We often talk about Canada's housing shortage in terms of numbers, but behind every housing statistic is a family trying to figure out what comes next. They’ve outgrown their apartment, a detached home is out of reach, and the home that should bridge the gap often isn’t there. That’s the missing middle.

The missing middle is not one type of home. It's a broad range of gentle- to medium-density housing, including duplexes, multiplexes, row homes, stacked townhouses, low-rise apartments, family-sized apartments and accessory suites. These are the homes that can provide more attainable options for Canadians at different stages of life, whether they're renting, buying their first home, raising a family or looking to downsize.

For Canadians living in larger homes, hoping to downsize without leaving the neighbourhood they’ve called home, this lack of housing supply can force them into unnecessary sacrifices – choosing between staying in a house that’s become too demanding or having to leave the area they call home. Facing that choice, many opt to stay in their homes. It means there aren’t enough family-sized homes entering the resale market, creating a bottleneck that affects buyers and sellers at every stage of the homeownership journey.