Mayor of Mississauga Carolyn Parrish
On March 9, 2026, Cornerstone successfully hosted its inaugural Local Advocacy Day in Mississauga, bringing together local REALTORS® and municipal leaders for meaningful dialogue on housing supply, affordability, and community development priorities.
Hon. Rob Flack, ON Minister for Municipal Affairs and Housing
On January 22, 2026, Cornerstone joined the Mississauga Board of Trade’s luncheon with the Honourable Rob Flack, Ontario’s Minister for Municipal Affairs and Housing. Minister Flack spoke about Development Charges, the Peel Region water and wastewater pilot, removing HST for first-time new home buyers, and the province’s ongoing discussions about removing it for all new home buyers.
After the Minister spoke, Sandra Longden, Cornerstone Board Member and Chair of the Local Advocacy Committee, thanked him and expressed our support for removing the HST from all new homes.
We also enjoyed connecting with Minister Nina Trangri, MPP Rudy Cuzzetto, MPP Deepak Anand, MPP Sheref Sabawy, MPP Gualtieri, and other community leaders and businesses at the event.
Hamilton District Apartment Association’s
On January 14, 2026, Cornerstone attended the Hamilton District Apartment Association’s dinner meeting at the Waterfront Centre.
City of Hamilton staff shared key points about the new Safe Apartment Buildings Program, which came into effect on January 1, 2026.
This program aims to improve the condition of common areas in apartment buildings throughout the city. It requires owners and operators of buildings with at least two storeys and six or more rental units to register each year and submit plans for different aspects of building maintenance.
Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy, ON Minister of Finance
On November 10, 2025, members and staff from Cornerstone attended the Provincial Budget Discussion event hosted by the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, featuring the Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance.
During the event, Minister Bethlenfalvy emphasized the government’s initiative to rebate the full provincial portion of the HST for first-time homebuyers on qualifying homes valued up to $1 million. This, in combination with the federal rebate, could save homebuyers as much as $130,000.
Additionally, the Minister highlighted the government’s investment of an extra $1.6 billion through the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program (MHIP) to expedite the construction of homes and vital infrastructure. With housing starts projected to slow and economic forecasters pointing to the impacts of tariff-related uncertainty, this funding is aimed at unlocking more housing opportunities.