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  3. Provinces 'hold the key' to building more homes, new report argues

Provinces 'hold the key' to building more homes, new report argues

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  • Sunshine (she/her)S This user is from outside of this forum
    Sunshine (she/her)S This user is from outside of this forum
    Sunshine (she/her)
    wrote on last edited by
    #1
    This post did not contain any content.
    Link Preview Image
    Provinces 'hold the key' to building more homes, new report argues

    While the federal government and cities across Canada are making strides on expanding the housing supply, the provinces still need to get serious about building quality homes, a new report released Thursday argues.

    favicon

    Canada's National Observer (www.nationalobserver.com)

    Sunshine (she/her)S S 3 Replies Last reply
    6
    • Sunshine (she/her)S Sunshine (she/her)
      This post did not contain any content.
      Link Preview Image
      Provinces 'hold the key' to building more homes, new report argues

      While the federal government and cities across Canada are making strides on expanding the housing supply, the provinces still need to get serious about building quality homes, a new report released Thursday argues.

      favicon

      Canada's National Observer (www.nationalobserver.com)

      Sunshine (she/her)S This user is from outside of this forum
      Sunshine (she/her)S This user is from outside of this forum
      Sunshine (she/her)
      wrote on last edited by
      #2

      The 6 conservative provinces are an obstacle to affordable housing.

      C 1 Reply Last reply
      3
      • Sunshine (she/her)S Sunshine (she/her)

        The 6 conservative provinces are an obstacle to affordable housing.

        C This user is from outside of this forum
        C This user is from outside of this forum
        cheese_greater@lemmy.world
        wrote on last edited by
        #3

        Is that actually true, isn’t this a non-issue in Alberta essentially? The Liberals have not really been any better on it either

        1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • Sunshine (she/her)S Sunshine (she/her)
          This post did not contain any content.
          Link Preview Image
          Provinces 'hold the key' to building more homes, new report argues

          While the federal government and cities across Canada are making strides on expanding the housing supply, the provinces still need to get serious about building quality homes, a new report released Thursday argues.

          favicon

          Canada's National Observer (www.nationalobserver.com)

          S This user is from outside of this forum
          S This user is from outside of this forum
          samuelrjankis@sh.itjust.works
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          The actual report card in question. No province does that well and as usual Alberta is a standout in how poorly someone can run a province.

          Link Preview Image
          Report Card on More and Better Housing

          Read the Report Stay tuned for new insights and sharp policy recommendations. Report Card on More and Better Housing An assessment of Canada’s progress toward building 5.8 million homes that are affordable, low-carbon and resilient Canada is in the midst of a housing crisis—one that demands not just more homes, but homes that are affordable,…

          favicon

          More and Better Housing (moreandbetterhousing.ca)

          S 1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • Sunshine (she/her)S Sunshine (she/her)
            This post did not contain any content.
            Link Preview Image
            Provinces 'hold the key' to building more homes, new report argues

            While the federal government and cities across Canada are making strides on expanding the housing supply, the provinces still need to get serious about building quality homes, a new report released Thursday argues.

            favicon

            Canada's National Observer (www.nationalobserver.com)

            S This user is from outside of this forum
            S This user is from outside of this forum
            samuelrjankis@sh.itjust.works
            wrote on last edited by
            #5

            From other parts of the internet. I don’t agree with all of it but for the most part it’s decent and worth thinking about.

            People should understand at this point if we keep trying to point to a single thing to that needs change it likely won’t actually do much or at least in our lifetime. We need a lot of things to go in the right direction to bring back affordability and should appropriately call out people who aren’t pulling their weight.


