What can we do to combat skyrocketing rent? | About That

Renting in Canada is expensive from coast to coast. About That producer Lauren Bird talks to housing expert Nemoy Lewis about how we got here - and how we can sustainably move forward.
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[@death2putin718]

My 1-bed rent here in suburban Tokyo is $500 monthly, a region with the same population of the whole of Canada.

[@cartninja6479]

Yeah so...

[@JJs_playground]

That's a crazy amount. Ya so I don't understand why it's so expensive in Canada vs Japan.

[@celestialeel]

@@cartninja6479 because tokyo is far more dense than anywhere in canada, yet 1/4th the cost of rent in a much better city. staggering difference

[@HamidA-to8vy]

Because: - Japan is shrinking and Canada is growing so it needs more new houses. - Canadians expectations for houses are much bigger. Canadians pay too much. Canadians complain too much in spite they have the most beautiful country in the world

[@cartninja6479]

@@celestialeel yeah so..

[@borissibor2638]

The un-affordable cost of everything in life all boils down to one factor: human greed for money.

[@katherinespencer2073]

U are right. Every worker who contributes to the thousands of components which are part of a building should have their pay limited, less sick days, no holidays that get full pay & more carefully supervised like they do in the countries that we get our clothing, dishes etc from, with breaks 10 min. lunch is 20 min & that time comes off the wages each day 14 hr day. No talking allowed while at work.

[@freddytang2128]

is it that simple? so look at the places in the world with affordable rent, are people there not greedy for some reason? or is economics a lot more complicated than just "greed"?

[@cz2301]

Im not Canadian but from what i see from the Marketplace show, Canadian politicians tend to side with the powerful and CEOs are greedy. Mr Lewis was right in saying it's a matter of political willpower to solve the housing problem

[@wayneboyd4372]

Perhaps but if the opposition party (federally) took power, you would see that support for the rich and businesses increase by a 1,000,000 times/fold. We should also look at over-population - that's an important piece of the pie.

[@cz2301]

@@wayneboyd4372 idk there are people who need housing, what are the government’s options? Move them away? Perhaps change the building zoning laws a build more coops, Canada’s lands are extremely under-used, such a big country with a relative small population.

[@reneb3063]

stopping mass immigration will solve the problem, all these new people are creating deman for a place to live

[@shauncameron8390]

@@reneb3063 Especially in the cities.

[@TheDarkPorkins]

If i lose the place im in now i'll be homeless. It's impossible for a single person to live alone in this economy :(.

[@melaniecarney551]

The house I rent is up for sale and if it gets bought I might have to move and.i also can't afford the rent prices now 😪

[@Lifeisapartydresslikeit]

I’m a homeowner and I pay a lot for mortgage. I mean a lot!! But the rent is worse than my mortgage if I were to rent my current house. I’d be homeless!!

[@sew_gal7340]

get married, it is better for everyone

[@canadianjatti]

i live alone im ok...increase income and move out of large metro areas

[@slwide7507]

@@melaniecarney551 I don't think the landlord can evict you even the house is sold.

[@danwelterweight4137]

Singapore is one of the richest countries in the world. One of the smallest countries in the world as well. Yet there 70% of the population lives in public housing. Austria too is one of the richest countries in the world, yet more than half of the population lives in public housing. As long as we see housing as a source of investment and growing wealth instead of a place people need to live we will continue to have this problem. Most Western cities have the same problem as well. We need to change our mindset of what housing is for. Housing should be for living, not for making money.

[@activity1]

Excellent 👍

[@Gillz34]

Naw socialism is not good. The government has to build more and create options for all. If you want public housing it’s there n if you want private housing it should be there gotta create a balance

[@shauncameron8390]

Because Singapore hardly has any land to grow its own food let alone build anything other than public housing. And?

[@4leafclover243]

Bingo!! Ding ding give this OP a reward for common sense the Canadian government lacks. In Thailand you can’t even own land unless you’re a citizen (there is one exception but it’s bothersome) and foreigners can only buy condos up to 49% of total units.

