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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →More than half of Canadian adults who do not own a home say they do not expect to own one during their lifetime. Habitat for Humanity International’s 2026 survey puts that share at 56%—the highest among 22 countries surveyed, compared with a global average of 23%. It measures respondents’ expectations, not a prediction of who will eventually become a homeowner.
What the 56% figure means
The finding applies to Canadian non-homeowners who say they do not expect to own a home at some point in their lives. It is not 56% of all Canadians, and it does not mean that respondents have formally decided never to buy. The survey records what people expect, not their eventual housing outcomes.
Habitat describes its polling as nationally representative. It surveyed 30,758 people across 22 countries from April 10 through June 30, 2026. The published source pages do not state the Canadian sample size, weighting procedures or uncertainty interval, so the estimate should not be read as having a specific margin of error.
How Canada compares
On the same measure—the share of non-homeowners who do not expect to own a home in their lifetime—Canada’s reported 56% was above the 23% global average. Canadian Mortgage Professional reported these additional country figures from the survey:
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| Country or group | Non-homeowners who do not expect lifetime ownership | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 56% | Habitat for Humanity International, 2026 report |
| Global average | 23% | Habitat for Humanity International, 2026 report |
| Australia | 52% | Canadian Mortgage Professional, October 5, 2026 |
| United Kingdom | 50% | Canadian Mortgage Professional, October 5, 2026 |
| United States | 42% | Canadian Mortgage Professional, October 5, 2026 |
The Canada and global figures come from Habitat’s report page; the other country comparisons are reported by Canadian Mortgage Professional. The available source pages do not provide country-level sample sizes or uncertainty intervals for these estimates.
Housing costs are affecting other financial choices
The survey also describes trade-offs people make to manage housing expenses. Globally, 75% said they had cut back on at least one expense in the prior year to afford housing. One-third (33%) spent less on food, 32% used savings or emergency funds, and 13% delayed or avoided medical care, according to Habitat’s October 5, 2026 release.
Rank #2
For Canada, Canadian Mortgage Professional reported that 66% of respondents had made at least one financial sacrifice in the prior year to cover housing costs. The same article listed homes being too expensive (54%), income being too low (50%) and insufficient savings for a down payment (41%) as barriers among Canadian non-homeowners. These Canada-specific figures are reported by the secondary article.
Housing pressure can also affect plans beyond buying property: 56% of respondents globally said housing costs made it difficult to consider starting a family, rising to 62% among Gen Z and Millennials, according to Habitat’s release.
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Homeownership is not the only measure of housing security
The survey’s ownership finding signals widespread pessimism about buying, but owning a home is not the only way to have a secure housing future. Habitat’s report recognizes that stable renting, secure tenure and other housing arrangements can provide continuity and control. The practical question for an individual household is not only whether it can buy, but whether its current or future housing is affordable, stable and suitable for its needs.
Habitat for Humanity International CEO Jonathan Reckford said, “A home should never come at the cost of your health or your future,” in the organization’s October 5, 2026 release.
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