Land-use regulations and strict zoning rules are more significant contributors to high housing prices It’s always easier to blame someone else rather than to recognize one’s own mistakes. In an attempt to stem the rapid rise in housing prices, the federal government has banned foreign investors from buying homes in Canada. In the case of…
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The program risks failing the people it claims to assist The federal government has launched a one-time $500 housing benefit for low-income tenants. Though a good initiative in times of high inflation, the program is fraught with problems. Unless these problems are fixed – which is doable – the program will fail the people it…
Land use policies the main culprit. Just look at Toronto The Ford government’s plan to expand the land supply available for housing has evoked the usual dog whistles about “urban sprawl” by interests apparently unaware of the strong connections between an organically expanding city, housing affordability and upward mobility. The reality is that the Toronto…
Both sectors face inflationary pressures but are being dealt with very differently
As anyone who has ever spent time in the kitchen knows, when a pot is boiling over, you do not put a lid on it. You lower the heat. Adding a cover does nothing to reduce the cause of all the excess bubbles and steam. In fact, increasing the pressure within the vessel generates an…
Governments must begin to address their own roles in keeping housing prices high
The recent rise in interest rates has dampened demand for home sales in Canada. The hike, inevitable given how historically low rates have been, has taken some of the froth off housing prices. However, given how high home prices still are in Canada, a useful question to ask is what governments can do to reverse…
Government land-use regulations a principal source of this inequality
Canada’s housing affordability crisis is a matter of considerable concern, especially for young people trying to buy a house. The worst problems are in the Vancouver and Toronto markets with their excessive land-use regulation. Extensive international research associates stronger land-use regulation with diminished housing affordability. Vancouver and Toronto are experiencing substantial net migration of people…
It’s unclear if the feds are doing higher-risk, lower-income mortgage debtors any real favours
Just a few months ago, a regular national discussion was about house prices and a lack of affordability. No longer. With house, townhouse and condominium prices cresting, imminent data may likely confirm serious price declines. Mortgage carrying costs are rising as interest rates and debt servicing costs climb. The mortgage qualifying threshold is receding rapidly…
May be a solution for most of the homeless people in Canada
As most of us remembered on Canada Day, this is a pretty good country to live in. It’s hard to think of a better one. But it’s not perfect. We do have some serious problems that need fixing, like homelessness. In a country as rich as Canada, no one should have to go hungry, and…
The Liberals should stop acting like they're considering taxing the sale of your home
By Franco Terrazzano and Kris Sims Politicians think we should trust them just because they pinky promise not to impose a home equity tax, but Canadians pay members of Parliament to do more than talk a good game. MPs need to prove they won’t bring in a home equity tax by scrapping the requirement to…