Cost of housing in Canada

[Oldgateboatdriver]

So does that mean PM Poilievre will do battle with the gatekeeper Premier Smith?

Look, we all know that the most important thing is to make sure the Gatekeeper and the Keymaster never meet .... because Goser!!!

 

[Remius]

Look, we all know that the most important thing is to make sure the Gatekeeper and the Keymaster never meet .... because Goser!!!

There is a condo in downtown Ottawa that looks like the same building from the film….

 

[RangerRay]

I don't think PP would have the same kind of relationships with the provinces as PMJT, who view them as an obstacle to be crossed in his centralist plan for the "good" of Canada.

This "gatekeeper" bill is a result of Federal transgressions against Provincial autonomy. If a new PM respects said autonomy... well... you have your answer.

I recall PP saying he was going to take on the gatekeepers in the provinces and municipalities to get housing built. It will be interesting if Alberta has this law in place if we have a PMPP threatening the provincial and municipal gatekeepers.

 

[Furniture]

I recall PP saying he was going to take on the gatekeepers in the provinces and municipalities to get housing built. It will be interesting if Alberta has this law in place if we have a PMPP threatening the provincial and municipal gatekeepers.

It's the part of the country the CPC can afford to burn the most political capital, and it would be in the premier's interest to not alienate the CPC base in Alberta too much.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

Housing was and isn’t the Liberals responsibility, thats provincial.

Trades training is also a provincial responsibility as it falls under education. There is some level of cooperation with the red seal program, but ultimately those powers are provincial ones. Specifically it is a failure of several decades of education that has brought it to this point.

The mass immigration however without having any sort of plan to effectively house immigrants is their fault. Considering we hit both 40 and 41 million last year and we were at 35.7 in 2015 says a lot. Basically doubled the immigration rate for the last 9 years.

The failure of various levels of government to effectively address any of these issues over the course of decades is a huge issue. They are all busy playing the blame game and making dust in the wind promises than actually doing anything to resolve them.

Absolutely.

The Federal Liberals have played arsonist for the last 9 years on immigration and the economy, which are their responsibility.

They should not get any credit because they suddenly decided to call the fire department to put out the fire they set.

 

[Halifax Tar]

I think it’s an appropriate acronym used in the context of housing. Public safety or homeless shelters or cemeteries or public dumps etc are different form of NIMBYism.

For reference a pic of the washroom in the local Sackville Wendy's tonight

 

[OldSolduer]

Look, we all know that the most important thing is to make sure the Gatekeeper and the Keymaster never meet .... because Goser!!!

The Gozerian? Is he still causing trouble???

 

[YZT580]

To what extend do you extend part of the blame for housing to provincial governments? They own municipalities, zoning, infrastructure, development approvals, and skilled trades. Surely the provinces eat some of this?

Very little. The provinces weren't consulted by the feds. when they decided to open the floodgates to immigrants and students. The huge jump in numbers occurred immediately after the Covid shutdown ended which put most construction projects at least a year behind and the immigrants of course were backed up at the border just waiting for a flight to carry them here. It was like a dam breaking. When water breaks through a barrier it overwhelms the area at the base of the dam. Takes time to absorb all that excess water and if there are no channels to convey it safely away you end up being overwhelmed. Welcome to housing Canada and it is entirely at the feds. feet

 

[brihard]

Very little. The provinces weren't consulted by the feds. when they decided to open the floodgates to immigrants and students. The huge jump in numbers occurred immediately after the Covid shutdown ended which put most construction projects at least a year behind and the immigrants of course were backed up at the border just waiting for a flight to carry them here. It was like a dam breaking. When water breaks through a barrier it overwhelms the area at the base of the dam. Takes time to absorb all that excess water and if there are no channels to convey it safely away you end up being overwhelmed. Welcome to housing Canada and it is entirely at the feds. feet

You claim isn’t supported by the larger population data. Canada’s overall population growth last peaked in 2019 and is still far short of returning to that level. Immigration is only part of the overall issue, and our larger population growth is still tracking what our have been reasonably expected.

It’s convenient to blame everything on the feds, but the feds are stepping up here because of systemic provincial failures to build.