[@Gamabunta24345]

The scariest 8 words in the English language are "I'm from the government and I'm here to help".

[@py3pro2023]

Check the foreign investment groups making buildings, they also mentioned most are bought for airbnd spots, I read that the companies are finding ways around the recent laws in Canada for rental properties. So if another govt needs money, they will charge more to help them get funds from other countries they are invested in.

[@JogBird]

ive been renting the same place for >10 years and my rent is at least $1000 below market rate.. which would be like a $16,000 pretax raise

[@HITMAN934]

High rent limits saving for a home if your own …. Which is exactly what rental companies and landlords want as it keeps you paying them.

[@shauncameron8390]

Not as much as governments and banks do standing to benefit from property tax and mortgage interest.

[@tony--james]

and yet, gov seems to think housing 500K immigrants a year is a good idea, but yeah, they need immigration to keep down labour costs and divide the people so the rich can get richer, if we had less immigration, we would have things like , #1 affordable houses #2 green spaces left alone in cities, #3 Lower rent!

[@activity1]

Am immigrant but u av a point. M from Pakistan and wouldn't have been burden if my place was reasonably managed. To me world should be open and free to move; no visa pp. Demand and supply will naturally adjust the things

[@slwide7507]

Canada will need new comers to fund pensions of older retirees.

[@activity1]

@@slwide7507 u av a point

[@lindalee621]

Housing is a basic human right, but seems Canadian politicians don't care at all.

[@freddytang2128]

Declaring something a human right doesn’t make that something magically appear. Food is a human right, doesn’t mean we all get free food

[@JaysonT975]

@@freddytang2128 putting words in peoples mouths doesnt make you smart kiddo

[@esparda07]

They don't.

[@jessefisher1809]

Blame the average homeowning voter. They don't want new houses built because it would decrease their house's value. If that were to change, I'm sure the governments position would too over time, it'd have to if there was enough pressure. But there's just not.

[@jessefisher1809]

@@freddytang2128 Nobody is asking for free housing though...

[@itsnotme07]

Either the government gets back into housing or they start requiring developers to reserve 35-40% of their new builds for "low/moderate income" people. Everyone wants to make more money but the pay rates are not keeping up with the new costs. Sadly it's going to cause more homeless issues. Maybe even incentivize landlords with tax benefits to have 15-20% of their current buildings as low/moderate income apartments as well, but put a 10 year cap on it for each renter, meaning they need to start paying market rent if they stay past 10 years.

[@Bl4ckDoT_]

Doesn't work. If you force builders to rent cheap, then they won't build because the return on investment is better elsewhere, like the stock market.

[@guineapigzed]

Communism

[@andrewmorris7394]

@@Bl4ckDoT_ Only because the builders have be come so massive. In Ontario the owners of the companies all have $20M+ mansions in Oakville. Incentivize small builders. One neighborhood split between 12 small developers instead of one massive one or something. This attracts a different type of person. Someone who might be happy running a small contracting company and pocketing $450K/year instead of tens of millions. Immigrants? Let's mandate that a certain percentage come with transferable skills to housing development and set up programs to get them up to speed on our code.

[@shauncameron8390]

That doesn't work. And Montreal already did that. Developers would much rather pay the fine than build affordable housing as affordable = financial loss.

[@merc340sr]

Not one word on city by-laws and the length of time it takes to approve projects. Rent controls also restrict supply of housing...

[@shauncameron8390]

Exactly.

[@UpInYourFaceTube]

This is a pathetic failure of the Provincial & Federal government. This has become a crisis for Canadians nation wide. We as voters have to make this basic need priority with laser focus in all levels of government in upcoming elections without deviations, or excuses.

[@shauncameron8390]

hat about municipal governments?

