by Dan Roscoe, President of Renewall
Across the country, addressing the housing shortage has become a top priority. Governments and developers, from major cities to smaller rural communities, are under pressure to increase housing availability. But what’s often overlooked in the rush for volume is what kind of homes Canadians actually want. According to a recent Abacus poll, Canadians strongly prefer new homes that are smarter, cleaner, and energy-efficient from day one.
This is a clear signal of what Canadians expect from builders and policymakers. Delivering these homes will require reliable, locally produced clean energy as a foundation.
Canada is aiming to build 5.8 million new homes by 2030. This ambitious goal has captured national attention, but there’s an important piece of the puzzle missing. If these new homes continue to rely on outdated energy sources and inefficient building methods, we're effectively baking in higher emissions and costs for decades.
We now have a rare opportunity to ensure that our housing goals align with our climate ambitions. The homes we build today must not only be affordable, but durable, efficient, and environmentally sound. This shift requires rethinking the definition of a “standard” home, emphasizing construction practices and technologies that genuinely support sustainability.
The Abacus data paints a clear picture:
These positions represent practical expectations that will reduce long-term household costs and emissions. Canadians understand that investing in efficient homes from the start is far more economical than retrofitting later. It's not just an environmental decision; it's a financial one too.
Heat pumps and electric vehicles are only as clean as the electricity that powers them. When electricity is generated from fossil fuels, many of the environmental gains disappear. In regions where the grid remains fossil-heavy, switching to electricity can simply shift emissions upstream—moving pollution from your driveway or basement to distant power plants.
To fully realize the benefits of technologies like heat pumps and EV charging, we need a supply of clean, locally generated electricity. Providers such as Renewall, delivering wind-powered energy within Nova Scotia, make these technologies truly effective. The result is homes that are authentically low-carbon, right from the source.
Nova Scotia is already moving in the right direction, with ambitious provincial clean-energy goals and growing investments in wind generation. The province can become a leader in aligning its housing and climate strategies.
New subdivisions, infill developments, and affordable housing projects offer immediate opportunities to integrate forward-looking infrastructure. By pre-wiring homes for EVs and heat pumps now, builders can significantly reduce future costs while making the transition smoother for homeowners.
Companies like Renewall play a crucial role here. They offer stable pricing and reliable, locally sourced clean energy, giving developers and buyers the confidence to embrace smarter homebuilding practices.
Canadians clearly support building cleaner, smarter homes, and we have the technologies to meet this demand. Nova Scotia, with its expanding clean-energy infrastructure, exemplifies how quickly this transition can happen when we have alignment among public support, market readiness, and forward-looking policy.
As we continue to address Canada’s housing shortage, let’s ensure the homes we build aren’t just numerous, but genuinely better. By prioritizing quality construction and clean energy, we can meet both housing and climate goals without compromise.
The time to start is now.
Dan Roscoe is the President of Renewall Energy, a renewable energy provider, and CEO of Roswall Development, a renewable energy developer, both based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. His work is focused on building the infrastructure for a cleaner, smarter energy future across Canada and beyond.
