Full Breakdown
Canadian Millennials More Likely to Live With Parents as Housing Affordability Deteriorates
5/8/2026, 9:06:28 PM
Rising Co-Residence Among Canadian Millennials
In 2021, 16.3 % of Canadians aged 25-39 lived with at least one parent, per Statistics Canada. This share is almost twice the 8.2 % recorded for baby boomers in 1991 and higher than the 12.2 % for Gen Xers in 2006. In Toronto, 26.1 % of millennials lived with a parent, while the figure was 19.3 % in Vancouver.
Historical Context of Housing Affordability
Housing affordability in Canada has declined since 2011; average incomes rose 76 % (2004-2021) while lower-end starter home prices rose 265 %, making the price-to-income ratio for new family-sized homes more than double that of two decades ago (University of Ottawa’s Missing Middle Initiative).
Key Statistics
Homeownership was 49.9 % for 2021 millennials, versus 56.2 % for 2006 Gen X and 55.9 % for 1991 baby boomers. Cohabitation with a spouse or child fell from 74.4 % (1991) to 62.8 % (2021), reflecting the affordability challenges identified.
Why It Matters
The rise in millennials living with parents aligns with a drop in cohabitation with a spouse or child (74.4 % in 1991 to 62.8 % in 2021), indicating a shift in household composition. Lower homeownership (49.9 % for millennials) reflects the identified affordability challenges.
Official Statements & Responses
Economist Mike Moffat warned that starter homes now cost over twice as much relative to income and that without government action on home-building costs, the affordability gap could persist for two decades. Statistics Canada noted the rise in co-residence as evidence of housing pressure on younger adults.
Criticism & Opposition
Moffat criticizes government policies for not addressing high construction costs, calling for “serious” measures to lower homebuilding expenses.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The Statistics Canada study targets the 25-39 age group and provides data for Toronto and Vancouver, leaving gaps in regional coverage and for other age cohorts. No alternative sources are cited to corroborate or challenge the trends.
Verbatim Quotes
> “Brand-new family-sized starter homes are over twice as expensive relative to income as they were 20 years ago. And unless governments get serious about bringing down the cost of homebuilding, it will take another 20 years to fix,” — Mike Moffat, Economist
> “Send this page to someone via email The numbers confirm it: far more millennials live with their parents than the baby boomer generation did at their age, a new Statistics Canada study shows.” — Statistics Canada
> “Housing affordability has been on the decline in Canada since 2011, a Wednesday study — titled ‘Millennials in the Canadian housing market’ — shows.” — Global News
Outlook
The report projects that even if home prices stopped rising entirely, it would take roughly 25 years for the price-to-income ratio to return to the 2004 level.
