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[GandiBaat]

Sigh. It is so much worse than this. I did not know how bad it was when I moved here on a temporary work visa. I am considering moving to Quebec or returning to the US because of it.

Canada is in the top 3 worst housing affordability in the world, with New Zealand and Australia. The situation is vastly superior in the US. It is really a crisis level problem here and things are going to change because of it.

Absolutely!
Canadian house prices are really bad. Same with Australia and New Zealand. This entire debt with low interest policy have screwed up house prices.

 

[Alysson]

The usual Canadian way is to find out the change that will placate the biggest or most vocal group and then find the change of least resistance (supported by a lot of cherry picked data).
It happens everywhere. Housing, Immigration, HealthCare etc.

In my very very limited experience, big broad changes are hard to come by.

Politics usually has groups pushing us vs them mentality. In the US because of “patriotism” they tend to push this against those outside: Russia, China, Muslims, etc. Canada has more local mentality. West vs east. Everyone against Quebec lol.

 

[GandiBaat]

I've been thinking about Germany a lot; if only I had the will to learn the language. Far better job market, far better affordability of almost all things including houses. I think I won't back down on Canada unless they just block paths for good but I will always have my doubts.

I am looking at UK immigration too (as much as I hate their immigration policies). Cities like Edinburgh look much more affordable than west coast Canada or Toronto.

 

[guelphite]

Absolutely!
Canadian house prices are really bad. Same with Australia and New Zealand. This entire debt with low interest policy have screwed up house prices.

Yeah. And it is not going to get better for a long time, I fear. In Canada all political parties refuse to do anything serious about the problem. But in Australia they are actually trying things - foreign non-residents cannot buy houses there, they can only provide capital for new builds (which they then have to sell once complete). The central bank there is considering raising rates as well, I think.

But prices have just continued to go up in Australia... if that is the case, we are screwed in Canada for some time.

 

[Deleted member 1050918]

I am looking at UK immigration too (as much as I hate their immigration policies). Cities like Edinburgh look much more affordable than west coast Canada or Toronto.

Yeah I'd be torn between the UK and Germany if I had to choose. UK would probably have the edge over Germany due to near zero language barriers, despite being harder to immigrate to. UK also has a very good job market for STEM, much better than Canada.

 

[Deleted member 1050918]

Yeah. And it is not going to get better for a long time, I fear. In Canada all political parties refuse to do anything serious about the problem.

Well, how about they...

... you know...

...


....................build new houses?

 

[GandiBaat]

Yeah. And it is not going to get better for a long time, I fear. In Canada all political parties refuse to do anything serious about the problem. But in Australia they are actually trying things - foreign non-residents cannot buy houses there, they can only provide capital for new builds (which they then have to sell once complete). The central bank there is considering raising rates as well, I think.

But prices have just continued to go up in Australia... if that is the case, we are screwed in Canada for some time.

The house is new retirement plan for a lot of Boomers. So... well, we are screwed if we play this game. Market can remain crazy for far longer than you can remain solvent.

 

[GandiBaat]

Well, how about they...

... you know...

...


....................build new houses?

It will make some boomers go boom with anger, so it will never happen.

 

[Alysson]

Well, how about they...

... you know...

...


....................build new houses?

It’s not just the house that’s expensive, it’s the land.

 

[Psyoptica]

Indeed there are. Actually, I am having second thoughts about Canada too. House prices are really atrocious here.

I'm not very knowledgeable about the housing crises in Canada but I'm trying to understand why is this problem exacerbated to this level? Can't they build more houses to overcome this? And how does this tie back to immigration?

 

[GandiBaat]

It’s not just the house that’s expensive, it’s the land.

Both are expensive.

 

[Deleted member 1050918]

Both are expensive.

Yeah. This is where it gets even funnier. North America is half of the entire American continent. Canada is half of North America. Now ask, how can you occupy literally a quarter of a continent and still have your soil very expensive to sell? I'll say immigrants did it.

 

[Alysson]

Yeah. This is where it gets even funnier. North America is half of the entire American continent. Canada is half of North America. Now ask, how can you occupy literally a quarter of a continent and still have your soil very expensive to sell? I'll say immigrants did it.

Outside investment groups saw rising prices and decided to buy the land in suburban cities I guess lol.
The problem is, unlike the US where you can find affordable housing a bit away from the big cities, in Canada, land anywhere near Toronto/Guelph/London is really expensive. You can find affordable housing like 5-6 hours away from Toronto.

 

[Jaycejay]

Eight Solutions to Canada’s Housing Crisis
https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2016/12/10/Eight-Solutions-Canada-Housing-Crisis/

Canada can solve this looming problem, maybe there’s no political will to do just that yet

 

[GandiBaat]

I'm not very knowledgeable about the housing crises in Canada but why actually is this problem exacerbated to this level? Can't they build more houses to overcome this? And how does this tie back to immigration?

For one thing, There are only these many cities in Canada which can be called cities. Like Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, Victoria etc. Rest have too few people to have enough jobs or facilities etc.
Out of these cities, leaving Calgary, rest have one or another geographic limitation. Vancouver is sandwitched between high mountains and sea, Victoria is on an Island, Toronto has a lake and USA on one side. So on and so forth. Then there is this crazy idea that land usage MUST be really restricted to not allow building more houses. Its called bylaws. Most of the time, it is supported by house owners who go and shout like hell "Down with new house, down with tyrany of less homeless people". Its got a name. Its called NIMBYism in Canada for "Not In My Back Yard, dammit". Its really funny to watch except it makes house prices go up. I mean, very very advantaged people coming and protesting how the state is trampling their human rights of constant appriciation of their property by 20% each year. They do not want local bodies to allow constructing more cheap homes in their neighborhood because it will bring down the prices of their own houses.

So on and on it goes.