Submission to the Pre-Budget Consultation 2025 Finance Canada
CAGBC's Advocacy team on August 28, 2025
- Theme
- Advocacy
The Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC) is committed to ensuring that Canada’s building and housing sectors are equipped to meet today’s most pressing challenges. Rising demand for affordable housing coincides with the urgent need to transition to low-carbon, climate-resilient construction. Equally important is the advancement of sustainable finance; the federal government must prioritize the development and implementation of the Canadian taxonomy announced last year to guide investments toward climate-aligned building solutions. Through advocacy, CAGBC shares expertise to inform federal investments and policies that strengthen workforce capacity, unlock private capital, expand access to reliable building performance data, and set a strong example through federal infrastructure. To this end, CAGBC recommends four priority actions to the Pre-Budget Consultation 2025 Finance Canada:
1 – To scale up affordable housing that is sustainable, the government should
Allocate at least two-thirds of Build Canada Homes (BCH) funding to energy-efficient and climate-resilient housing that lowers utility costs and withstands extreme weather. BCH should set clear, scalable objectives and practical sustainability requirements to ensure affordability and leverage public-private partnerships.
Recommended investment of $16 billion over the Build Canada Homes mandate.
2 – To strengthen trading ties and attract global capital, the government should
Finalize and implement voluntary, made-in-Canada sustainable investment guidelines for buildings by Fall 2026. These guidelines will provide a credible framework to prevent greenwashing, align building investments with Canada’s climate and housing goals, and position Canada as a leader in sustainable finance. Recommended investment of $10 million over 2 years to Finance Canada.
3 – To advance Canada’s goal of becoming a clean energy superpower and strengthen real estate competitiveness, the government should
Ensure the continued operation of ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager—Canada’s primary building performance tool. With the U.S. program at risk, urgent investment will safeguard this platform, which drives energy efficiency, attracts investment, and delivers strong returns for taxpayers. Recommended investment of $100 million over 3 years to NRCan.
4 – To lower government spending while boosting efficiency, the government should
Focus investments in federal buildings to achieve the Greening Government Strategy’s objectives of protecting long-term asset value and reducing climate risk. This ensures taxpayer dollars are used wisely, preserves the worth of government real properties, and strengthens accountability through third-party certifications for owned and leased spaces. Recommended investment of $325 million over 5 years to PSPC.