The Empire Club of Canada
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Ontario is among several provinces grappling with soaring home prices, limited new construction, and a widening affordability gap that has pushed homeownership increasingly out of reach—especially for young Canadians. Housing starts are at multi-decade lows and for far too many people the dream of having a piece of Ontario they can call their own is slipping away.
This crisis has been further intensified by trade tensions with the United States, which have driven up construction costs and shaken economic confidence. As buyers grow more cautious amid economic uncertainty, the urgency for bold, coordinated action has never been greater.
In response, the Government of Ontario is acting to protecting Ontario’s economy and keeping workers on the job by cutting red tape and creating the conditions to get shovels in the ground faster. Though transformative legislation, policy changes, and historic investments, Ontario is laying the foundation to accelerate housing and infrastructure development, streamline municipal processes, and reduce regulatory burdens, all while fostering innovation and collaboration with local leaders and homebuilder alike.
On February 17, 2025, The Empire Club of Canada will host The Honourable Rob Flack, Ontario’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, for a keynote speech entitled Protecting the Dream of Homeownership in Ontario to explain what’s next in Ontario’s plan to support families, attract investment, and create good jobs. Working together, we can enhance affordability, ensure timely delivery of critical projects, and foster an innovative and resilient economy for decades to come.
The discussion will be moderated by Steve Paikin, Host of The Paikin Podcast with an introduction by The Honourable David Peterson, Chairman of Torstar and Former Premier of Ontario.
Rob is a lifelong businessman who was appointed to the role of Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing in March of 2025. He previously served as Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness, as well as Associate Minister of Housing.
Prior to entering politics, he enjoyed a fulfilling career as CEO at Masterfeeds Inc. and held numerous industry and community leadership roles.
A dedicated advocate for his community, he has proudly represented Elgin-Middlesex-London since 2022. He looks forward to leveraging his career in business and local leadership to strengthen municipalities across the province and build more homes, faster
The Honourable David R. Peterson P.C., K.C., O.Ont., C. St. J., C.L.H., D.U., L.L.D., is Chairman Emeritus of the law firm of Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP.
Mr. Peterson is Chancellor Emeritus of the University of Toronto, a director of St. Michael’s Foundation, Stratford Endowment Foundation Board, and was Chairman of the successful Toronto Bid for 2015 Pan Am Games. In September 2013, Mr. Peterson accepted the nomination to become Chair of the Toronto 2015 Pan American and Parapan American Games Organizing Committee (TO2015).
He was a director of a number of public and private companies including Rogers Communications Inc., Franco-Nevada Corporation, Ivanhoe Cambridge, and was the Founding Chairman of the Toronto Raptors Basketball Club Inc. and Chapters Inc. Mr. Peterson was director or active with a number of charitable, educational and environmental organizations including the Shaw Festival, the Ontario March of Dimes, the Ontario Canada Day Committee, Canadian Club, Cercle Canadien, Council for Canadian Unity, Young Presidents Organization, World President’s Organization, the Society for Educational Visits & Exchanges in Canada, Frontier College, Peter Lougheed Medical Research Foundation, Canadian Medical Hall of Fame, Magnetic True North Theatre, West Park Health Centre and Toronto Abuse Centre as well as being on the Advisory Board of the Coady International Institute and the Steering Committee of the Toronto City Summit Alliance.
He was chairman of the Commonwealth Team observing the 1992 elections in Guyana. He was chief federal negotiator for the devolution of the Northwest Territories and has worked on a number of important negotiations with the First Nations. He was an adjunct professor at York University, a fellow of McLaughlin College and Executive-in-Residence at Rotman School of Management and a senior fellow of Massey College. He speaks often on national and international issues, as well as being a frequent commentator on television.
Mr. Peterson holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Western Ontario and a Bachelor of Law Degree from the University of Toronto and studied at the University of Caen, France. He was called to the Bar in Ontario in 1969 and appointed a Queen’s Counsel in 1980 and was summoned by Her Majesty to the Privy Council in 1992. Mr. Peterson has received honorary doctorates from the University of Toronto, the University of Western Ontario, the University of Ottawa, the University of Tel Aviv and the American University of the Caribbean.
In 1994 the government of France appointed him a Knight of the Order of the Legion of Honour of France. In 1995 the International Assembly of French-Speaking Parliamentarians presented him with the Ordre de la Pléiade. He was awarded the Order of Ontario in 2009.
In 1975 he was elected as a Member of the Ontario Legislature, and became the leader of the Ontario Liberal party in 1982. He served as Premier of the Province between 1985 and 1990, overseeing a very active period of reform and playing a major role in the country’s constitutional discussions.
He resides in Toronto and Caledon with his actress/author wife Shelley. They have three children and seven grandchildren. Mr. Peterson’s interests include theatre, riding, biking, reading and gardening.
For more than four decades, Steve Paikin has been a sober voice of rational, fact-based journalism in a world where “alternative facts” too often seem in vogue. For 19 seasons, he hosted The Agenda with Steve Paikin on TVO, the Ontario public broadcaster’s flagship nightly current affairs program.
He continues to co-host the #onpoli podcast, focusing on provincial affairs, with his pal John Michael McGrath. That program, which begins its sixth season in September 2025, airs Fridays at 8 and 11 pm on TVO, and is also available on YouTube and all podcasting platforms.
Steve also writes a weekly column during the broadcast season for tvo’s website, tvo.org. He writes a bi-weekly interview column for the Toronto Star. The Paikin Podcast is his first major attempt at journalism outside the legacy media world.
Steve has also written ten books, including biographies on former Ontario premiers Bill Davis and John Robarts, former prime minister John Turner, and Canadian politics in general.
Steve’s strictly non-partisan approach to covering politics has resulted in his having been asked to moderate four federal election leaders’ debates and five Ontario provincial election leaders’ debates.
Steve was born in Hamilton, Ontario, earned his Bachelor of Arts degree at Victoria University at the University of Toronto, and his Master’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism at Boston University. He has been granted honorary doctorates at Laurentian University (2012), Victoria University at the University of Toronto, McMaster University (2016), York University (2017), and Toronto Metropolitan University (2025), plus honorary diplomas at Humber College (2017), Centennial College (2018), Mohawk College (2018), and Fanshawe College.
Steve was invested as an officer of the Order of Canada by Governor General David Johnston, and a member of the Order of Ontario by Lieutenant Governor David Onley, both in 2013. In 2025, Lieutenant Governor Edith Dumont presented him with a King Charles III Coronation Medal. In 2012, Victoria Tennant presented him with a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. In 2025, the Public Policy Forum gave him the lifetime achievement award for excellence in journalism.
Steve tends to fall in love with hard luck sports teams. He loves the Toronto Maple Leafs despite no Stanley Cups since 1967. He adores his hometown Hamilton Tiger-Cats despite no Grey Cups since 1999. His patience with the Boston Red Sox finally paid off with four World Series in the 21st century.
