Where Ontario Homeowners Are Spending in 2026

Ontario's Renovation Spend: A Data-Driven View

Ontario remains Canada's largest renovation market by volume, accounting for approximately 38% of all residential renovation permits tracked nationally by RenoIntel. With 140+ municipalities providing permit data, Ontario offers the most granular view of homeowner spending priorities available in the country.

The Spending Hierarchy

Kitchen renovations lead the Ontario dataset in permit volume — approximately 28% of all interior renovation permits. Average declared value: $52,000. The concentration in the 905 belt (Mississauga, Brampton, Markham, Vaughan) reflects the maturity of suburban housing stock built in the 1980s–2000s.

Bathroom renovations are second in volume at 22% of interior permits. Average declared value: $28,000. Bathroom permits are more evenly distributed geographically than kitchen permits, reflecting the universal nature of the upgrade need.

Home additions represent only 8% of permit volume but disproportionate value — average declared value of $185,000 puts additions in a separate financial category. Addition permits are concentrated in established urban and inner-ring suburban neighbourhoods where homeowners are expanding rather than relocating.

Secondary suites and ADUs are the fastest-growing category by both permit volume and declared value — up 44% year-over-year. Provincial policy changes have significantly expanded where secondary suites can be built, and homeowners are responding.

Roofing and exterior work represent a large but lower-value category — high volume (roofing is the most common home maintenance permit) but average declared values of $15,000–$25,000.

Regional Variation Within Ontario

The provincial picture masks significant regional variation:

• Ottawa: Strong federal employment base supports steady renovation activity. Kitchen and addition permits growing faster than the provincial average.
• Hamilton: A market in transition — post-industrial neighbourhoods attracting renovation-minded buyers from Toronto, driving above-average permit growth in interior categories.
• London: Stable, mature market with consistent permit volumes and lower average declared values than the GTA.
• Kitchener-Waterloo: Tech sector employment driving renovation confidence in a young, well-educated homeowner demographic.

What This Means for Suppliers

The Ontario data argues for regional differentiation in sales strategy. A kitchen cabinet brand that treats "Ontario" as a monolithic territory is leaving money on the table. The GTA, Ottawa, Hamilton, and KW-Cambridge each have distinct permit profiles — different permit types, different average values, different seasonal patterns.