Victoria’s Adam Gant on Shared Equity and Canadian Housing

Canada is entering a period where housing affordability has become one of the country’s most pressing economic issues. Prices rose faster than wages for many years, and high interest rates made monthly payments heavier for new buyers. Construction costs also climbed, which placed more pressure on the supply of new homes. These combined forces have left many people feeling like homeownership is slipping farther away, especially younger buyers who hope to build stability for the future. Victoria is one of the clearest examples of this shift. The region has strong population growth, limited land, and steady demand from people moving in from other parts of the country. These pressures have pushed most new development toward multi-storey buildings and townhomes rather than detached homes. Many families now see these types of homes as their only realistic entry point, yet even these come with price tags and down payments that feel out of reach. This is the environment where real estate investor and thought leader Adam Gant, based in Victoria, has been studying new ways for Canadians to access ownership. His focus is not on traditional advice but on structural tools that could open more stable paths for buyers. Shared equity is one of the ideas he believes deserves more attention because it changes how people enter the market without relying on heavy borrowing at the start. Shared equity is a simple concept. Instead of a buyer taking on the full cost of the home alone, a housing fund or partner carries part of the equity during the early years. The buyer still lives in the home and builds ownership over time, but the initial financial load is lighter. This can mean lower monthly payments, a smaller down payment, and a path into a market that many people have already written off as impossible. Gant says shared equity makes sense for the climate Canada is in. “People need a stable entry point, and shared equity gives them room to breathe at the start,” he says. The idea is not to replace traditional ownership but to widen the path so more families can reach it. A housing fund can also borrow on better terms than an individual buyer. These funds can access 40 or 50-year amortization with interest rates that are 1 to 1.5% lower than standard loans. Combined with a possible 1% down payment, the structure spreads costs across more years and lowers the early financial hurdle. According to Gant, these details matter. “The numbers make a real difference when you scale them across a full project,” he explains, noting that Canada’s current building environment is shaped by high costs and tight margins. Shared equity also plays a role behind the scenes in how developers move projects forward. A housing fund can provide a forward commitment to purchase a set number of units in a new building. This gives developers more certainty when planning construction. With early risk reduced, they can begin projects that might otherwise slow down. More projects starting means more supply entering the market, and Canada’s long-run affordability depends heavily on supply. Cities with limited land face the sharpest version of this problem. Victoria, Vancouver, Toronto, and many parts of Southern Ontario can no longer rely on detached homes to meet demand. High-density housing has become the practical way to keep up with growth. Gant believes shared equity fits naturally with this shift. “If we match immigration levels with new housing starts, especially in condos and townhomes, we give the market a chance to stay balanced,” he says. Canada’s housing conversation often centers on interest rates, zoning rules, and construction timelines. These factors remain important, but shared equity adds another tool that speaks directly to the entry point for buyers. It changes how families begin, not just how the market behaves at the top level. It also supports developers by helping projects reach the stage where new homes are actually built. As the country heads into 2026, pressure on affordability is unlikely to disappear. Victoria offers a clear window into how population growth, limited space, and rising costs shape the market. Shared equity will not solve every challenge, but it offers a practical and scalable way to open doors for more Canadians. In Gant’s view, the focus should be on tools that make sense for the world we live in now. His goal is not to promote a single model but to expand the discussion. In his words, “Housing works best when people have more than one path to ownership.”