Housing Affordability in Canada

[EMNofSeattle]

But so what? Why should young couple be able to live somewhere wealthy?

Why should middle class people be able to own a reasonable dwelling unit for a family? Is this is a serious question?

Toronto is not “wealthy” like most cities there’s a super wealthy elite, large massses of poor ethnic immigrants who probably shouldn’t even be there but they vote for the left so no problem, and then there’s upper middle income folks struggling to afford a mortgage payment. This is an unstable society. Ready to collapse like the balkans.

 

[Allan]

If your mother tongue isn’t English you’re not an English speaker. I am not Hispanic merely because I can speak Spanish.

I can assure you, having lived in Vancouver, that the predominant language is English. It's ridiculous to try to claim otherwise.

 

[Allan]

Why should middle class people be able to own a reasonable dwelling unit for a family? Is this is a serious question?

Toronto is not “wealthy” like most cities there’s a super wealthy elite, large massses of poor ethnic immigrants who probably shouldn’t even be there but they vote for the left so no problem, and then there’s upper middle income folks struggling to afford a mortgage payment. This is an unstable society. Ready to collapse like the balkans.

Doubling down on hyperbole are you?

 

[EMNofSeattle]

I can assure you, having lived in Vancouver, that the predominant language is English. It's ridiculous to try to claim otherwise.

This is being pedantic. Nobody who spent even 10 minutes in Vancouver can deny that it is not the city it was 50 years ago and that is for the worse. The lower mainland Over populated, and it’s not by the families of multi generational Canadians. You drive through Burnaby and more signs are in Punjabi Then English. There is no need to argue specific definitions on what you consider a predominant language. The fact is anywhere from 45% to a majority of residents of the city of Vancouver are not English or French speakers. Hence they are foreigners. If the population of Vancouver was reduced by 50% tomorrow houses would be affordable all over the lower mainland.

 

[EMNofSeattle]

Doubling down on hyperbole are you?

What’s wrong with hyperbole? It’s a well-known rhetorical tactic.

Go look up the January 6 Electoral Justice protest and tell me how the American news media have characterized it. That’s not only hyperbole it’s delusional.

 

[Allan]

This is being pedantic. Nobody who spent even 10 minutes in Vancouver can deny that it is not the city it was 50 years ago and that is for the worse. The lower mainland Over populated, and it’s not by the families of multi generational Canadians. You drive through Burnaby and more signs are in Punjabi Then English. There is no need to argue specific definitions on what you consider a predominant language. The fact is anywhere from 45% to a majority of residents of the city of Vancouver are not English or French speakers. Hence they are foreigners. If the population of Vancouver was reduced by 50% tomorrow houses would be affordable all over the lower mainland.

Doesn't matter if Vancouver has foreigners, doesn't matter if signs are in Punjabi, except to racists.

 

[EMNofSeattle]

Doesn't matter if Vancouver has foreigners, doesn't matter if signs are in Punjabi, except to racists.

It matters greatly. It means you will have a society that is less unitary, over populated, And which loses any sense of master culture. And now you’re just calling me a racist without even addressing the argument. If there were no large communities of foreigners living in the lower mainland, what do you think houses would cost?

It is not racist to expect that your government has your best interest at heart. And not loyalty to an abstract ideology where everybody has some sort of right to come live there.

This exact same thing has happened in the United States. California used to be a middle class paradise. In 1950 the population was 90% white and it was 11 million people. Today the state is almost 40,000,000 people, majority non-white, and it has become corrupt under one party rule and housing is un affordable for anyone who’s not super wealthy. You cannot defeat the laws of supply and demand. If you artificially import millions upon millions of demand for houses. And import them faster than more houses can be built, the prices will go up this is undeniable. And in terms of the long-term stability of a society, this is devastating. To bring people from many different cultures into a single area quickly and without a simulation, and to bring all the attendant problems that come with that will eventually destroy a society.It may not happen today, or tomorrow, But what do you think will happen 30 years from now? What happens when the population of Canada 60 million, non-white, no shared cultural heritage and the ones who are non-white unless their families were wealthy aren’t able to afford houses because there’s little shared wealth in that Community?

 

[Allan]

It matters greatly. It means you will have a society that is less unitary, over populated,

Over population is hardly a problem in Canada. As for unity our legislatures don't need soldiers guarding them.

And which loses any sense of master culture.

Why don't you just say 'master race'. That's where you're coming from.

And now you’re just calling me a racist without even addressing the argument.

See your own comments about 'master culture'.

 

[EMNofSeattle]

Over population is hardly a problem in Canada. As for unity our legislatures don't need soldiers guarding them.

