Canada's liberal immigration boom promised growth but delivered housing strain, wage stagnation, and rising political backlash. Here's what went wrong.
Certainly a salient topic, however based on a lot of serious study on the lack of affordable housing issue immigration ranks low. The housing issue is global so the community working on solutions is also global and generous in sharing both analysis and solutions. (I've been in the Building Industry for a couple of decades & continue to work on solutions to this wicked problem.) The most influential issues on housing (there are about 10, but these ones tend to be the top ones): commodification of housing through REITs and Private Equity firms (some of these have been banded in the EU); the growing popularity of short-term rentals (Barcelona out-lawed them as local citizens had no where to live); impact of municipal zoning & permitting and Development Charges; the municipal encouragement of NIMBYs through their planning processes; an unproductive construction industry - flat for decades; a lack of investment in new processes & tools; lack of construction workers as a result of a generational shift and less interest from younger generations.
It may/may not be obvious these issues are predominantly Municipal (development/permitting etc) and Provincial - dropping investment in Education and Infrastructure and healthcare. Indeed, foreign student attendance at universities & colleges were a significant monetary feed into post secondary budgets. The Feds have typically supported affordable housing through the CMHC roles and also provincial infrastructure investment etc.
The CDN Construction Association advocates with the Feds for increased immigration; the Provinces advocate for medical professionals; and agriculture workers - usually seasonal, etc.
The 'Modular' construction solution(s) have been around for decades, however slow to catch-on for numerous reasons anchored in traditional construction thinking by contractors and municipalities. Complex ...
However, investment does influence the day and can change outcomes. If the Feds invest in infrastructure, Dev Charges drop; if the Province intervenes, community planning/permitting changes allowing for increased densities (missing-middle); if the Feds & Provinces remove interprovincial trade barriers many obstacles drop off, if all invest in technology changes, Modular manufacturing becomes more established and viable.
The upside is if we work together - rather than assign blame - a considerable leap in progress is achievable and not just for housing.
Removing internal trade barriers by standardizing most building codes could help. Reducing immigration and encouraging businesses to grow here can help as well.
Yes ... I'm an advocate for 'Performance' Based Codes rather than 'Prescriptive' - and a National Academy for Building Inspectors. However, the mobility for professionals across provinces has to improve. One National Association for each profession with a Canadian license to practice across the country. The cost of this Provincial Protectionism to building projects of all kinds is unreal!
Just one small additional comment, a portion of a letter in the NYT:
“It is more than disturbing that Jews around the world are blamed for the actions of the Israeli government. It is sort of like blaming every Black person when a crime is committed by a Black person. We call it racism.”
Frankly, I believe there should be more of a balance in the immigrant/refugee countries of origin. Much of the unrest at Canadian Universities over Israeli policy has been fomented by young muslims who have grown up believing that Jews are to be hated. Presently, 5% of the population of Canada is Muslim. Contrast that to the 1% that is Jewish. Recall also that a major reason Israel exists at all is because pre and post WW2, western nations severely restricted Jewish immigration.
I surely believe in our Canadian compassion, but ….
Yes we have a serious problem with anti-Semitism in Canada and a lack of understanding about the Holocaust and the issues that led to it. We should be welcoming to newcomers who want to contribute and be of value in the country. At the same time, they should learn the basic values in this country instead of creating their bubbles here.
Because if we don't, we have pro-CCP diaspora living and promoting anti-Canadian values, and newcomers that are here to do low-value and low-wage work at the expense of others. These are just some basic examples I can list at the top of my head.
Certainly a salient topic, however based on a lot of serious study on the lack of affordable housing issue immigration ranks low. The housing issue is global so the community working on solutions is also global and generous in sharing both analysis and solutions. (I've been in the Building Industry for a couple of decades & continue to work on solutions to this wicked problem.) The most influential issues on housing (there are about 10, but these ones tend to be the top ones): commodification of housing through REITs and Private Equity firms (some of these have been banded in the EU); the growing popularity of short-term rentals (Barcelona out-lawed them as local citizens had no where to live); impact of municipal zoning & permitting and Development Charges; the municipal encouragement of NIMBYs through their planning processes; an unproductive construction industry - flat for decades; a lack of investment in new processes & tools; lack of construction workers as a result of a generational shift and less interest from younger generations.
It may/may not be obvious these issues are predominantly Municipal (development/permitting etc) and Provincial - dropping investment in Education and Infrastructure and healthcare. Indeed, foreign student attendance at universities & colleges were a significant monetary feed into post secondary budgets. The Feds have typically supported affordable housing through the CMHC roles and also provincial infrastructure investment etc.
The CDN Construction Association advocates with the Feds for increased immigration; the Provinces advocate for medical professionals; and agriculture workers - usually seasonal, etc.
The 'Modular' construction solution(s) have been around for decades, however slow to catch-on for numerous reasons anchored in traditional construction thinking by contractors and municipalities. Complex ...
However, investment does influence the day and can change outcomes. If the Feds invest in infrastructure, Dev Charges drop; if the Province intervenes, community planning/permitting changes allowing for increased densities (missing-middle); if the Feds & Provinces remove interprovincial trade barriers many obstacles drop off, if all invest in technology changes, Modular manufacturing becomes more established and viable.
The upside is if we work together - rather than assign blame - a considerable leap in progress is achievable and not just for housing.
Removing internal trade barriers by standardizing most building codes could help. Reducing immigration and encouraging businesses to grow here can help as well.
Yes ... I'm an advocate for 'Performance' Based Codes rather than 'Prescriptive' - and a National Academy for Building Inspectors. However, the mobility for professionals across provinces has to improve. One National Association for each profession with a Canadian license to practice across the country. The cost of this Provincial Protectionism to building projects of all kinds is unreal!
Internal trade barriers are very backwards and make it difficult for international trade as well
Just one small additional comment, a portion of a letter in the NYT:
“It is more than disturbing that Jews around the world are blamed for the actions of the Israeli government. It is sort of like blaming every Black person when a crime is committed by a Black person. We call it racism.”
Yes, that is textbook racism and anti-Semitism if it is not obvious.
Frankly, I believe there should be more of a balance in the immigrant/refugee countries of origin. Much of the unrest at Canadian Universities over Israeli policy has been fomented by young muslims who have grown up believing that Jews are to be hated. Presently, 5% of the population of Canada is Muslim. Contrast that to the 1% that is Jewish. Recall also that a major reason Israel exists at all is because pre and post WW2, western nations severely restricted Jewish immigration.
I surely believe in our Canadian compassion, but ….
Yes we have a serious problem with anti-Semitism in Canada and a lack of understanding about the Holocaust and the issues that led to it. We should be welcoming to newcomers who want to contribute and be of value in the country. At the same time, they should learn the basic values in this country instead of creating their bubbles here.
Because if we don't, we have pro-CCP diaspora living and promoting anti-Canadian values, and newcomers that are here to do low-value and low-wage work at the expense of others. These are just some basic examples I can list at the top of my head.