Burlington is struggling to meet its housing start goals, with only 67 starts in 2024, far below the mandated target of 2,417. Housing starts, a measure used by the Ontario government to track construction progress, shows Burlington at a mere 3% of its goal, the lowest in the province. In contrast, nearby Oakville is at 71%, Milton at 21%, Hamilton at 15%, and Toronto at 34%.
This shortfall has cost Burlington millions in grants, which reward municipalities for hitting their targets. Local politicians criticize the housing starts metric for ignoring approved or under-construction projects.
Burlington has committed to 29,000 new homes by 2031 but has only 779 starts since 2022. The city’s data shows 45,599 units in the pipeline, with 22,808 in the pre-application stage and 22,791 in the approval process. Despite these numbers, the province’s guidelines mean Burlington misses out on crucial funding.
Builders cite high costs, a shrinking workforce, and inflexible approval processes as reasons for the slow pace. Burlington officials maintain that controls are necessary to ensure suitable developments for neighbourhoods. The province, however, remains firm on its guidelines, leaving Burlington at risk of continued financial shortfalls for infrastructure development.