Yeah see, creating unnecessary conflict within the civilian population is not a great thing. You’re proving my point.

Why don't you just say 'master race'. That's where you're coming from.

Because those are different things. Which you know.

See your own comments about 'master culture'.

Repeating a dishonest line of attack is not a strong argument.

As far as overpopulation not being a problem, I’ve been going to Chilliwack every year for the last five years or so, not this year because of the virus, but even five years ago Chilliwack was a very quiet sleepy town. And now there’s a new housing developments going up everywhere there. Because it’s way too expensive to live near the city, one small rural towns are now being over developed.

The British Columbia lower mainland Certainly has limits to how many places can be developed.

It’s not a matter of literally running out of space either. It’s a matter of how fast housing can be built to accommodate increase. In addition to how well the newcomers can be assimilated into the primary culture.

 

[Allan]

Yeah see, creating unnecessary conflict within the civilian population is not a great thing. You’re proving my point.

We don't have conflict not because of the number of immigrants, but because we have fewer people like you.

 

[EMNofSeattle]

Over population is hardly a problem in Canada. As for unity our legislatures don't need soldiers guarding them.

Why don't you just say 'master race'. That's where you're coming from.

See your own comments about 'master culture'.

You’re right though, you don’t Need soldiers in Parliament Hill, they are really offensive to the multiculturalism.

Parliament Hill attack | Description & Aftermath

Parliament Hill attack, shooting that took place at Parliament and the National War Memorial in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on October 22, 2014. The attack, carried out by Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, left one person dead and raised questions about parliamentary security and debate over the nature of...

www.britannica.com

 

[jonny5]

Why should middle class people be able to own a reasonable dwelling unit for a family? Is this is a serious question?

Toronto is not “wealthy” like most cities there’s a super wealthy elite, large massses of poor ethnic immigrants who probably shouldn’t even be there but they vote for the left so no problem, and then there’s upper middle income folks struggling to afford a mortgage payment. This is an unstable society. Ready to collapse like the balkans.

Yes, its a serious question. Why should someone be able to own anything they cant afford? Why should anything be affordable? Yes, if they have the same problems with planned economies and dumb people screwing everything up, thats an issue, but i was more getting at the idea of having 'affordable housing' in desirable areas. Thats counter productive and not possible. Thats like everyone wanting to live with a beach view. It just cant happen.

And because i dont like Canadians telling the US how to operate, i just want to be clear im not doing that here. If Canadians want to try socialism have at it. Its not my place. I was just offering a practical solution to the op.

 

[EMNofSeattle]

Yes, its a serious question. Why should someone be able to own anything they cant afford? Why should anything be affordable? Yes, if they have the same problems with planned economies and dumb people screwing everything up, thats an issue, but i was more getting at the idea of having 'affordable housing' in desirable areas. Thats counter productive and not possible. Thats like everyone wanting to live with a beach view. It just cant happen.

And because i dont like Canadians telling the US how to operate, i just want to be clear im not doing that here. If Canadians want to try socialism have at it. Its not my place. I was just offering a practical solution to the op.

It is not socialism to complain about why you cannot afford a decent house. We’re not talking about demands that some people be permitted to live in giant beachfront homes. The complaint often stems around the fact that in many major cities, there is no where that is affordable to the average income earner.

And there is many reasons for this, from institutional investors accumulating all the starter homes, to left-wing government immigration policies, too taxing and regulatory policies that make him construction hard. What is not in doubt is the social effects of this, a society of middle class homeowners is inherently more stable and more trusting, then a society of bankrupt renters.

 

[jonny5]

It is not socialism to complain about why you cannot afford a decent house. We’re not talking about demands that some people be permitted to live in giant beachfront homes. The complaint often stems around the fact that in many major cities, there is no where that is affordable to the average income earner.

And there is many reasons for this, from institutional investors accumulating all the starter homes, to left-wing government immigration policies, too taxing and regulatory policies that make him construction hard. What is not in doubt is the social effects of this, a society of middle class homeowners is inherently more stable and more trusting, then a society of bankrupt renters.

The op suggested that govt force affordable housing. Thats socialism. I didnt say anything about complaining.

 

[EMNofSeattle]

The op suggested that govt force affordable housing. Thats socialism. I didnt say anything about complaining.

No, that is not socialism. I recommend that you actually go read socialist literature and try to learn socialism actually is.

 

[jonny5]

No, that is not socialism. I recommend that you actually go read socialist literature and try to learn socialism actually is.