[@Meyers1793]

TBH I don't think it is a "failure" of those governments. It can only be a failure if you assume in good faith that they ACTUALLY want to make life more affordable for the majority of Canadians. However if you discard that premise and accept that Liberals and Conservatives both share an interest in protecting the profits of landlords and developers, it becomes obviously that they have NO intention of reducing the housing crisis. Ultimately that approach may be to their detriment if enough Canadians realize these ghouls (Ford, Trudeau, John Tory) will not lift a finger to help and we remove them from office. But sadly that seems unlikely to happen.

[@RepublicOfWesternCanadaNOW]

Well, I'd imagine putting a halt on immigration until we build up a more sizeable housing supply would be a start. But first up, and before all that, top priority would be to throw all of these World Economic Forum traitors in our government directly into prison.

[@hellooutthere8956]

Are you Canadian? I ask because I didnt think canada had a lot of immigrants and certainly not compared to the united states or are you talking abt the u.s.

[@JaysonT975]

sorry kiddo arresting ppl who disagree with your politics wont help

[@frankmoon9350]

@@hellooutthere8956 Are you Canadian? We've had an open border for years. Also, trudeau INCREASED immigration during a housing crisis. he seriously hates Canadians.

[@opencommentsbbcnewsnight1704]

@@hellooutthere8956 Under Justin Trudeau, Canadian immigration rates are at historic highs.

[@shauncameron8390]

@@abalister6661 Chretien and Martin Liberal government baked out.

[@esparda07]

Canadians: "We can't afford homes." JT: "Let's ban guns." Canadians: "We can't afford rent." JT: "Let's buy jets." Canadians: "We can't afford groceries." JT: "We need to pay for climate tax." Your PM is daft af.

[@meaghanorlinski8464]

Er... Jets were a contract first started by Harris, who signed us up for a lot of tied deals with trade and arms deals. Also JT has done a fair bit for housing prices, but its on all levels to take action. Food prices are skyrocketing mostly from profiteering. Our major food brands and grocery chains are making record profits. So are our banks. Your bad arguments are what is daft. And I don't even like JT. Your arguments are just so wrong you've gone and made me defend him. Shame on you.

[@on2thenextthing]

Yet, the people who are complaining about rent continue to vote for liberals. You can't make this stuff up. Intelligence is not something that can be taught.

[@HamidA-to8vy]

Speaking of Vancouver, houses prices dropped 20% during last months, but most of new building are for sale not renting. Easing the market is not impossible task. Increasing the offered houses 5% or so will have dramatic changes . Provincial governments are falling short in expanding the infrastructure fast enough in suburb areas which will reduce pressure on centers. There engineering problem too. Present construction methods should be reviewed

[@markplain2555]

@@MrMannyhw Governments have been doing that in North America for decades. Caused all kinds of problems. The Bronx of New York was a government housing program that became a slum (as just one example).

[@markplain2555]

Hamid - your response is simple, on point and correct,

[@Droxal]

@@markplain2555 That's because these affordable housing projects of the past were built in one area, usually away from amenities. If affordable housing works, it had to be spread out through all neighborhoods instead of forcing one place to hold all the burden.

[@reneb3063]

it is about mass immigration

[@anasfrh]

We should be densifying cities. Municipalities should not be allowed to block mid-density housing developments and should substantially reduce the difficulty and processes required to build housing. Developers at the end of the day are responding to market realities, if there is limited land where they can develop housing projects due to supply limiting regulation, they will be incentivized to develop mostly luxury projects.

[@rich7447]

Canada has a lot of land and a small population. People living on top of each other causes a ton of issues.

[@anasfrh]

@@rich7447 I am not suggesting that everything should be densified or will be densified. But clearly the big cities are in need of densification. If people want to live in a single family house, they have the right to but they shouldn't be blocking mid-density housing and imposing their housing preferences on people.

[@rich7447]

@@anasfrh If they can afford to live in a single family home in a city then that is their choice and if there are enough people that want to live in single family homes in the same area and they can all afford it then you get a less dense neighborhood. Packing people into cities causes too many problems. Aren't the people that want to densify cities imposing their housing preference on people?

