⭐ Our BuildCanadaHomes.org Analysis:
Takeaway:
The recent CREA Political Action Committee (PAC) Days in Ottawa highlighted the urgent need for actionable strategies to improve housing accessibility across Canada. Over 400 REALTOR® representatives met with Members of Parliament from October 26 to 28, 2025, advocating for two major recommendations: increasing housing supply through federal policy and promoting "missing middle" housing. By leveraging all federal resources, including infrastructure programs and the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the PAC aims to address Canada’s growing housing crisis while fostering enduring relationships between real estate professionals and government officials.
For home builders and developers in Ontario, particularly in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), the emphasis on "missing middle" housing signifies a critical pivot in market demand. The push for prefabricated construction and market-based projects will likely spur new opportunities and innovative solutions in a sector grappling with profound supply challenges. An actionable insight for industry stakeholders is to begin exploring partnerships with prefabricated construction companies and local municipalities to prioritize these developments. This is essential because tapping into such initiatives not only aligns with governmental priorities but also positions Ontario’s construction firms to meet the evolving needs of consumers seeking affordable housing options in an increasingly competitive market.
From October 26 to 28, 2025, Political Action Committee (PAC) representatives joined the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) in Ottawa, Ontario, to meet with Members of Parliament (MPs) to champion practical, forward-thinking solutions that can help make homeownership more accessible for Canadians.
When PAC Days began in 1985, REALTORS® gathered to address the housing issues of their time. The challenges may have changed, but the goal remains the same: ensuring local community voices are heard in the Government of Canada.
Forty years on, PAC Days continues to stand as compelling evidence of Canadian democracy in action with more than 400 PAC Reps meeting with their MPs to present CREA’s REALTOR® Recommendations.
Interested in how it all went? Here’s a summary of CREA PAC Days 2025.
What REALTORS® advocated for
REALTORS® attended a record-breaking number of meetings with Members of Parliament, prepared to discuss CREA’s two research-based recommendations that would improve access to housing for everyone.
Recommendation No. 1: Leveraging all Federal Levers to Unlock Housing Supply
The federal government should accelerate the construction of missing middle housing by embedding measurable housing delivery expectations across all federal funding, policy, and regulatory levers — including but not limited to infrastructure programs, Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and federal transfers.
Recommendation No. 2: A Balanced Approach for Build Canada Homes – Building the Missing Middle
Dedicate a modest share of Build Canada Homes (BCH) projects to market-based “missing middle” housing (townhomes, duplexes, and family-sized apartments), leveraging prefabricated construction to scale delivery while maintaining affordability.
In addition to building lasting relationships with their local representatives, PAC Reps left copies of detailed reports outlining the data and reasoning behind these recommendations with elected representatives and their staff; an important step in seeing these recommendations become a reality.
Highlights from Day 1
The event started out with welcome messages from Garry Bhaura, Chair of CREA’s Federal Affairs Committee and CREA Chair-Elect, as well as Pierre Beauchamp, former CREA CEO. It was an honour to have CREA advocacy leaders past and present launch this anniversary event.
Early in the day we welcomed Christina Smith, Mayor of Westmount, who shared important insights into municipalities role in creating a thriving housing environment.
We then heard from two separate media panels, English and French journalists respectively, for our longest running session. An attendee favourite, the media panelists shared housing market insights, laughs, and some healthy debate from their unique perspectives.
Highlights from Day 2
Headed into an exciting day two, we invited guests to get a coffee at the real life CREA Café! We had an extra special design on the top to celebrate 40 years.
We heard from David Coletto, CEO and Founder of Abacus Data, who discussed the recent research they conducted about the sentiment Canadians feel about housing; and Scott Aitchison, Conservative Party of Canada Shadow Minister for Housing and MP for Parry Sound―Muskoka, who shared his insights about potential pathways to addressing the housing crisis in Canada,
CREA was excited to announce our 2025 PAC award winners, Central Lakes Association of REALTORS® (Large Board) and the Niagara Association of REALTORS® (Medium Board)!
The attendees then were taken behind the scenes of politics, hearing from a panel of former political staffers and current strategists, as well as two bright Parliamentary Intern Program (PIP) interns, a program that CREA is proud to support.
A busy second day was complete with our two keynote speakers. Arlene Dickinson shared stories from her own journey and her growing understanding of just how much being Canadian means and why it’s worth protecting. Rick Mercer followed, taking the stage to lift the room with his classic political comedy.
Highlights from Day 3
The final day of this historic event continued with excellent sessions from a number of esteemed speakers.
We heard about innovation in the housing sector from several industry leaders, who shared their insights as to what the future may hold, and dared attendees to dream just a bit bigger than they had before.
Stephanie Yong and Michael Linklater of Sôhkisiwin Solutions led a session that moved beyond land acknowledgements to explore meaningful, ongoing actions real estate boards and associations can take toward reconciliation.
Joining us to discuss his own portfolio, The Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and MP for Vancouver Fraserview―South Burnaby, gave a presentation to attendees about what his government is doing to address housing in Canada, with a little infrastructure discussion thrown in for good measure.
To end CREA PAC Days 2025, 43 volunteers joined us for our own CREA REALTORS Care® day in support of Ottawa Community Housing.
Thank you for 40 years!
Thank you to all of our attendees to helping to make this event so special. If you took photos at the event, consider checking out our Canva templates to add 40th anniversary branding to your posts.
Don’t forget to use the hashtag #CREAPAC25!
If you’re interested in becoming a PAC Rep and joining us in Ottawa next year, talk with your local board or association. For ongoing federal affairs updates, please visit REALTORActionNetwork.ca.
Source: Read the original article at CREA Café | PAC Days 2025: Celebrating 40 years of REALTOR® Advocacy on www.crea.ca
