This session explores the ‘whys, wheres, and hows’ of homeownership in Canada, including historical trends, policies, programs, and financial instruments that have encouraged it over the past century. It will also debate if and why homeownership should be considered in the context of a larger discussion of affordability and access to housing. This session is intended to set the context for the series as a whole and to explore the advantages, incentives, barriers, and disadvantages to ownership in the context of other tenure options.