[@ssap9894]

@@rich7447 Yes Canada has a lot of land, but all the demand are in a few urban centers. The rest of the land are irrelevant. Density takes up far less space. People who want to live in suburban single family homes, need to support high density near urban cores and transit hubs, this way everyone can get what they want. Density means more people in less spaces. Having dense centers does not take away that much space for suburbs. You want areas with density for people who like density, this way they would not be competing with you for space in the suburbs.

[@ssap9894]

@@rich7447 It's all about management. Mismanaged single family communities can be far worse than a well managed dense community. Some of the best run cities in the world are densely populated. Some of the most dysfunctional communities in North America are single family housing communities.

[@RossEphgrave]

Rents are increasing because mortgage rates have increased. Landlords may be taking advantage or maybe they need higher rent to cover increased mortgage costs on their properties. Two sides to the story or two stories...?

[@esparda07]

SELL because people need homes to BUY.

[@rickystarduster]

but the problem is that the rental market has been going of the rails for a few years now and it has gotten to a point where it is unsustainable. just like the housing market has become unsustainable due to real estate agents and banks helping drive up pricing and now many people may end up defaulting on their mortgages. so unless more lo cost homes are built for affordable rent people will not have homes and become homeless

[@t.v.4551]

No, no, no! It’s a simple greed as always!!! Do not justify it!!

[@RossEphgrave]

Btw I'm also a landlord, facing much increased costs when I have to renew my mortgages this summer. I'm not going to screw my tenants, but they may have to move elsewhere...

[@niweshlekhak9646]

@@RossEphgrave you will also face 5.5% increase in property tax.

[@warrenpeece1726]

How silly. Rent prices are based on supply and demand. People are paying "high" rent because they CAN afford it, not because they can't!

[@SteelHorse1015]

Hi there, I am a landlord of several properties and I have had to increase rents due to the current government policies on the carbon tax and their inability to manage inflation. Costs such as these have to be passed onto the renter, the same as home owners. Until we geta government who knows how to manage a country like business and be fiscally responsible, this situation will get worse.

[@kariml5461]

CBC doesn't help, they continue to spread their extreme left ideology. Don't see how we can get a reasonable government with their propaganda engine running full bore.

[@jean-bernardjoly5920]

The question remains, if Toronto Housing Corp builds new units,is Downtown living a god given right ? THC is so bad at building value. They have so many empty lots they could fill in.

[@andrewmorris7394]

This video was so good up until halfway through. The video is literally titled "what can we do to combat skyrocketing rent?" and then you provide some solution about Ontario. In the start of the video it's clear this is happening Canada-wide. Why not suggest something on the federal level? Why put it all on Ford? I mean, I hate Ford.. but this was happening either way. Every other province has rent caps and they still saw 30%+ increases.

[@user-zt6gu1ph7c]

Thankyou for sharing 😊

[@guybeauregard]

Great work. Thank you for this reporting and the long form conversation on this important topic.

[@JJs_playground]

Also, let's not forget 10 years of historically low interest rates spurring home owners to refinance their primary homes and buy rental properties.

[@T.dot.]

Shouldn't that bring the rent down? More rental supply lower rents...but it won't coz the reason is we have housing shortage. And the interest rate hikes mean higher costs for landlords, in turn, even higher rents.

[@Kelseyveg]

@@T.dot. wouldn’t more rental properties owned by investors mean less homes available for folks who want to buy their primary residence but are now forced to rent and thus increase the demand for rentals?

[@aaronhow2568]

I warned about these crazy rent rates 15 years ago but no one listened at the time. I guess they are finally seeing the truth of the matter just now.

[@bradmcdowell9168]

I have been seeing it coming for over 10 years.

[@aaronhow2568]

@@bradmcdowell9168 I am glad that I am not alone in my views. I have much respect for you for being aware of the current situation in society. Best of luck on your future endeavors. :)

[@sabine8419]

The government has to get back into housing!

[@AZ-bp5zo]

So they can take away the landlords property rights. You will own nothing and you will be happy!

[@shauncameron8390]

@@AZ-bp5zo And become landlords by default.

