As Ottawa launches its new Build Canada Homes agency, nearly 90 builders, business leaders, and environmental advocates are sounding the alarm: don’t lock Canadians into yesterday’s technology.
In a joint open letter, the coalition is pressing the federal government to ditch fossil-fuel furnaces and make sure every new home is built with clean, modern heating like electric heat pumps. Their message is clear—Canada can’t afford to pour billions into a housing program that ignores the climate crisis.
“Affordable housing and climate action must go hand in hand,” said Lana Goldberg of Stand.earth, the group that spearheaded the letter. “Taxpayer dollars should not fund homes that burn more fossil fuels. This is the moment for the government to show leadership.”
The letter’s signatories include top engineering and architectural firms, as well as environmental heavyweights like Équiterre, Environmental Defence, and the David Suzuki Foundation. They argue that heat pumps are not only greener but also cheaper and faster to install—since they don’t require new gas pipelines.
Buildings remain Canada’s third-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, largely from heating with oil and gas. Advocates warn that if the new federal housing agency doesn’t act now, it risks saddling future homeowners with retrofits and higher bills.
Some builders aren’t waiting. “We’ve already gone all-electric,” said Bruce Murdoch, a homebuilder from Cranbrook, B.C. “Heat pumps simplify everything—lower costs, quicker builds, and healthier homes. If Ottawa is serious about building for the future, this is the way forward.”
With the government’s input deadline looming, pressure is mounting to ensure Build Canada Homes doesn’t just build fast—but builds smart.
