2030 GHG reduction target.

This latest analysis comes to us by way of three new modeling reports produced by the Centre for the Sustainable Built Environment at University of Toronto, the PLACE Centre at University of Ottawa, and Efficiency Canada.