[@marlenemacdonald]

Many ppl reported in the late 90s that housing was needed. So why did anyone take over 15yrs to understand. This has nothing to do with landlords or tenants. This didnt happen goes local government said it wasnt needed. When it was. Our shelters are not fit for long term. 3 ppl I no has been in a shelter for 3yrs plus. Stop blaming ppl. When you no it wasnt the p that ordered 40.000 immegrints to canada. And they new they were doing that. But no thought on where they would live.

[@MustyBastard]

In Edmonton it hasn't move in 15 years. Get over yourself. I would love to live in San Diego but I am broke, so I live in Alberta. People are greedy. Not landlords.

[@shauncameron8390]

Especially those who want to live the high life on a store cashier's salary.

[@ariesa9751]

When housing became an investment that's when rent became unaffordable. Housing should be a right not a money making scheme.

[@shauncameron8390]

Housing is not a right just like living in the most expensive part of town on a burger-flipper's salary isn't.

[@EdwardThomasLee]

A 1 bedroom in Toronto is now $2500. People who make minimum wage can't afford to live here anymore. The rest all your money goes to rent. You need to make $100,00k. The gov't sold out to the real estate developers. Built nothing but condos. Shame on you Mayor.

[@merevial]

Cause? Government policy, Immigration, Zoning laws and by far, modern monetary policy. Print money to fix all problems. Loan people money for purchases that use to be made in cash. Cars, houses etc.

[@alloymobile]

How to handle the property tax increase if rent is not increased we will be bankrupted.

[@jasonl9266]

In Toronto , you get social housing if you cant afford rent ...but unfortunately their's a waiting list and it is long as the great wall of China... so if you sign up you could wait for like 20 years .

[@shauncameron8390]

Especially if you're not a single mom.

[@littlebrit]

It is not government job to build houses. They should do their primary job.

[@baqirhemraj7639]

Cheap mortgages and state assistance are the culprits for high property unsustainable property prices.

[@ericgeorge7874]

Expensive housing needs high quality materials from companies and returns big taxes.

[@wayneboyd4372]

I would like CBC to do a piece on over-population and its effects on renting and housing. Be brave.

[@cujo505]

I forsee squatting and tent cities everywhere

[@on2thenextthing]

Aside from the mentally ill, there are a lot of lazy people out there.

[@cedriclasry9151]

already happening in Vancouver and Toronto. we will see civil rights violations rise as police departments become more and more brazen in their actions against these folks who don't have a choice

[@T.dot.]

Supply and demand.

[@riasat001]

Rent control yet at the same time mortgage, taxes , maintenance are going up.

[@danwelterweight4137]

What we need is more, much more public housing. 3D printing and various new methods of home construction has reduced the cost of building home to a trickle. In Silicon Valley California they came up with a 3D printing machine that builds a whole house for less than $10 000 USD including material used in the cost. All we need is for governments to allow land to be used and the problem would be solved. These market prices are by choice not necessity. The government wants things to stay this way.

[@shauncameron8390]

@@danwelterweight4137 More Jane & Finches.

[@Ynalaw]

@@shauncameron8390 excellent point, we don't need more of that.

[@L98fiero]

Getting rent down is simple, no one can own more than one detached house, that will also reduce house prices.

[@SamSarabi]

lol socialism, huh

[@privatesimon]

The tone of this report is very unprofessional

[@Gamabunta24345]

If you want to fix housing you simply need to build more and build better public transportation.

[@crystalidx]

As a Canadian I feel angry because Canada is the world’s second largest country and house prices are still so expensive.

[@shauncameron8390]

But 89% of the land is Crown-owned and the vast majority of the population only want to live in the cities.

[@carmenlajoie2719]

Nonmarket housing was defunded, Rent should be capped. Co-Operatives are designed to protect Families-Veteran's-Single parents etc...

