Building Momentum on Housing: Key Takeaways from OnePoint’s Housing Symposium Featuring Nik Nanos
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MAY 8, 2026, OWEN SOUND, ON — OnePoint Association of REALTORS® brought members together today with municipal, provincial, and industry leaders for a Housing Symposium focused on one priority: advancing practical solutions to improve housing affordability across our region.
The timing could not be more important. Communities like Owen Sound, Collingwood, and Kincardine are now facing the same pressures as larger centres, while the 2026 municipal elections approach and residents look for clear plans on housing, homelessness, and local services.
We were pleased to welcome Nik Nanos, Chief Data Scientist and Founder of Nanos Research, to share new public opinion polling in Owen Sound, Collingwood, and Kincardine. The event also featured remarks from Owen Sound Mayor Ian Boddy, Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound MP Alex Ruff, and Bruce Grey Owen Sound MPP Paul Vickers, reinforcing the value of collaboration between government and the real estate sector.
Why this symposium mattered
Housing affordability is no longer a challenge isolated to major cities. In smaller communities, the stakes can feel even sharper: young people are being priced out of the places they grew up, families are struggling to put down roots, and seniors looking to downsize often cannot find the right housing options close to home.
With registration for the October 2026 municipal elections now open, housing and development will be central issues across Ontario. OnePoint’s goal is to ensure that local conversations are grounded in evidence, focused on solutions, and connected to what residents actually want.
What the polling shows
The research confirms what REALTORS® are experiencing every day. Housing affordability, homelessness, and healthcare are top voter priorities heading into the 2026 municipal elections.
In Owen Sound, homelessness ranked as the leading concern, with housing affordability close behind.
Just as important, the polling shows that support for solutions is strong. Residents across the region back many of the same policies OnePoint has been advocating for, including:
Faster approvals
Reducing red tape
Expanding missing middle housing
Leveraging public land for development
Why this matters for REALTORS®
Housing is now a defining political issue. Voters are looking for action, and municipal leaders are under increasing pressure to respond with practical measures that deliver results.
For OnePoint members, this creates a critical window to:
Advocate for policies that increase housing supply and expand attainable options
Engage with local decision-makers ahead of the October 2026 municipal elections
Reinforce the real-world impacts of housing shortages on families, employers, and community services
Housing is not only a market issue. It is central to economic growth, workforce attraction, and community sustainability. When housing is constrained, it affects the clients REALTORS® serve, the transactions that support local economies, and the long-term health of the communities members work in every day.
Local progress is already underway
OnePoint’s advocacy builds on the work already happening in our communities. In Owen Sound, municipal leadership has taken meaningful steps to modernize housing delivery, including:
Using Cloudpermit to digitize applications, payments, and inspections
Implementing a city-wide Community Improvement Plan with multiple housing incentive streams
Partnering with Grey County and the Owen Sound Housing Company to advance affordable housing projects on surplus municipal lands
These steps represent real progress. They also highlight what is possible when municipalities, housing partners, and the real estate sector work toward the same outcomes.
Moving advocacy forward
The takeaway from today is clear: the public supports solutions, and the need for action is immediate.
OnePoint will continue to champion evidence-based policies that:
Remove barriers to building
Support a broader range of housing options
Improve affordability across our communities
Thank you to the members who participated and who continue to lead these conversations locally. Together, we are helping drive meaningful change across Central Ontario.
Resources
Polling results: Public opinion in Owen Sound, Kincardine, and Collingwood on housing, affordability, quality of life, and election priorities. Commissioned by OnePoint Association of REALTORS® and conducted by Nanos Research, this survey gathered views from 769 residents in Owen Sound, Kincardine, and Collingwood (April 18 to 28, 2026).
Housing policy benchmarking report: Building Homes, Strengthening Communities: A Review of Municipal Housing Policy Best Practices Across the OnePoint Region evaluates ten municipalities across Ontario against nationally recognized housing best practices established by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) under the Housing Accelerator Fund framework.
OnePoint Association of REALTORS® is a professional association representing over 2,700 REALTORS® across Central Ontario, including Guelph, Perth–Wellington, Huron County, Grey County, Bruce County, Simcoe County, Parry Sound–Muskoka, and Haliburton regions. The Association is dedicated to promoting professionalism, supporting member success, and advancing policies that strengthen local housing markets and economic growth across the region.
Through research, advocacy, and collaboration with all levels of government, OnePoint works to ensure that housing policy decisions support opportunity, fairness, and affordability. The Association is committed to building stronger communities by protecting the dream of homeownership, expanding attainable housing options, and ensuring that every Ontarian has access to a safe, stable place to live.
