From insightful keynote presentations and engaging panel discussions, to expanded networking opportunities and unforgettable evening celebrations, the 2026 OHBA Conference agenda has been thoughtfully designed to inform, inspire, and connect.
Join industry leaders, government decision makers, and colleagues from across Ontario as we tackle today’s biggest challenges, explore new opportunities, and celebrate the people driving our industry forward.
You can learn more about our panels below. The full conference agenda will be shared soon.
The Mayor’s Chair: Leading Through Growth
Ontario’s municipalities are at a pivotal moment. As communities continue to grow, municipal leaders are being asked to balance housing affordability, infrastructure investment, fiscal pressures, economic development, and evolving public expectations—all while making decisions that will shape their communities for decades to come.
This candid conversation brings together mayors from across Ontario to discuss the realities of leading through change, the difficult choices that accompany growth, and the opportunities they see to build stronger, more resilient communities. From bold ideas and political realities to lessons learned and priorities for the future, this discussion offers an inside look at municipal leadership at one of the most consequential moments in Ontario’s history.
Building Ontario Together: In Conversation with Ontario Ministers
Ontario is at a defining moment in its efforts to build more homes, strengthen critical infrastructure, protect jobs, and support long-term economic growth. As the province continues to advance an ambitious housing and infrastructure agenda, collaboration between government and industry has never been more important.
Returning for its third year, this signature panel brings together members of Ontario’s Cabinet for a forward-looking discussion on the province’s priorities, progress to date, and the opportunities ahead. From housing supply and infrastructure to energy, economic development, and regulatory modernization, ministers will share their perspectives on the policies, partnerships, and practical solutions needed to support Ontario’s continued growth and prosperity.
The Next Four Years: Building Ontario’s Housing Agenda
Ontario has spent the last several years introducing significant housing reforms, from development charges and planning modernization to infrastructure funding and approval streamlining. As the industry looks ahead, what should the next generation of housing policy focus on? This discussion will bring together leaders from government, industry, finance, and planning to examine the opportunities, challenges, and policy choices that will shape Ontario’s housing system over the next four years.
The Next Generation of Leadership
For decades, leadership across Ontario’s home building industry has continued to evolve, with more women stepping into executive, governance, and advocacy roles at every level of the association. This conversation brings together leaders from across the federation to discuss their personal leadership journeys, the changing face of the industry, lessons learned along the way, and the opportunities they see for the next generation of home building professionals. From leading local associations to serving as the first female Chairs of the OHBA and CHBA, these women have helped shape both the industry and the organizations that represent it.
Back to the Future: Lessons from Housing Cycles
Ontario’s home building industry has weathered decades of economic uncertainty, policy shifts, labour shortages, and changing market conditions. This conversation brings together industry leaders who have experienced multiple housing cycles—including the boom and downturn of the early 1990s—to reflect on the lessons they’ve learned, how today’s challenges compare to those of the past, and what gives them confidence about the future. From interest rates and affordability to government policy and consumer demand, panellists will explore what has changed, what hasn’t, and what today’s industry can learn from history.
Navigating the HCRA Code of Ethics: Clarifying Expectations and Regulatory Boundaries
Discussions about addressing illegal building in Ontario often focus on licensing, enforcement, and consumer protection. Still, the HCRA’s Code of Ethics is another important – though sometimes less well understood – part of the regulatory framework. While the Code is intended to promote professionalism and consumer confidence, many builders continue to seek greater clarity around how it is interpreted and applied in practice. Some provisions are viewed as broad or open to interpretation, making it challenging to fully understand the standards against which conduct is being assessed in certain circumstances.
There is also ongoing uncertainty about how the Code of Ethics interacts with Tarion’s warranty enforcement processes, particularly where warranty disputes may also give rise to potential Code investigations. As the regulatory framework continues to evolve, these issues have contributed to broader discussions about consistency, transparency, and procedural fairness, reinforcing the need for clearer guidance on the Codeis application. Improving understanding of the Code’s role within the broader regulatory system will help support more effective compliance, strengthen confidence in the industry’s oversight framework, and complement wider efforts to address illegal building while maintaining high standards of professionalism and consumer protection.
The Cost of Building Better
Consumers, governments, and industry all recognize the importance of building more energy-efficient, climate-resilient homes. But higher performance often comes with higher upfront costs, making it difficult for builders to incorporate new technologies and construction practices while maintaining affordability.
This session will explore the financing tools, incentive programs, and innovative partnerships that can help bridge that gap. From utility incentives and government programs to green lending products and insurance innovations, panellists will examine how the industry can finance better-performing homes without pricing more families out of the market.
The discussion will also explore where current programs fall short and what new approaches are needed to make high-performance housing financially viable at scale.
Where Do We Go From Here? The Future of Growth Funding
Ontario’s recent development charge reforms have fundamentally changed the conversation around how growth should be funded—but they have also raised a bigger question: if development charges cannot continue to carry an increasing share of the cost of growth, what comes next?