[@WipedoutCanada]

its insane to rent some room in vancouver for 2,000$ and live with 5 other people

[@jlm4836]

Supply-demand problem Pandemic slowed supply of housing development. Immigration up, increases demand. Now, BOC hikes, just getting worse 🤕

[@on2thenextthing]

You're confusing pretty much everyone in here who is complaining. 😂

[@stephenmorris8557]

It takes three years and lots of money now, to evict a bad tenant in Ontario, for a small time landlord. Evictions go through the landlord and tenant board for a year, and then over to Divisional Court of Superior Court for 2 years, and then if you are lucky, you might get what is left of your place back. All the tenant has to do is make unfounded allegations against the landlord and leave the rest up to the justice system. .............. rents will keep going up

[@Paul-km8ko]

This is why landlords in many cases are also asking for 12 months rent up front and you need to have AAA credit

[@shauncameron8390]

@Itchicus Scrotumus Then buy your own property.

[@dashcan8479]

Landlords know the LTB is not ordering any maintenance interim orders and the Provincial laws allow Landlords to raise the rent any amount they want IF they can PUSH tenants out.

[@mikevideo79]

@Itchicus Scrotumus Then you can buy a tent and live on city street.

[@on2thenextthing]

@Itchicus Scrotumus And I have no interest in subsidizing your rent

[@tubedon1000]

I guess investors just feel they deserve the basic right to be free to make money, as renters are free to go to homeless shelters

[@TallalApp]

taxing investment residential properties bought by a lot of Gujrati Indians would help. They don't pay any taxes back in India and are here in Canada buying all the available property and increasing rent.

[@Alex-ss5kl]

Move out of Canada.

[@prestonjackson9086]

How did we get hear We sold the farm to line the pockets of the top 1 % To easy

[@bobpoop6025]

Maybe stopping mass immigration

[@on2thenextthing]

They will never stop it. I'll tell you why. Governments can't control their spending, especially liberals. They need the new bodies For taxpayer revenue to cover their reckless spending.

[@shauncameron8390]

@@on2thenextthing Very much.

[@canadianjatti]

then who will workand pay tax to boost cpp?

[@ashleyc506]

Still no discussion about the LTB and province’s tolerance of professional tenants that extort millions from the long term market every year. The combined losses province is easily in the several millions every year. Let’s say there are 10,000 professional tenants province wide and they each extort $10,000 in evaded rent every year. 10,000x10,000 is $100,000,000 in lost revenue. That’s not a leaky bucket, that’s a bottomless bucket. We could be building a whole neighbourhood of affordable housing every year with that kind of money, but the province and LTB won’t evict a non paying tenant in under a year. Once they’re out, they look for their next target and start all over again. And that loss in revenue is ultimately passed down to the paying tenants in the form of higher rents to recoup losses, stalled repairs due to lack of funds, and dwindling number of units as running an air bnb is far less risky than a long term rental. Who on earth wants to risky bankruptcy and being shackled to a grifter for a year or more? We can talk about zoning, construction, and policy all we want, but nothing is going to change while running this level of deficit. I had the opportunity to be a landlord last year when I was selling my condo. If it was really the money printing machine as it’s perceived to be, I’d have two paid off condos by the time I retire. I didn’t even consider it for a second, because if I ended up with a professional tenant, I could be out tens of thousands. As much as people hate landlords, I assure you that I hate the idea of being one more. But yeah, let’s make it about zoning or whatever.

[@sayefjahangir9341]

Seriously is it this tough to solve? Canada is good at crisis management not prevention. Look at health care, then it will be education and so on.

[@andrewmartin8978]

Why did the government leave the housing industry in the first place? Were they paid off by lobbyists? How do we get the government - as our representative - to get back into this industry? If we can't influence our government - which is supposed to represent us citizens - what do we do? Other countries would begin organizing to form protests - but we are too complacent here.

[@shauncameron8390]

To balance the budget resulting in Canada enjoying surpluses for the rest of the 90's and 2000's.

