Last month, The Maple released a review of the real estate investments of provincial representatives in all provinces except Manitoba and Newfoundland and Labrador. This research was based on the disclosure reports these representatives are forced to make, which are then made public.

The thought behind this article as well as the federal version (which has been released annually since 2021) is that a significant number of our political representatives having a vested material interest in the housing crisis continuing harms chances that they’ll do anything to combat it. Of course, this is especially relevant for cabinet members responsible for housing. 

As such, I decided to use this data to take a specific look at ministers and associate ministers responsible for housing in the eight provinces, and found that six of them (75 per cent) had some sort of investment in real estate.

Here they are (with full details to follow at the end of this article): Rob Flack, Ontario’s associate minister of housing; France-Élaine Duranceau, Quebec’s housing minister; Nathan Neudorf, Alberta’s minister of affordability and utilities; Gene Makowsky, Saskatchewan’s minister of social services; John Lohr, Nova Scotia’s minister of municipal affairs and housing; Rob Lantz, Prince Edward Island’s minister of housing, land and communities. 

The housing ministers for British Columbia and New Brunswick do not have any reported investments in real estate.

Below, you can see a table I put together of the six eligible cabinet members as well as their position, province and nature of their real estate investment(s).

Cabinet Member Province Position Investment Type France-Élaine Duranceau Quebec Minister of housing Involved in real estate, but no reported rental income Rob Flack Ontario Associate minister of housing Owns non-residential property Rob Lantz Prince Edward Island Minister of housing, land and communities Involved in real estate, but no reported rental income John Lohr Nova Scotia Minister of municipal affairs and housing Landlord, but no reported rental income Gene Makowsky Saskatchewan Minister of social services Involved in real estate, but no reported rental income Nathan Neudorf Alberta Minister of affordability and utilities Landlord

And here are all relevant disclosure details for each of the cabinet members included in this list, which should give you a more detailed understanding of how they’re invested in real estate:

Rob Flack

Ontario’s associate minister of housing

  • “Investment Property - Three parcels of land: Pembroke, ON; WIL CON 18 E; WIL CON 18 W. - 50% interest.”
  • “Investment & Registered Accounts: Brookfield Asset Management Inc.”
  • “Investment Property - Three parcels of land: Pembroke, ON; WIL CON 18 E; WIL CON 18 W. - 50% interest.” (spouse/common law)
  • “Investment & Registered Accounts: Brookfield Asset Management Inc.” (spouse/common law)
  • Source

France-Élaine Duranceau

Quebec’s housing minister

  • “Revenu à titre de courtière en immobilier commercial: Cushman & Wakefield.”
  • Source

Nathan Neudorf

Alberta’s minister of affordability and utilities 

  • “Rental Income”
  • “Rental Property: In a management arrangement approved by the Ethics Commissioner of Alberta”
  • Source

Gene Makowsky

Saskatchewan’s minister of social services

  • “2803 Truesdale Dr., Regina, SK - Joint Owner”
  • Source

John Lohr

Nova Scotia’s minister of municipal affairs and housing

  • “116 Bessie North Road Canning: 46 Acre Woodlot”
  • 1093 Kars St Port Williams: 3 unit apartment co owned with Julie Lohr”
  • Source 

Rob Lantz

Prince Edward Island’s minister of housing, land and communities

  • “Income from commissions as a real estate agent with Remax Charlottetown” (spouse/common law)
  • “Coco Holdings Ltd.: Member has 49% of shares which are currently in a blind trust with Michael Fitzpatrick, Accountant; Spouse has remaining 51% of shares”
  • “The company earns income from commissions on real estate sales.”
  • Source 
Check out all of the provincial data
Check out all of the federal data