Abdullah Snobar is the Executive Director at DMZ, a global startup ecosystem that equips entrepreneurs to build, launch and scale startups.
Canada’s housing crisis has reached a tipping point. With soaring demand, a tightening labor market and escalating cost of living, our traditional approaches are simply not enough to meet the urgent need for affordable, accessible housing.
Our national rental vacancy rate has plummeted to an all-time low of 1.5%, intensifying competition for available units and driving rental prices. Meanwhile, homeownership remains out of reach for most households on typical incomes. The reality is, housing is a tough reality check and people are feeling the pinch. Affordable housing, a basic need, is still out of reach for too many Canadians.
Canada is not alone in facing a housing crisis; many countries around the world struggle with similar challenges. But there are valuable lessons from countries that have figured out how to make housing work by not shying away from technology.
Globally, Singapore stands out as a powerful example of housing innovation. By focusing on strategic urban planning and using data-driven technology to anticipate housing needs, Singapore has stayed ahead of demand. They optimized land use, built robust public transportation and embraced smart building technologies to cut costs and optimize construction.
But let’s be clear—technology alone didn’t solve their problems. Policy and strategic collaboration played a huge role, dedicating substantial resources to experts. Housing, urban planning and transit worked in sync, building residential neighborhoods strategically with strong surrounding transit systems for residents to easily access commercial and business centers.
Singapore’s model shows that while tech can drive progress, it must be paired with the right policies and a collective effort to drive real impact.
It’s easy to be skeptical about whether technology can solve a crisis that has traditionally relied on manual labor and physical infrastructure. After all, housing is one of the most labor-intensive industries. But, history shows us that even the most entrenched manual labor sectors can be transformed.
Take agriculture, for example. Once heavily reliant on human labor, farming has been revolutionized by technology. Today, drones, AI sensors and GPS-guided tractors empower farmers to produce better yields and reduce labor costs—proof that digital solutions can break boundaries in even the most traditional sectors.
Industries that once seemed untouchable by tech have embraced new solutions, and just as farming evolved, it’s time for housing to take a similar leap of faith.
We are making headway. As a tech incubator and global startup ecosystem, DMZ has worked with startups that are revolutionizing how we build and manage housing. Take Ratio.City, for example, a Canadian startup and DMZ alumni that helps real estate developers and urban planners make faster, more informed decisions through geospatial data and 3D mapping tools. By streamlining the early stages of development, they’ve accelerated construction timelines and successfully scaled, becoming a division of Esri Canada.
Another success story and DMZ alumni, Chexy, enables tenants to pay rent via credit card, turning monthly payments into credit-building opportunities and rewards. This approach not only eases the burden of monthly rent payments but serves as a catalyst for financial empowerment, getting users closer to homeownership.
Startups are nimble and able to experiment in ways that established players simply can’t. We need to empower these innovators and give them the space to lead.
We can all agree that housing is a human right and technology is a lever for us to make it accessible. This isn’t about tweaking a few things—it’s about a fundamental transformation of how we build and live. And this isn’t an impossible mission. Other countries have made real progress tackling it. If we can embrace technology, we can not only bring the housing sector into the 21st century, but solve the larger issue at hand.
At this point, real change won’t happen unless everyone is on board. This isn’t just the responsibility of one sector. We need all hands on deck—governments, startups, housing leaders and investors to come together to fuel the solutions that will reshape our communities. Governments need to create regulatory frameworks that encourage tech-driven innovation. Meanwhile, the private sector must step up and invest in technologies that will transform the market.
For startups entering the space, it’s crucial to recognize there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to the housing crisis. Identify a specific pain point or niche, whether affordability, accessibility or efficiency, and focus on creating scalable technology-driven solutions. Collaborate with policymakers, urban planners and stakeholders to ensure your solutions tackle real challenges on the front lines.
We’re at a crossroads: Cling to outdated models or step into a future where housing is accessible, affordable and sustainable. Embracing technology in housing isn’t just an investment in infrastructure—it’s a commitment to a stronger society and healthier economy.
Accessible housing stabilizes communities and boosts economic mobility. Technology gives us the way forward, but only if we seize it. Canada deserves nothing less than a bold vision for housing and the path is right in front of us.
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