[@Ekowal1965]

If we all end up on the street prime minister might save the climate. LOL

[@letswalkinthewoods1462]

Felling very lucky to be 50 and mortgage free. I was born at the right time

[@Hakura007]

Instead of saying something supportive towards the people struggling you decide to showcase your privilege. Shows your character.

[@jayhoward2364]

@@Hakura007 that's not being pillaged lol. that's called being born in a different generation, where it was easier and less inflation. privilege would be getting the house from someone, without having to pay a dime.

[@letswalkinthewoods1462]

@@Hakura007 we had our struggles.. Just like everyone. The big difference is we weren't full of self-pity like you are

[@buildingbuildercip8292]

That’s awesome!! I’m on the same boat. I think it has to do with the way we grew up being taught that hard work brings rewards. The younger generation is so soft and has no idea of what it is to really grind your way to success. They expect the government to bail them out of everything.

[@dalisemeyers620]

Why dont you run a feature and investigation on other cultures that live with other families and share costs and its considered their duty/good thing and moral..helping the elderly parents, helping financially and creating better community..this trend may drive down rents and drive up sales but also improve family and elder situations as family functions the way it should..multi generational and living in one household or on one property. Tough for single immigrants but they can adopt a family or vice versa.

[@Gamabunta24345]

It's not your human right to live in downtown Toronto.

[@kek209]

I bought a rental unit thinking I could rent it for $2300. In comes some Chinese international students and they offer $3000 with 6 months payment upfront. International students are partly to blame for this.

[@howoo4461]

Where does those cash come from?

[@Paul-km8ko]

@@howoo4461 Wealthy Chinese businessman

[@Paul-km8ko]

I know some landlords asking 12 months upfront with AAA credit

[@shauncameron8390]

Not really. The lax immigration policies allowed them to do that.

[@Lifeisapartydresslikeit]

All my friends who have rentals were offered 6 to 12 months of rent up front

[@SamSarabi]

@cbc why do you continue covering this topic from the perspective of renters? Why not interview landlords to give them an opportunity to shed light on rising rates, higher mortgage payments, increasing operating costs, a 5.5% property tax hike, increasing maintenance fees, ever-increasing home insurance rates, etc. Sick of your one-sided, bias, left-leaning fanning of the flame. You're so transparent.

[@ashleyc506]

No one ever discusses professional tenants and the LTB’s enabling of them. It takes atleast a year to evict a non paying tenant through the LTB. If 10,000 professional tenants each extort $10,000 from the rental market each year, that’s $100,000,000 in lost revenue. We will NEVER gain headway in housing running a deficit like that. It’s simply not possible. The province could build a whole neighbourhood of affordable housing every year with that kind of money, but it would rather enable grifters at the sake of the paying tenants.

[@SamSarabi]

@@ashleyc506 Fantastic addition! Well stated, fact-based. It's all about appeasing constituents by volume, not about the sensible thing to do. I estimate that the LTB is purposely being under-funded and kept in disarray because it keeps the problem at the landlord level who clearly have no voice.

[@treelover6255]

One of problem in Canada housing market is contributed by the wrong immigration policy, there was a period Canada only aimed to get a lot of the rich Asian investment type of immigrant into the country and started all the house bidding phenomenon. average Canadian were started to forced to competed with those rich new comer this problem has lasted till today, right now Canadian who worked in HongKong or China with money also started to coming back here, a lot of them will need to buy a house again in Canada, once again they will win over the average Canadian, and a lot of these rich coming back don't mind paying more for the house they want to buy. solution from our government is asking our young people to live in a 400 square feet unit. to me this is not a solution, this is elementary grade governing, if they are getting hundreds thousand for their salary they should come up with something much better than that. other wise our Canadian standard of living would gradually going down.

