Cost of housing in Canada

[IKnowNothing]

Please say what the solution would be? I am genuinely curious as to what steps are available to him? I can buy a detached home outside of Toronto for 350,000 what possible action can the premier initiate that will reduce prices in the GTA whilst not destroying the housing market elsewhere considering the price of construction is over 150 a sq. ft. without tarriffs.

Fits better in this thread.

Solution: stop trying to fight mathematical reality and bow to efficiency.

You identified the crux of the issue. The suburban property tax base doesn't generate revenue to support their ongoing service cost and upkeep AND/OR bank enough to be prepared for EOL infrastructure replacement. The existing suburban housing inventory is financially reliant on the development fees of new builds to stay afloat. So development fees are exorbitant, doing double and triple duty. To keep the cycle going municipalities need to spend twice- replacing existing low density infrastructure AND expanding with more slightly higher low density. It's an impossible circle to square- the money has to come from some where.

So Infill and densification. Not a free for all of garden suites and basement apartments without properly accounting for increased service demand. End exclusionary zoning, scale up infrastructure replacement projects to be able to take on more residential capacity on the same footprint rather than being 1 for 1, and provide tax incentives/ development fee rebates to hit targeted densification ratios.

Take 5% of the land area in GTA SDH exclusionary zone suburb and 4-8x the density with a combination of well planned * town homes and lowrise apartments and you end up with 115-135% of the original carrying capacity.

* Still following setbacks and lot coverage ratios, having proper parking.

Nimby voters won't like it- but who else are they going to vote for provincially? Especially considering it's not a policy that either of the NDP or LPO can oppose on ideological grounds.

The majority of whole unique towns with their various residential densities, commercial use, industrial use etc. could be picked up and dropped into suburban neighbourhoods. Breaking up the sea won't end the world.

 

[YZT580]

Fits better in this thread.

Solution: stop trying to fight mathematical reality and bow to efficiency.

You identified the crux of the issue. The suburban property tax base doesn't generate revenue to support their ongoing service cost and upkeep AND/OR bank enough to be prepared for EOL infrastructure replacement. The existing suburban housing inventory is financially reliant on the development fees of new builds to stay afloat. So development fees are exorbitant, doing double and triple duty. To keep the cycle going municipalities need to spend twice- replacing existing low density infrastructure AND expanding with more slightly higher low density. It's an impossible circle to square- the money has to come from some where.

So Infill and densification. Not a free for all of garden suites and basement apartments without properly accounting for increased service demand. End exclusionary zoning, scale up infrastructure replacement projects to be able to take on more residential capacity on the same footprint rather than being 1 for 1, and provide tax incentives/ development fee rebates to hit targeted densification ratios.

Take 5% of the land area in GTA SDH exclusionary zone suburb and 4-8x the density with a combination of well planned * town homes and lowrise apartments and you end up with 115-135% of the original carrying capacity.

* Still following setbacks and lot coverage ratios, having proper parking.

Nimby voters won't like it- but who else are they going to vote for provincially? Especially considering it's not a policy that either of the NDP or LPO can oppose on ideological grounds.

The majority of whole unique towns with their various residential densities, commercial use, industrial use etc. could be picked up and dropped into suburban neighbourhoods. Breaking up the sea won't end the world.

And which of those actions can be done by the premier acting without town councils onside?

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

And which of those actions can be done by the premier acting without town councils onside?

Town councils have no say in Ontario anymore...

 

[YZT580]

Town councils have no say in Ontario anymore...

no, but mayors sure do. Niagara is being devastated by a neighbourhood destroying real estate leader.

 

[MilEME09]

Anyone else's area seem to have a distinct price point where semi detached houses start? Calgary and area seems to be 500k where you see them available in decent shape that wouldn't require reno to be livable. God forbid you have a dog because so many condos and row houses are these ugly 3 story designs with no yard at all. Yet they still ask for 450k or more for a 3 bedroom. Searching a 4 bedroom for my family drove us out of calgary just to find something, and still cost us 650. Same house inside calgary is about 900-1.3 million

 

[IKnowNothing]

And which of those actions can be done by the premier acting without town councils onside?

If he wanted to/ was willing to rule by decree (as he as shown willingness to do multiple times) all of those changes could be pushed down from Queen's Park. Ontario municipalities are extensions of the provincial authority empowered by provincial legislation to carry out certain aspects of provincial governance "closer to home." The expectations and rule book come from the province- the province can change it/them.

But it would be better for a leader to show leadership and work to get them onside yes.

 

[IKnowNothing]

Anyone else's area seem to have a distinct price point where semi detached houses start? Calgary and area seems to be 500k where you see them available in decent shape that wouldn't require reno to be livable. God forbid you have a dog because so many condos and row houses are these ugly 3 story designs with no yard at all. Yet they still ask for 450k or more for a 3 bedroom. Searching a 4 bedroom for my family drove us out of calgary just to find something, and still cost us 650. Same house inside calgary is about 900-1.3 million

Floor in my neck of rural SW Ontario is ~330-400 for a 2BR 1-1.5 Bath ~1050 foot condo. 330-350 gets you the 1 bath tastefully updated 80's build apartment style, 390-400 for the 2Bath new build townhouse walkup.

Comparable size in a freehold war time bungalow starter home in the low 400's, with the entirety of the yarded "family home" in the 1300-2000 sq ft, 3 bed 1 bath to 4 bed 2 bath getting compressed into the 500-700 range. Then a game of chicken in the rural lifestyle /luxury house market with listings holding in the 950 to 1.3 2022 era pricing, sitting for 180 days then either coming off the market or closing 20-30% under list.

 

[Quirky]

God forbid you have a dog because so many condos and row houses are these ugly 3 story designs with no yard at all. Yet they still ask for 450k or more for a 3 bedroom.

Those types of condos are quickly and cheaply built for the influx of people coming from overseas, they fit the need for that demographic. No yard, no private parking. That’s the same for most Canadian cities these days. Be prepared to move outside the city or pay big bucks to have a single detached house in town.

 

[suffolkowner]

If he wanted to/ was willing to rule by decree (as he as shown willingness to do multiple times) all of those changes could be pushed down from Queen's Park. Ontario municipalities are extensions of the provincial authority empowered by provincial legislation to carry out certain aspects of provincial governance "closer to home." The expectations and rule book come from the province- the province can change it/them.

But it would be better for a leader to show leadership and work to get them onside yes.

Doug Ford has already directed on development charges and other municipal affairs many times. But I doubt he is going to go offside on Silvio

 

[MilEME09]

Those types of condos are quickly and cheaply built for the influx of people coming from overseas, they fit the need for that demographic. No yard, no private parking. That’s the same for most Canadian cities these days. Be prepared to move outside the city or pay big bucks to have a single detached house in town.

Yeap which is what we did