            Group Primary Power Barrier Type
            Federal Gov Policy + Land Infrastructure, tax policy
            Provincial Gov Regulation Zoning, development bottlenecks
            Municipal Gov Zoning + Fees NIMBYism, slow approvals
            Homeowners Political + Market Speculation, resistance to change
            Homebuyers Market demand Concentrated bidding, expectations
            Developers Supply gatekeeping Profit prioritization
            Financial Institutions Lending policy Market inflation, investment bias
            Real Estate Industry Messaging & Listings Speculation promotion
            Media/Culture Perception Market pressure via social norms
            Labour/Materials Capacity Rising costs, build delays

            🔹 1. Federal Government

            Role:

            Land Ownership: The federal government controls significant amounts of Crown land, much of which sits unused or underutilized in urban peripheries.
            Taxation Policy: Federal capital gains rules, income from property, and the existence or absence of incentives for affordable development influence developer and homeowner behaviour.
            Housing Acts & Funding: The National Housing Strategy and CMHC programs often focus on social housing, leaving market-rate affordable housing under-addressed. Funding for infrastructure also sets the pace for development.
            

            Barrier Mechanisms:

            Hoarding of federal land or delays in land release.
            Tax incentives that reward property speculation over occupancy or long-term affordability.
            Underinvestment in transportation or infrastructure that could make cheaper land more viable.
            

            🔹 2. Provincial Governments

            Role:

            Land & Zoning Control: Provinces control Crown land within their jurisdictions and direct land-use policies through legislation.
            Regulatory Oversight: They set building codes, development appeal processes, and housing-related tribunal systems.
            Tax Levers: Property transfer taxes, speculation taxes (like BC’s Speculation and Vacancy Tax), and provincial rebates or grants.
            

            Barrier Mechanisms:

            Overregulation or slow regulatory processes.
            Inconsistent or unclear direction to municipalities.
            Delays or gaps in infrastructure funding necessary to enable new developments.
            

            🔹 3. Municipal Governments

            Role:

            Zoning and Development Approvals: Municipalities control land use and zoning, including height, density, and land use rules.
            Fees & Levies: Development charges, community amenity contributions, parkland dedications, etc.
            Local Politics: Local councils are heavily influenced by existing homeowners and vocal NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) groups.
            

            Barrier Mechanisms:

            Low-density zoning in urban cores.
            Bureaucratic or slow permitting processes.
            Restriction of development to protect "neighbourhood character."
            Lack of coordination with surrounding municipalities for regional planning.
            

            🔹 4. Homeowners

            Role:

            Political Influence: Homeowners are highly engaged voters and often resist developments that may reduce their property value or change the character of their neighbourhood.
            Speculation: Use of primary homes and investment properties as financial instruments rather than housing.
            

            Barrier Mechanisms:

            Resistance to densification.
            Holding on to underutilized properties.
            Purchasing additional properties, reducing overall supply for first-time buyers.
            

            🔹 5. Home Buyers

            Role:

            Demand Pressure: Flocking to desirable areas and competing with each other fuels bidding wars.
            Preferences: Preferences for certain neighbourhoods, amenities, or detached homes limit the demand for other more affordable but less "prime" options.
            

            Barrier Mechanisms:

            Exacerbation of housing bubbles in hot markets.
            Little market pressure for developers to build outside of high-demand areas or diversify product types.
            

            🔹 6. Developers & Builders

            Role:

            Control of Supply: They are the ones actually producing housing.
            Profit-Motivated: Focused on returns; higher-end or luxury units offer greater profit margins.
            Land Banking: May hold land for future resale at higher value instead of building now.
            

            Barrier Mechanisms:

            Preference for high-margin projects (e.g., condos vs. family-sized rentals).
            Delayed builds due to market timing ("just-in-time" development).
            Underbuilding affordable units unless incentivized or required.
            

            🔹 7. Financial Institutions (Banks, Mortgage Lenders, Investors)

            Role:

            Credit Policy: Lending practices directly affect who can buy and how much they can borrow.
            Investment Products: REITs and other housing-focused investment vehicles treat housing as an asset class.
            

            Barrier Mechanisms:

            Easy credit can inflate prices.
            Institutional ownership of housing stock reduces supply available for private ownership.
            Risk-averse lending discourages innovative or affordable projects.
            

            🔹 8. Real Estate Industry (Agents, MLS systems, Speculators)

            Role:

            Market Messaging: Pushes narratives around “invest now or miss out.”
            Intermediation: Agents, especially in hot markets, may encourage bidding wars.
            

