23 Home Repair Statistics for Canadian Homeowners (2026)
Cited data on how many Canadian homes need major repairs, how Ontario and Toronto compare, what deferred repairs do to indoor health, and how much households and governments spend to keep homes in shape.
919,550 Canadian homes, or 6.1% of all occupied private dwellings, needed major repairs in 2021, according to CMHC. A home repair is work that restores a dwelling to its original condition, from fixing a leaking sink to replacing corroded pipes or shoring up a sagging floor. The 23 statistics below cover how many homes need repairs, how Ontario and Toronto compare, what deferred repairs do to indoor health, and what Canadians spend. If you have a list of fixes, start with our handyman services.
Dwelling condition figures come from the 2021 Census as analyzed by CMHC in an October 22, 2026 report. Health figures come from CMHC's 2022 Canadian Housing Survey. Renovation activity comes from Statistics Canada releases from August and October 2026. Dollar amounts are CAD unless marked. All sources were checked on October 26, 2026.
Key Takeaways
- 919,550 homes (6.1%) in Canada needed major repairs in 2021 (CMHC).
- Renters are more exposed: 7.3% of renter homes need major repairs, against 5.3% of owner homes (CMHC).
- Ontario's rate fell to 5.72% in 2021 from 8.02% in 1996, and Toronto's fell to 5.08% (CMHC).
- 25.2% of homes needing major repairs have mould or mildew, about 13 times the rate in well-kept homes (CMHC).
- About $25 billion a year goes to housing maintenance and repairs in Canada (CMHC).
- Renovation investment rose 2.7% in the second quarter of 2026 after three weak quarters (Statistics Canada).
What counts as a major or minor home repair?
Statistics Canada sorts homes into three groups. Regular maintenance covers routine upkeep such as painting or furnace cleaning. Minor repairs cover problems with surfaces and less serious plumbing, electrical or heating faults. Major repairs cover serious problems with the structure or with the plumbing, electrical and heating systems (Statistics Canada).
1. Major repairs mean structural or system problems
Statistics Canada lists corroded pipes, damaged electrical wiring, sagging floors, bulging walls, damp ceilings and crumbling foundations as examples of major repair needs. Renovations or upgrades that go beyond the home's original condition do not count (Statistics Canada).
2. Minor repairs are the classic handyman list
Minor repairs include small cracks in interior walls and ceilings, broken light fixtures and switches, cracked or broken windowpanes, leaking sinks, missing shingles or siding, and peeling paint (Statistics Canada).
How many Canadian homes need major repairs?
Nearly one million. CMHC counted 919,550 homes needing major repairs in the 2021 Census, 6.1% of the stock. CMHC says the overall rate has stayed relatively stable since 2016, but the count has grown because the housing stock keeps growing.
3. 919,550 homes needed major repairs in 2021
Out of 14,978,940 occupied private dwellings, 919,550 needed major repairs in 2021, a rate of 6.1% (CMHC).
4. 5.3% of owner homes need major repairs
Of 9,846,965 owner households, 524,235 lived in a home that needed major repairs, a rate of 5.3% (CMHC).
5. 7.3% of renter homes need major repairs
Renters were more likely to live in a home needing major repairs: 361,800 of 4,947,980 renter households, or 7.3% (CMHC).
6. Subsidized housing runs at 9.4%
Among 581,300 households in subsidized housing, 54,430 needed major repairs, a rate of 9.4%. CMHC puts subsidized housing at 1.7 times the national average (CMHC).
Source: CMHC analysis of the 2021 Census.
7. 36.8% of local government and First Nation dwellings need major repairs
Dwellings provided by a local government or First Nation had the highest rate in CMHC's table: 25,440 of 69,130, or 36.8% (CMHC).
8. Indigenous households face about 3 times the national rate
Indigenous populations live in housing with a major repair rate about 3 times the national average, and Inuit in Inuit Nunangat and First Nations people living on reserve are 5 to 6 times more likely to live in a home needing major repair (CMHC).
9. The North has the highest rates
Major repair rates reached 26.6% in Nunavut, 18.41% in the Northwest Territories and 12.25% in Yukon in 2021. The Northwest Territories was the only region where the rate rose between 1996 and 2021, by 2.53 points (CMHC).
How do Ontario and Toronto compare?
Ontario is below the national rate and improving. In 2021, 5.72% of Ontario homes needed major repairs, down 2.30 points from 8.02% in 1996. The Toronto census metropolitan area fell 2.5 points to 5.08%, and CMHC credits new construction and renovation outpacing the wear on older homes.
10. 5.72% of Ontario homes need major repairs
Ontario's major repair rate was 5.72% in 2021, compared with 8.02% in 1996. CMHC names Ontario, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador as the provinces with the most improvement (CMHC).
11. Toronto fell to 5.08%
In the Toronto census metropolitan area, the rate dropped from 7.58% in 1996 to 5.08% in 2021. Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg showed the largest improvements among large urban centres (CMHC).
12. Toronto sits below Montreal and Ottawa-Gatineau
Toronto's 5.08% was lower than Montreal at 6.69%, Ottawa-Gatineau at 5.51% and Vancouver at 5.29%, but higher than Calgary at 4.38% and Saskatoon at 4.24% (CMHC).
13. Every province improved since 1996
Major repair rates fell in every province between 1996 and 2021. New Brunswick had the biggest drop, from 12.21% to 7.77%. Nova Scotia had the highest provincial rate in 2021 at 8.22% (CMHC).