Canada Population (2024) - Worldometer

Population of Canada: current, historical, and projected population, growth rate, immigration, median age, total fertility rate (TFR), population density, urbanization, urban population, country's share of world population, and global rank. Data tables, maps, charts, and live population clock

www.worldometers.info

 

[Colin Parkinson]

The majority of immigrants do not go to Timbucktoo, they go to the major centres, which were already stressed in regards to housing. The demographic in my local area is that almost all the houses sold, have been bought by either Chinese or Persians. The Caucasians are either long term residents or renters.

 

[mariomike]

A for-profit homeless encampment:

We are welcoming people who are living in their tents encampment [sic] to set up on our cottage property in the town of Innisfil Ontario.

MPP Khanjin's staff referred people to landlord's private encampment

'Any referrals of people looking for housing to this individual were made in error and without the member’s knowledge,' said Barrie-Innisfil MPP's spokesperson Friday

www.innisfiltoday.ca

That advertisement was asking for $500, but it didn’t specify whether the amount sought was a flat rate or monthly rent. With that payment came permission for the unsheltered to “set up your tents” on the cottage property.

In other cost of housing news,

$13,500,000 in Toronto.

Check out this listing

44 THE BRIDLE PATH, Toronto, Ontario M2L1C8

www.realtor.ca

 

[YZT580]

You claim isn’t supported by the larger population data. Canada’s overall population growth last peaked in 2019 and is still far short of returning to that level. Immigration is only part of the overall issue, and our larger population growth is still tracking what our have been reasonably expected.

It’s convenient to blame everything on the feds, but the feds are stepping up here because of systemic provincial failures to build.

Canada Population (2024) - Worldometer

Population of Canada: current, historical, and projected population, growth rate, immigration, median age, total fertility rate (TFR), population density, urbanization, urban population, country's share of world population, and global rank. Data tables, maps, charts, and live population clock

www.worldometers.info

crap. look at your own chart. Quarter million in each of the last 3 years, up from under 200,000. This doesn't include students which account for another half mill. every year, even if they go home at the end. Now add in fewer houses built during those years due covid and you have a shortage of housing. there are at least a hundred housing starts here that I know of that were delayed by 2 years.

 

[Jarnhamar]

This is great news for the Toronto rental market. Also good to see the 10,000 new CRA hires getting some work done.

Foreign landlord fails to pay taxes, CRA goes after tenant​

Foreign landlord fails to pay taxes, CRA goes after tenant

A Montreal tenant was audited and ordered to pay the tax he had failed to withhold on the monthly rent to his non-resident landlord

www.theglobeandmail.com

A Montreal tenant was audited and ordered to pay the tax he had failed to withhold on the monthly rent to his non-resident landlord, as required by law. As a result, he was ordered to pay six years’ worth of tax as well as the compounded interest and penalties. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) could not collect against his overseas landlord, so the Canadian tenant was on the hook.

 

[brihard]

crap. look at your own chart. Quarter million in each of the last 3 years, up from under 200,000. This doesn't include students which account for another half mill. every year, even if they go home at the end. Now add in fewer houses built during those years due covid and you have a shortage of housing. there are at least a hundred housing starts here that I know of that were delayed by 2 years.

I already addressed that. Note that I said look at the total population growth, which has been pretty steady and known to the peovinces. The lack of skilled trades is not a new thing, nor is red tape standing in the way of development, shortages of infrastructure, etc etc. the provinces absolutely carry the bulk of the supply-side responsibility for this.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

I already addressed that. Note that I said look at the total population growth, which has been pretty steady and known to the peovinces. The lack of skilled trades is not a new thing, nor is red tape standing in the way of development, shortages of infrastructure, etc etc. the provinces absolutely carry the bulk of the supply-side responsibility for this.

That only works if the Provinces have accurate data to work from.

The Feds have already admitted that they actually had no idea how many people came in under student visas and if any of them were leaving when their visas expire. The actual population of Canada is probably much higher than the official figure.

 

[brihard]

That only works if the Provinces have accurate data to work from.

The Feds have already admitted that they actually had no idea how many people came in under student visas and if any of them were leaving when their visas expire. The actual population of Canada is probably much higher than the official figure.

And that’s a fair point- but it’s not like housing demand caught us by surprise. We’ve all been watching housing inventories, new builds, and home prices for as long as we’ve cared to. Prices in the major urban centers alone have been enough to show there’s a supply crisis. Part of the problem is probably how many legislators at both levels and across all parties count on housing price appreciation to grow their personal wealth…

 

[mariomike]

Prices in the major urban centers alone have been enough to show there’s a supply crisis.

