An affordable housing crisis that is hurting the Canadian government’s popularity will take years to resolve, even if construction hits an 80-year high, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Saturday.

  • NarrativeBear@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    We need to make out cities and towns more family friendly.

    Almost all new buildings in north america prioritize bachelor’s units 1 and 2 bedroom units. Trying to find a well priced 3 or 4 bedroom in a “lively” downtown center, close to transit and work, with plenty of schooling in the area is almost impossible.

    Instead most new buildings going up seem to be prioritized towards investment as opposed to long term living.

    Here’s a good article talking about why developers don’t provide adequate family units.

    https://www.centerforbuilding.org/blog/we-we-cant-build-family-sized-apartments-in-north-america

    • folkrav@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      This. My wife and I, as a household unit, are apparently top 7-8% in terms of yearly earnings. 3-4 bedroom houses are out of our reasonable budget in Montreal and surroundings. Some people have told me I’d qualify for a duplex and could just live in the first and rent out the second unit, but I’m not interested at all in contributing to this trend of increasingly commodifying access to housing. I’d buy close to town, but with the current market and rates, the payments would be insanely high. So I could maybe buy super far from town, but then I’m putting all my faith into being able to work mostly remotely forever, as most jobs in both of our fields are either in or around Montreal.

      • Smk@lemmy.ca
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        1 year ago

        I’m also a top earner and this market is just freaking stupid. No way am I going to ruin myself just for a 4bedroom place for my family and me.

        • folkrav@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          The way things are going, we’re gonna ruin ourselves with rent eventually too lol