Ontario Election Survey 2025

As the Ontario provincial election approaches, housing affordability remains a top concern for renters across the province. To better understand the perspectives of Ontario’s renting population, Rentals.ca conducted a survey asking renters about their awareness of housing policies, their confidence in political parties, and what changes they hope to see.

 

How Well-Informed Are Renters About Housing Policies?

When asked how well they feel informed about housing policies from each political party, responses were mixed:

• 14% of renters stated they feel very well-informed
• 30% feel somewhat informed
• 16% remain neutral
• 18% feel somewhat uninformed
• 22% feel very uninformed

This suggests that while some renters are engaged in housing policy discussions, a significant portion may lack clarity on where political parties stand. Housing remains a critical issue in Ontario, but more needs to be done to ensure renters understand their options.

 

Where Do Renters Get Their Housing Policy Information?

Renters rely on a variety of sources to stay informed about housing policies:

• 28% follow news websites and blogs
• 27% turn to social media
• 24% watch TV news
• 12% rely on word of mouth
• 5% get information from political party platforms
• 3% listen to podcasts

These results suggest that social media and online news are the dominant sources of information, emphasizing the need for clear and accessible housing policy communication across digital channels.

 

Biggest Factors Contributing to the Housing Affordability Crisis

Renters identified several key factors driving the housing affordability crisis in Canada:

• 19% Inflation and economic instability
• 16% Lack of housing supply
• 14% Wage stagnation compared to rising housing prices
• 14% Government policies or inaction
• 12% High interest rates

 

• 7% Rising Construction Costs
• 5% Zoning and municipal regulations
• 5% Social and/or demographic factors
• 4% Short-term rental markets (e.g. Airbnb)

These factors align with broader discussions about the challenges facing renters and homebuyers across the country.

 

Has Housing Affordability Improved or Worsened?

 

When asked whether housing affordability has changed over the past five years, the vast majority of respondents expressed concerns:

• 85% believe affordability has worsened
• 11% say it has stayed the same
• 4% believe it has improved

This overwhelming consensus suggests that affordability remains a growing challenge for renters in Ontario.

 

How Important Are Housing Policies When Choosing a Political Party?

We asked on a scale of 1-5  how important are housing-related policies in your decision on which party to support.

• The average response was 4.27 

These results show that political parties need to prioritize housing in their platforms if they hope to secure the support of Ontario’s renters.

 

How Confident Are Renters in Political Parties?

 

 

When asked about their confidence in political parties regarding housing, the breakdown is as follows:

• No party scored higher than 14% in having “High Confidence” among respondents, with the Conservative Party at 14%, New Democratic Party at 12%, and Liberals at 11%.
• A majority of respondents answered as having “low confidence,” ranging from 48% (Conservative Party) to 53% (Liberal Party).

Liberal Party

• 53% Low Confidence
• 36% Moderate Confidence
• 11% High Confidence

Conservative Party

• 48% Low Confidence
• 38% Moderate Confidence
• 14% High Confidence 

New Democratic Party (NDP)

• 50% Low Confidence
• 38% Moderate Confidence
• 12% High Confidence

Green Party

• 56% Low Confidence
• 39% Moderate Confidence
• 5% High Confidence

These results highlight the divided confidence among renters and indicate that political parties need to do more to communicate their housing plans clearly and effectively.

 

How Are Renters Planning to Vote?

The majority of renters were undecided about their voting intentions in the upcoming provincial election, according to the survey. Among decided voters, the Conservatives were in the lead.

 

• 35% remain undecided

• 25% plan to vote for the Conservative Party
• 17% plan to vote for the Liberal Party 
• 12% New Democratic Party
• 8% chose “None of the above”
• 3% Green Party

Housing affordability could become the defining issue in this year’s Ontario election, and renters across the province are looking for solutions. Our survey highlights that while many renters are engaged in housing policy discussions, others feel left in the dark. Political parties that prioritize transparent, actionable housing plans may have an opportunity to connect with Ontario’s renting population – particularly with 35% of renters remaining undecided as we approach election day.

At Rentals.ca, we remain committed to providing renters with the resources and insights they need to navigate the rental market. As the election draws closer, we encourage renters to research party platforms, ask questions, and vote for policies that align with their needs.

The survey was conducted online, targeting a sample of 500 Canadian renters. Respondents were selected from renters, and our user base to ensure we capture the perspectives of individuals actively engaged in the rental market.

Using a standard 95% confidence level, the margin of error for this survey is approximately ±4.4 percentage points. We would expect the results to fall within this margin 19 times out of 20.