How do deferred repairs affect health?
Homes in poor condition are far more likely to have mould, pests and unsafe water. CMHC found mould or mildew in 25.2% of homes needing major repairs, against 1.9% of homes needing only regular maintenance, about 13 times the rate. Pests were almost 4 times as common.
14. 25.2% of homes needing major repairs have mould
Mould or mildew was reported in 25.2% of homes needing major repairs, 9.2% of homes needing minor repairs and 1.9% of homes needing regular maintenance only (CMHC).
Source: CMHC, 2022 Canadian Housing Survey.
15. 38.6% of homes needing major repairs have pests
Pests were reported in 38.6% of homes needing major repairs, 23% of homes needing minor repairs and 10.6% of homes needing regular maintenance only (CMHC).
16. Undrinkable water is 4.7 times as common
Undrinkable water was reported in 8.9% of homes needing major repairs, against 3.8% of homes needing minor repairs and 1.9% of homes needing regular maintenance (CMHC).
How much do Canadians spend on home repairs?
About $25 billion a year. CMHC, citing Statistics Canada data, says Canadian households spend roughly that amount annually on housing maintenance and repairs, with rental housing spending about 23% more than owner-occupied housing. Governments add billions more for social and affordable housing.
17. About $25 billion a year goes to maintenance and repairs
Canadian households spend roughly $25 billion a year on housing maintenance and repairs, according to Statistics Canada data cited by CMHC (CMHC).
18. Rental housing spends about 23% more
Repair spending on rental housing runs about 23% higher than on owner-occupied housing, partly because the rental stock is older (CMHC).
19. $2.89 billion to renew 174,000 non-market units
The federal Affordable Housing Fund has committed more than $2.89 billion to renew over 174,000 non-market units since 2018 (CMHC).
20. Ontario has funded repairs to 30,000+ affordable rental units
Ontario has funded repairs to more than 30,000 affordable rental units, CMHC reports (CMHC).
Is renovation activity picking up in 2026?
Yes, modestly. Statistics Canada reports that renovation investment rose 2.7% in the second quarter of 2026 in real terms, after declines of 1.6% in the fourth quarter of 2025 and 0.5% in the first quarter of 2026. All parts of residential investment rose in the quarter.
21. Renovation investment rose 2.7% in Q2 2026
Real renovation investment grew 2.7% in the second quarter of 2026, following a 0.5% decline in the first quarter and a 1.6% decline in the fourth quarter of 2025, in chained 2017 dollars (Statistics Canada).
22. Residential investment rebounded 2.5%
Investment in residential structures rose 2.5% in the second quarter of 2026 after two straight quarterly declines, with every component up (Statistics Canada). Monthly residential building construction investment was $16.1 billion in August 2026, edging down 0.3% from July (Statistics Canada).
How does the US compare?
US repair and remodeling spending is flat. Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies expects annual US spending on home improvements and repairs to hover around US$525 billion through the third quarter of 2027, with year-over-year growth of just 1.5%.
23. US repair and remodel spending holds near US$525 billion
The Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity released October 22, 2026 projects annual US spending around US$525 billion through the third quarter of 2027, with growth reaching only 1.5% by then (Joint Center for Housing Studies).
What this means for homeowners
- Fix minor problems before they become major ones. Leaking sinks, cracked panes and missing shingles are minor repairs, while corroded pipes and damp ceilings are major ones. Our handyman cost guide covers GTA rates for small jobs.
- Treat leaks and damp as urgent. Homes needing major repairs are far more likely to have mould. See our water damage restoration cost guide and water damage statistics.
- Use a general contractor for structural work. Our general contractor cost guide explains fees, and our lists of the best general contractors in Richmond Hill and the best handymen in Toronto name vetted local firms.
- Older homes need more work. Our housing age statistics show how major repair rates climb with the age of an Ontario home.
- Read the wider picture in our handyman statistics and home maintenance statistics.
- Pro House Maintenance matches you with vetted, licensed and insured pros who give free written estimates. Request an estimate or browse our service areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many homes in Canada need major repairs?
The 2021 Census counted 919,550 occupied homes that needed major repairs, or 6.1% of the 14,978,940 private households in Canada, according to CMHC. The rate is 5.3% for owner households and 7.3% for renter households.
What counts as a major repair?
Statistics Canada defines major repairs as serious problems with the structure or with the plumbing, electrical or heating systems. Examples include corroded pipes, damaged electrical wiring, sagging floors, bulging walls, damp ceilings and crumbling foundations. Small cracks, broken light fixtures, leaking sinks, missing shingles and peeling paint count as minor repairs.
How do Ontario and Toronto compare?
In 2021, 5.72% of Ontario homes needed major repairs, down from 8.02% in 1996. The Toronto census metropolitan area was at 5.08%, down from 7.58%, one of the largest improvements among major Canadian cities, according to CMHC.
Why do deferred repairs matter for health?
CMHC found that 25.2% of homes needing major repairs have mould or mildew, compared with 1.9% of homes needing only regular maintenance. Pests were reported in 38.6% of homes needing major repairs, against 10.6% of well-kept homes. The figures come from the 2022 Canadian Housing Survey.
Who can fix minor and major repairs in my home?
Pro House Maintenance is free for homeowners. It matches you with vetted, licensed and insured local pros, from handymen for minor fixes to general contractors and plumbers for structural and system repairs. You describe the job once, compare free written estimates and choose who to hire.