Or you should because it is socialism. It is redistributing wealth from some to other for social equality. The govt either takes my money and give it to someone to afford housing, or it controls an industry forcing them to sell their product (housing) under its value, for social equality. Literally the platform of the socialist party

American Socialist Party | Principles & Issues: Affordable Housing

Principles & Issues of the Socialist Party: Affordable Housing. Be an American Socialist.

www.americansocialists.org

 

[EMNofSeattle]

Or you should because it is socialism. It is redistributing wealth from some to other for social equality. The govt either takes my money and give it to someone to afford housing, or it controls an industry forcing them to sell their product (housing) under its value, for social equality. Literally the platform of the socialist party

American Socialist Party | Principles & Issues: Affordable Housing

Principles & Issues of the Socialist Party: Affordable Housing. Be an American Socialist.

www.americansocialists.org

Redistributing well it’s not socialism, it is also not inherently egalitarian to do so.

 

[Carjosse]

Earn more, spend less, same as always. Buy a smaller house, or a condo. Move somewhere less costly. Dont have kids. Govt intervention would just make things worse, but im not trying to tell you how to run your country. These are proven solutions that work anywhere.

I think you missed the point of post, housing prices are rapidly increasing everywhere, not just in major cities but even rural areas are facing housing affordability issues now. The average home price in Canada has just skyrocketed and is affecting the whole nation. It is not just isolated to Toronto and Vancouver anymore. Home prices are rising far faster then the incomes of Canadians.

 

[EMNofSeattle]

I think you missed the point of post, housing prices are rapidly increasing everywhere, not just in major cities but even rural areas are facing housing affordability issues now. The average home price in Canada has just skyrocketed and is affecting the whole nation. It is not just isolated to Toronto and Vancouver anymore. Home prices are rising far faster then the incomes of Canadians.

Then tell your prime minister to stop importing housing demand.

 

[jonny5]

Redistributing well it’s not socialism, it is also not inherently egalitarian to do so.

Redistribution of wealth for social equality is the literal definition of socialism.

 

[jonny5]

I think you missed the point of post, housing prices are rapidly increasing everywhere, not just in major cities but even rural areas are facing housing affordability issues now. The average home price in Canada has just skyrocketed and is affecting the whole nation. It is not just isolated to Toronto and Vancouver anymore. Home prices are rising far faster then the incomes of Canadians.

Then more housing will be built or incomes will rise, or other alternatives, if left alone. I didnt miss the point. You asked how you can afford something and I answered. Earn more, spend less, or wait till you can.

 

[EMNofSeattle]

Redistribution of wealth for social equality is the literal definition of socialism.

No it’s not. You have no idea what you were talking about. You seem to be taking the old Chamber of Commerce republican party definition of socialism which is “anything I don’t like.”

You can redistribute wealth and still have a hierarchy

 

[EMNofSeattle]

Then more housing will be built or incomes will rise, or other alternatives, if left alone. I didnt miss the point. You asked how you can afford something and I answered. Earn more, spend less, or wait till you can.

Or neither will happen. Because the government can always allow more foreigners to be imported to a country to depress wages. Big corporations can always come up with new forms of automation or unionbusting. That’s why the government needs to reassert itself in labor regulation.

In addition, in many countries institutional investors can just buy large numbers of houses in form real estate oligopolies. These types of institutional investor should be broken up and they should have their houses seized with eminent domain at the price they paid and not at the current market valuation.

And if you think that is socialism, just let the housing affordability problem go on another 10 or 20 years and then you’ll start seeing a movement for real socialism.

 

[Carjosse]

Then more housing will be built or incomes will rise, or other alternatives, if left alone. I didnt miss the point. You asked how you can afford something and I answered. Earn more, spend less, or wait till you can.

Except none of that is happening. The free hand of the market cannot solve everything.

 

[Napoleon]

How is anyone my age (early-mid 20s) suppose to ever be able to save up and buy a house or soon I imagine even a condo? When home prices keep increasing at 20% or more each year how is anyone who is not already in the property market supposed to enter? I have been reading a lot of articles how most millenials who are purchasing homes are doing it with the help of their parents money, what about those of us who don't have that? Now because of the pandemic nowhere is safe, even small towns are rapidly increasing in price. I have no idea how people are expected to buy a house, have kids, and somehow have enough money leftover to retire.

Something has to give and the government needs to intervene, the market needs to crash and it should be now before it gets worse. Ban foreign ownership, heavily tax and in some areas ban non-primary residences, heavily tax vacant residences, charge capital gains on home sales, half measures won't do anything.

Home prices are driven primarily by what people are willing to pay for them. Right now, there’s a COVID bubble driving those prices up as the exodus from urban areas to the suburbs outpaces the availability of homes for sale and eventually that bubble will pop and home values will stabilize.