            Barrier Mechanisms:

            Speculation culture.
            Pressure to treat homes as investments first, shelter second.
            

            🔹 9. Media & Cultural Norms

            Role:

            Narrative Shaping: Reinforces the idea that real estate is the ultimate path to wealth.
            Desirability Framing: Promotes specific types of housing (e.g., detached homes) and locations as aspirational.
            

            Barrier Mechanisms:

            Normalization of price increases.
            Discourages demand for alternative housing types or models.
            

            🔹 10. Labour and Materials Supply Chain

            Role:

            Constrains Supply: A lack of skilled tradespeople or high material costs can slow or block construction.
            

            Barrier Mechanisms:

            Increased build times and costs.
            Preference for projects that are more profitable to offset higher labour/material costs.
            
            F 1 Reply Last reply
            2
            • S samuelrjankis@sh.itjust.works

              The actual report card in question. No province does that well and as usual Alberta is a standout in how poorly someone can run a province.

              Link Preview Image
              Report Card on More and Better Housing

              Read the Report Stay tuned for new insights and sharp policy recommendations. Report Card on More and Better Housing An assessment of Canada’s progress toward building 5.8 million homes that are affordable, low-carbon and resilient Canada is in the midst of a housing crisis—one that demands not just more homes, but homes that are affordable,…

              favicon

              More and Better Housing (moreandbetterhousing.ca)

              S This user is from outside of this forum
              S This user is from outside of this forum
              samuelrjankis@sh.itjust.works
              wrote on last edited by
              #6

              https://moreandbetterhousing.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ReportCard.pdf

              This is the full 56 page report. I do think it’s rather generous on the Federal level for omitting what a real federal tax reform could do along with how HAF has gone.

              I also think they should have truly split out the municipal and provincial aspects. It would have brought the BC grade go up noticeably and lower Alberta even more.

              1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • S samuelrjankis@sh.itjust.works

                From other parts of the internet. I don’t agree with all of it but for the most part it’s decent and worth thinking about.

                People should understand at this point if we keep trying to point to a single thing to that needs change it likely won’t actually do much or at least in our lifetime. We need a lot of things to go in the right direction to bring back affordability and should appropriately call out people who aren’t pulling their weight.


                Group Primary Power Barrier Type
                Federal Gov Policy + Land Infrastructure, tax policy
                Provincial Gov Regulation Zoning, development bottlenecks
                Municipal Gov Zoning + Fees NIMBYism, slow approvals
                Homeowners Political + Market Speculation, resistance to change
                Homebuyers Market demand Concentrated bidding, expectations
                Developers Supply gatekeeping Profit prioritization
                Financial Institutions Lending policy Market inflation, investment bias
                Real Estate Industry Messaging & Listings Speculation promotion
                Media/Culture Perception Market pressure via social norms
                Labour/Materials Capacity Rising costs, build delays

                🔹 1. Federal Government

                Role:

                Land Ownership: The federal government controls significant amounts of Crown land, much of which sits unused or underutilized in urban peripheries.
                Taxation Policy: Federal capital gains rules, income from property, and the existence or absence of incentives for affordable development influence developer and homeowner behaviour.
                Housing Acts & Funding: The National Housing Strategy and CMHC programs often focus on social housing, leaving market-rate affordable housing under-addressed. Funding for infrastructure also sets the pace for development.
                

                Barrier Mechanisms:

                Hoarding of federal land or delays in land release.
                Tax incentives that reward property speculation over occupancy or long-term affordability.
                Underinvestment in transportation or infrastructure that could make cheaper land more viable.
                

                🔹 2. Provincial Governments

                Role:

                Land & Zoning Control: Provinces control Crown land within their jurisdictions and direct land-use policies through legislation.
                Regulatory Oversight: They set building codes, development appeal processes, and housing-related tribunal systems.
                Tax Levers: Property transfer taxes, speculation taxes (like BC’s Speculation and Vacancy Tax), and provincial rebates or grants.
                

                Barrier Mechanisms:

                Overregulation or slow regulatory processes.
                Inconsistent or unclear direction to municipalities.
                Delays or gaps in infrastructure funding necessary to enable new developments.
                