From speaking to our neighbours, and attending our local ratepayer association meetings, it seems many retired "empty nesters", may be interested in down-sizing.

The neighbourhood population is aging and dropping, as home values are rising.

The advice from the Association is the best bet ( financially ) is to hold onto your house, and ride the real-estate boom.

And keep the streets "sidewalk - free ".

And, maintain the "yellow-belt".

 

[SeaKingTacco]

And that’s a fair point- but it’s not like housing demand caught us by surprise. We’ve all been watching housing inventories, new builds, and home prices for as long as we’ve cared to. Prices in the major urban centers alone have been enough to show there’s a supply crisis. Part of the problem is probably how many legislators at both levels and across all parties count on housing price appreciation to grow their personal wealth…

I don’t know that that is a super fair accusation. Sure, politicians (like most other homeowners) enjoyed their real estate holdings appreciating. I just think it is more likely that most of them did not do the “so what?” question and begin the staff work to increase supply.

 

[YZT580]

I already addressed that. Note that I said look at the total population growth, which has been pretty steady and known to the peovinces. The lack of skilled trades is not a new thing, nor is red tape standing in the way of development, shortages of infrastructure, etc etc. the provinces absolutely carry the bulk of the supply-side responsibility for this.

So if the population hasn't increased, there shouldn't be any panic requirement for new housing and we know that isn't true. Somewhere there are a whole bunch of people in this country who haven't been accounted for. Primarily students and illegals I would guess. So your provinces are supposed to have included those in their planning? Illegals should be the responsibility of the federal government, instead they foist it off on the cities and provinces. As for the prices sky rocketing thus showing the poor planning, consider this: prices started their uncontrolled spiral in first quarter of 2020 at the same time that the government put in the lock-downs. People living in high-rise condos found themselves trapped on the 21st floor and were going squirrelly. Consequently, since they had the financial where-with-all they went out and bought up all the upscale single residences they could find. As the supply shrank, the prices went up. Again, unpredictable. And no one was building. Final issue is foreign ownership. We live in a tourist town. In one particular old town neighbourhood there are approximately 200 homes; give or take. The estimate by the city is that 2/3 of them are owned by out of town investors. They are rented out by the night. From what I have read, those statistics can be found in every town centred on tourism. Again, not the fault of local authorities. Forbidding foreign ownership would require federal legislation and even then, it is probably easy to circumvent

 

[brihard]

So if the population hasn't increased, there shouldn't be any panic requirement for new housing and we know that isn't true.

Who said it hasn’t increased? I said growth is steady, as in rate.

Somewhere there are a whole bunch of people in this country who haven't been accounted for. Primarily students and illegals I would guess. So your provinces are supposed to have included those in their planning? Illegals should be the responsibility of the federal government, instead they foist it off on the cities and provinces.

I would welcome any data you have on this, but it’s by no means a new issue.

As for the prices sky rocketing thus showing the poor planning, consider this: prices started their uncontrolled spiral in first quarter of 2020 at the same time that the government put in the lock-downs.

Not sure which markets you’ve been watching, but housing prices have been flying upwards in larger markets far longer than that. In my family we’ve been dealing with real estate in greater Vancouver, which we’ve seen flying up since at least 2013 when we started paying attention, and Ottawa, which took off in early 2017 (very conveniently around the time we bought). Home prices very by the specific urban market as well as by the type of home. While there has been a bump on some sectors around the same time as the pandemic, that hasn’t been the start of any of this, and in most places the ‘affordability’ line for most normal people was crossed long before. Any moves to larger residences were generally driven by those fortunate enough to have already won the timing game with existing equity.

Final issue is foreign ownership. We live in a tourist town. In one particular old town neighbourhood there are approximately 200 homes; give or take. The estimate by the city is that 2/3 of them are owned by out of town investors. They are rented out by the night. From what I have read, those statistics can be found in every town centred on tourism. Again, not the fault of local authorities. Forbidding foreign ownership would require federal legislation and even then, it is probably easy to circumvent

Local authorities can and in some places have banned short term rentals, and that is squarely provincial/municipal jurisdiction. Foreign absentee ownership is absolutely a big problem, and the federal government was slow to act there. Part of their infrastructure plan is to extend the ban on foreign purchase that they did finally implement a couple years ago, and I applaud that.