Brian Crombie Radio - Epi 1586 - Ontario’s Housing Market Isn’t Slowing — It’s Structurally Dislocated with Paul Smetanin

On The Brian Crombie Hour, Brian is joined by Paul Smetanin to examine whether Ontario’s housing market is no longer in a normal cycle — but a structural break. 🏗 Part 1 — A Broken Cycle or Structural Shift?New analysis suggests the market disruption goes beyond a typical downturn:Housing starts could fall by 37% over five yearsPrices may still decline another 10–15%High borrowing costs and development charges are stalling new projectsDevelopers are delaying rather than building👷 Part 2 — The Workforce CrunchOntario’s construction sector faces a major demographic shift:Up to 1 in 5 workers may leave the industrySkilled trades are aging outFewer young workers are entering the pipeline🏠 Part 3 — Empty Space, Real ShortageOntario has an estimated 4.5 million empty bedrooms — yet still faces a housing shortage, revealing a deeper mismatch in how housing is used versus needed. 📉 The Bigger QuestionHousing is a core driver of Ontario’s economy. If construction stalls, the impact spreads to jobs, investment, and GDP. So the real question is:what does recovery look like if the system itself has structurally shifted?