With housing prices locked near record highs and moving costs hitting $80,000–$120,000 in major markets, Canadian homeowners are choosing to invest in the homes they already own — at the highest rate ever recorded.
This report was prepared using RenoIntel's national permit database — aggregated from 35+ Canadian municipal records and updated daily. Data reflects open and pending residential permits issued over the trailing 12 months.
📖 Related guide: RenoPlanner.ai →For the first time in a generation, the calculus has flipped. In every major Canadian city, the true cost of moving a family into a comparable home now exceeds the cost of a full-scale renovation — often by two to one.
"The math used to favour moving. With land transfer taxes, realtor fees, and the prospect of trading a 2.4% mortgage for a 5.1% one, staying put and renovating is the rational choice for most Canadian families right now."
— RenoIntel Market Analysis, Q2 2026This isn't just one trend — it's six independent forces converging to make renovation the dominant home strategy for the next 3–5 years.
Millions of Canadians locked 2.2–3.1% fixed rates during 2020–2022. Moving means breaking that mortgage and resetting at 4.9–5.4% — adding hundreds per month forever.
Avg penalty to break: $14,200In Toronto, buyers pay both provincial and municipal land transfer tax. On a $1.2M home, that's $36,000+ gone before the first night's sleep in the new house.
Toronto: up to $36,475 LTTEven homeowners who want to move often can't find the right property. Active listings remain 34% below pre-pandemic norms in the GTA, forcing a "bloom where planted" mentality.
GTA listings: −34% vs 2019Kitchen and bathroom renovations now return 70–85% of spend in resale value. Basement suites in Ontario return over 100% in many markets. Homeowners know their money works harder at home.
Kitchen ROI: up to 85%Post-pandemic, 1 in 4 Canadian households is multigenerational. Basement suites, secondary entrances, and in-law additions are booming — adding space without the cost of buying a second property.
+28% basement permits YoYFederal and provincial heat pump, insulation, and window rebates are paying homeowners to upgrade. The Canada Greener Homes Grant is driving permit volumes across every province.
Up to $10,000 in federal grantsAcross 35+ Canadian municipalities, renovation permit volumes have risen every quarter since Q3 2023. The data is unambiguous — homeowners are spending.
| City | Active Permits | Declared Value | Avg Per Permit | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto, ON | 4,582 | $2.8B | $611K | +31% |
| Vancouver, BC | 3,841 | $2.2B | $573K | +27% |
| Calgary, AB | 2,914 | $980M | $336K | +38% |
| Ottawa, ON | 1,723 | $610M | $354K | +29% |
| Edmonton, AB | 1,588 | $490M | $309K | +33% |
| Mississauga, ON | 1,241 | $520M | $419K | +24% |
| Brampton, ON | 1,089 | $410M | $377K | +41% |
| Hamilton, ON | 876 | $290M | $331K | +35% |
| Winnipeg, MB | 742 | $198M | $267K | +18% |
| London, ON | 689 | $210M | $305K | +22% |
The average Canadian renovation costs $68,000. The average Canadian has $14,000 in liquid savings. That gap isn't a barrier — it's a market. The homeowners pulling permits today are actively looking for a trusted way to fund their projects.
These are the permit types driving current volume. Use RenoPlanner.ai to build a detailed budget for any of these project types.
Permit data reveals declared purchase intent weeks before a contractor is hired — and months before a homeowner starts searching for financing or planning tools.
Every permit record includes the civic address, project description, and declared value. A permit for a $75,000 basement renovation at 142 Maple Ave, Brampton is a household actively planning a large spend — not browsing.
A permit is typically pulled 2–6 weeks before a contractor begins work. That's the exact window when a homeowner is still deciding how to fund the project — the perfect moment to offer financing.
Unlike self-reported surveys, permit values are submitted to a municipality and tied to inspection compliance. A $90,000 declared value is a real number — not an estimate — providing a reliable basis for financing conversations.
RenoIntel surfaces clusters of permit activity — blocks and neighbourhoods where renovation spending is concentrated. These represent the highest-density demand pockets for targeted outreach.
RenoIntel tracks 208,985 active renovation permits across Canada — updated daily. Every one is a homeowner who has committed to a project and needs to figure out how to pay for it.