Solutions for the Canadian Housing Crisis

Is there a housing crisis in Canada?

Affordable housing is on most Canadian’s mind these days and is a topic that brings mixed emotions depending on whether you own a home or not.

In the last decade, property prices have skyrocketed creating a housing crisis in Canada.

Many in the younger generation can’t afford to buy a home while empty nesters are stuck in larger homes as they can’t find suitable homes in their communities to downsize into.

What are the factors affecting Canada’s housing crisis? How do we start to tackle this housing crisis issue? What can be done to relieve the pressure in the housing market, introduce more supply, and give individuals of all income brackets more choices?

Today we’re talking to public policy professional, Steve Lafleur, about the supply side of the Canadian housing market and why lack of affordable housing in Toronto and other major cities is affecting Canada’s housing crisis.

Steve is a former Senior Policy Analyst at the Fraser Institute whose work has focused primarily on housing, transportation, local government and inter-governmental fiscal relations. He holds an M.A. in Political Science from Wilfrid Laurier University and a B.A. from Laurentian University where he studied Political Science and Economics.

In this episode, Steve and Keith talk about what it means to have a supply issue in the housing market, the effect of current policies around housing, why the housing shortage needs to be addressed, policy changes that are needed to create more affordable housing options, and so much more!

Thank you for listening!

Factors that impact the housing market in Canada

• Why we’re talking about the Canadian home property market (0:56)
• Introducing Steve Lafleur (4:28)
• Drive to qualify has become a national trend (6:46)
• What it means to have a supply issue in the housing market (9:25)
• How the affordability of housing in Canada compares to the United States (11:53)
• Density levels in Canadian cities compared to other cities worldwide (14:00)
• The policy decisions that have kept the supply of housing low (16:59)
• Supply and demand in the housing market (19:45)
• What it really means to change supply (22:48)
• Why the Ontario’s Housing Affordability Task Force was created (25:01)
• The main recommendations to come out of the Ontario’s Housing Affordability Task Force (27:37)
• What’s behind the concern many residents have about changes in their neighbourhood (30:22)
• How re-zoning policies have been used in other countries and how they could be applied in Canada (33:11)
• Changes implemented as a result of the Ontario’s Housing Affordability Task Force (36:14)
• Extended benefits of increasing density levels (37:17)
• The main obstacles to moving forward with rezoning (42:42)
• How we can effect positive change (45:56)
• Steve’s key takeaway for Canadians (49:56)
• And much more!