Beginning with a presentation examining the evolution of development charges and the lessons emerging from Ontario’s recent reforms, this session will move beyond the debate over individual policy changes to consider what a sustainable growth-funding model could actually look like. Bringing together expertise in housing, infrastructure, law, finance, and public policy, the discussion will explore the role of alternative financing models, private and institutional capital, provincial investment, and new approaches to infrastructure delivery. Ultimately, the panel will tackle the question at the heart of Ontario’s growth challenge: how do we pay for the infrastructure needed to build more housing without adding costs that undermine housing affordability?
Rethinking Attainability: New Models for a New Generation
For decades, rental housing in Ontario has largely been synonymous with apartment living. But across North America, new models are emerging that rethink what rental can look like—from purpose-built rental neighbourhoods and single-family rental communities to shared amenities, flexible housing options, and community-focused design.
As affordability pressures continue to reshape housing demand, could these models offer greater choice, stability, and attainability for the next generation?
Ontario’s rental housing landscape is evolving. While traditional apartment buildings continue to play an important role, innovative rental models from across North America are challenging long-held assumptions about what rental housing can be. Purpose-built rental communities, single-family rental neighbourhoods, and amenity-rich developments are providing new options for households seeking flexibility, affordability, and long-term housing stability.
This session will explore how these models operate, what lessons Ontario can learn from other jurisdictions, and how policy, financing, and planning frameworks may need to evolve to support them. Through a discussion grounded in both market experience and practical realities, panellists will examine how rental housing can become not simply an alternative to ownership, but an attractive and attainable housing choice in its own right.
The Future of Development Approvals
Ontario has made significant progress in streamlining the development approvals process, but opportunities remain to improve consistency, transparency, and efficiency. As municipalities continue to modernize their planning systems, digital tools, standardized processes, and new technologies are transforming how development applications are reviewed and approved.
This session will explore the next generation of development approvals, highlighting innovative approaches already being implemented across Ontario and beyond. From Community Planning Permit Systems (CPPS) and digital permitting platforms to standardized application requirements, artificial intelligence, and process automation, panellists will discuss how technology and policy can work together to reduce delays while maintaining effective planning and public engagement.
The AI Builder
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the way businesses operate, but what does that mean for home builders? Beyond chatbots and content creation, AI is beginning to reshape everything from land acquisition and design to estimating, sales, construction, customer service, and warranty management.
This session brings together innovators from across the housing industry to explore how AI is already being used in practice, where it offers the greatest opportunities for improving productivity and decision-making, and what builders should be doing today to prepare for tomorrow. Whether you’re a large production builder or a small renovator, this discussion will challenge conventional thinking and demonstrate how AI can become a practical business tool rather than just another technology trend.
The Code Ahead: Modernizing Ontario’s Building Standards
What should a modern Ontario Building Code look like? Ontario’s Building Code plays a critical role in ensuring safe, resilient, and high-quality construction—but it also has a significant impact on housing affordability, innovation, and the speed at which new homes can be delivered. As the province undertakes the first comprehensive review of the Ontario Building Code focused on reducing unnecessary complexity and administrative burden, this session will bring together members of the Minister’s Short-Term Advisory Body and industry leaders to discuss the principles guiding the review, the opportunities to modernize the Code, and what these changes could mean for builders, municipalities, and homeowners.
Panellists will explore how Ontario can streamline approvals, support innovation, improve consistency across municipalities, and align with evolving national standards while maintaining the health, safety, and performance outcomes that Ontarians expect.
Renovate or Relocate? Housing Solutions for a Changing Market
For many Ontario families, the question is no longer “What home should we buy next?”—it’s “How can we make the home we already have work better?” Rising housing costs, limited supply, changing family dynamics, and an aging housing stock are fundamentally reshaping homeowner decisions and creating new opportunities for the renovation industry.
This session will explore how affordability is driving demand for renovations that extend beyond aesthetics—from multi-generational living spaces and home additions to secondary suites, accessibility upgrades, and energy retrofits. Panellists will discuss how renovators are responding to these changing needs, how homeowner expectations are evolving, and what these trends mean for the future of housing in Ontario. As the path to homeownership becomes more challenging for many Ontarians, renovation is emerging as an increasingly important part of the housing continuum—not simply improving homes, but helping families remain in the communities they already call home.
The Housing Innovation Ecosystem
Innovation in home building doesn’t happen in isolation; it happens when industry, entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, and technology leaders come together to solve shared challenges. This session will explore the vision behind the GroundBreak Ventures Innovation Hub at Downsview Park, an ambitious initiative designed to accelerate the development and commercialization of new technologies for the housing and construction sectors.
Through a discussion with industry, academic, and innovation leaders, panellists will examine how collaboration, investment, and real-world testing environments can help bring breakthrough ideas to market faster, foster the next generation of housing innovation, and position Ontario as a global leader in construction technology and proptech.