                🔹 3. Municipal Governments

                Role:

                Zoning and Development Approvals: Municipalities control land use and zoning, including height, density, and land use rules.
                Fees & Levies: Development charges, community amenity contributions, parkland dedications, etc.
                Local Politics: Local councils are heavily influenced by existing homeowners and vocal NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) groups.
                

                Barrier Mechanisms:

                Low-density zoning in urban cores.
                Bureaucratic or slow permitting processes.
                Restriction of development to protect "neighbourhood character."
                Lack of coordination with surrounding municipalities for regional planning.
                

                🔹 4. Homeowners

                Role:

                Political Influence: Homeowners are highly engaged voters and often resist developments that may reduce their property value or change the character of their neighbourhood.
                Speculation: Use of primary homes and investment properties as financial instruments rather than housing.
                

                Barrier Mechanisms:

                Resistance to densification.
                Holding on to underutilized properties.
                Purchasing additional properties, reducing overall supply for first-time buyers.
                

                🔹 5. Home Buyers

                Role:

                Demand Pressure: Flocking to desirable areas and competing with each other fuels bidding wars.
                Preferences: Preferences for certain neighbourhoods, amenities, or detached homes limit the demand for other more affordable but less "prime" options.
                

                Barrier Mechanisms:

                Exacerbation of housing bubbles in hot markets.
                Little market pressure for developers to build outside of high-demand areas or diversify product types.
                

                🔹 6. Developers & Builders

                Role:

                Control of Supply: They are the ones actually producing housing.
                Profit-Motivated: Focused on returns; higher-end or luxury units offer greater profit margins.
                Land Banking: May hold land for future resale at higher value instead of building now.
                

                Barrier Mechanisms:

                Preference for high-margin projects (e.g., condos vs. family-sized rentals).
                Delayed builds due to market timing ("just-in-time" development).
                Underbuilding affordable units unless incentivized or required.
                

                🔹 7. Financial Institutions (Banks, Mortgage Lenders, Investors)

                Role:

                Credit Policy: Lending practices directly affect who can buy and how much they can borrow.
                Investment Products: REITs and other housing-focused investment vehicles treat housing as an asset class.
                

                Barrier Mechanisms:

                Easy credit can inflate prices.
                Institutional ownership of housing stock reduces supply available for private ownership.
                Risk-averse lending discourages innovative or affordable projects.
                

                🔹 8. Real Estate Industry (Agents, MLS systems, Speculators)

                Role:

                Market Messaging: Pushes narratives around “invest now or miss out.”
                Intermediation: Agents, especially in hot markets, may encourage bidding wars.
                

                Barrier Mechanisms:

                Speculation culture.
                Pressure to treat homes as investments first, shelter second.
                

                🔹 9. Media & Cultural Norms

                Role:

                Narrative Shaping: Reinforces the idea that real estate is the ultimate path to wealth.
                Desirability Framing: Promotes specific types of housing (e.g., detached homes) and locations as aspirational.
                

                Barrier Mechanisms:

                Normalization of price increases.
                Discourages demand for alternative housing types or models.
                

                🔹 10. Labour and Materials Supply Chain

                Role:

                Constrains Supply: A lack of skilled tradespeople or high material costs can slow or block construction.
                

                Barrier Mechanisms:

                Increased build times and costs.
                Preference for projects that are more profitable to offset higher labour/material costs.
                
                F This user is from outside of this forum
                F This user is from outside of this forum
                fireretardant@lemmy.world
                wrote on last edited by
                #7

                Your chart somewhat implys that infrastructure is strictly a federal issue when all 3 governmental levels play a role. Feds play a role in funding and transport across provincial borders, provinces play a role in funding for themselves and municipalities. Municipalities can decide how many lanes, specific speed limits, and transit development. Until very recently a municipality had all the power to build a bike lane themselves without provincial permission.

                The way our cities are built are one of the biggest issues with our housing crisis. Increasing density is one of the best things we can do to build out of this crisis and for the most part, we don’t need anything from the feds to do it, funding would be nice but its certainly possible to start without it.

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