Search

Search results

1. If the B.C. government wants to help renters, it should care about homebuilding

   British Columbia Premier John Horgan recently appointed a Rental Housing Task Force to advise the government on how to “improve security and fairness for renters and landlords throughout the province.” It’s encouraging that the ...

2. B.C. budget—housing plan anything but ‘comprehensive’

   The B.C. government’s 2018 budget was widely expected to include measures aimed at housing affordability in the province’s most expensive real estate markets. Unfortunately, the measures announced continue to target the symptoms rather ...

3. Advice for Toronto’s next chief planner—give Torontonians housing options

   The City of Toronto recently announced that its chief planner, Jennifer Keesmaat, will step down from her role after five years at city hall. The ensuing transition presents an excellent opportunity for Toronto to tackle one of its most ...

4. By targeting foreign buyers, Queen’s Park misses the point

   Appeared in the Toronto Sun, July 30, 2017 According to a recent announcement from Queen’s Park, 4.7 per cent of properties purchased in Ontario’s Greater Golden Horseshoe (between April 24 and May 26) were acquired by foreign individuals or corporations. ...

5. How an NDP-Green government can free up B.C.’s housing supply

   Appeared in the Vancouver Sun, June 12, 2017 In the wake of last month’s election, the NDP and Green Party appear poised to form the next government in Victoria. And yet, in their 10-page agreement, (which has sweeping implications for the future of ...

6. Wynne government delivers another potential blow to housing affordability in Toronto

   Appeared in the Toronto Sun, May 26, 2017 The Ontario government has decided to reform the Ontario Municipal Board, a quasi-judicial body that adjudicates land-use planning disputes in Ontario. While this may seem like a minor administrative tweak, it ...

7. Ontario’s double-squeeze on new homes

   Appeared in the Toronto Sun, May 12, 2017 As public concern over skyrocketing home prices in Toronto reaches a fever pitch, governments are quick to point to external factors—foreign buyers, real estate speculators, supposed greedy landlords—but rarely ...

8. Housing in Vancouver—the city can’t be both low-density and affordable

   Appeared in the Vancouver Province, May 4, 2017 Housing prices in B.C. have caused a media frenzy, as analysts, pundits and activists wrestle with how to improve affordability in Vancouver. So far, the discussion has fixated on foreign buyers, speculators ...

9. It takes three times longer to obtain building permits in Vancouver than in Burnaby

   The Fraser Institute’s latest study spotlights the difficulties homebuilders face at city halls across B.C.’s Lower Mainland. The study findings reinforce a recurring theme from almost three years of tracking this issue—there are huge ...

10. New Homes and Red Tape in British Columbia: Residential Land-Use Regulation in the Lower Mainland

    As an increasing number of people move to Canada’s major cities, high housing prices persist in its most desirable markets. With growing concerns about housing affordability and prices, understanding how public policy affects the supply of new homes is ...