[@Alex_Plante]

The fundamental problems are environmental regulations that prevent the development of new land around large cities and zoning laws that prevent the building of low-rise apartments and townhouses. The vast majority of most cities are zoned for single detached housing, forcing builders to build high-rise condos on the small amounts of land left for them to develop. As an example of how ridiculous environment laws can be, most provinces forbid the development of wetlands, which sounds great. Most people imagine rivers, lakes and marshes being protected. However, the definition of wetland includes areas that get wet briefly during the spring melt. So that means that almost everything is now a wetland, and cannot be developed. The only people who benefit from overly restrictive environmental and zoning regulations that restrict new housing development and the densification of old neighbourhoods, are upper-middle-class middle-aged home owners, who never saved enough for their retirement over their careers, and see the capital gain of their homes as their main "investment". They push for laws and regulations that artificially limit the supply of housing, and the young are naive enough to fall for it. The young need to wake up and see through all the BS that has been spoon-fed to them., including this reportage from the CBC.

[@mirakowallik4783]

Landlords are not able to increase more then 2%. So how is this possible. Look into the law and give the right info

[@cedriclasry9151]

there's many ways around that rule.. you can evict anyone for "renovations" repaint a wall outlet then make the rent whatever you want.

[@mirakowallik4783]

@@cedriclasry9151 not true. It has to be major Reno and that person will have first pick to come back. It used to be easier but not anymore. It’s part of the WEF agenda to not have anything and be happy.....

[@julsh9776]

Don't forget that the regulations are differents in every province. Quebec is the toughest one with a huge control over the rent increase.

[@mirakowallik4783]

@@julsh9776 I am in B.C. and that’s the case here

[@dianahojdan5258]

They will pretend that their family is going to move in and then throw you out. And list the place in much higher price. Happened to few people I know in Vancouver.

[@adamturbo1]

You know how much it costs now to build new buildings condos etc. You will never get cheap rent in a new building.

[@JosephTsangbigham]

Population policies are determined by the federal government, they are therefore responsible for building affordable housing or help making current housing affordable. Period. Don’t blame anybody else. We are all victims of their lack of responsibility.

[@shauncameron8390]

No. We're all complicit if we voted for them.

[@bgd360]

This is such a vexing conundrum. I’m a big supporter of capitalism so all landlords are doing (for the most part) are responding to market conditions BUT this is a BIG problem and going forward the streets of all Canadian cities will soon look post-apocalyptic.

[@cedriclasry9151]

maybe we should reduce the ability for investors to use rental properties as a source of income? Is it really a good idea for humanity to have properties that produce no real value being used as investment opportunities? the whole point of venture capitalism was to furnish the growth of productivity and I don't think the housing market does anything to increase GDP

[@zomgoose]

Government policy has manipulated the market creating a huge distortion. It's not capitalism.

[@mathieucote3966]

@@cedriclasry9151 Or maybe reduce expenditures by promoting a healthy business environment here in Canada and actually developing our natural resources and production of electricity to drive down cost? If only we had someone with authority like a federal government that could allow hydroelectric dam locations to be chosen in shorter timeframes that are less then a year to start construction to produce cheaper electricity in the future.

[@shawnosborne163]

Take the housing sector away from the private sector, that's it that's all.

[@hellooutthere8956]

Only if you dont have corruption in the public sectpr.

[@freddytang2128]

You seen the housing built in Soviet Union? You want to live in those?

[@JaysonT975]

@@freddytang2128 all your replies are reductionist and low IQ.

[@shawnosborne163]

@Freddy Tang if your imagination cannot perceive of adequate housing being built by the government then it's not the fault of the government . There's a failure in your imagination. The government is functioning well on behalf of the banks , the corporations and the oil & gas companies . Imagine is if was functioning by and on behalf of the people.

[@shauncameron8390]

@@shawnosborne163 Canada would all but completely be in the same boat as Argentina unable to make any much-needed reforms because the government fear riots, unrest and ouster.

[@kellyhou9594]

It is a supply and demand issue. As mortage rate goes higher, more landlords will be selling their rentals. Rental income may not cover the mortgage.

[@shauncameron8390]

Thanks to landlords not being legally allowed to set the rents at a rate sufficient enough to cover it.

[@patrykdrozd2637]

Best thing we can do is increase immigration into Canada by 800,000 per year. This should totally help ease any issues we have with housing . Said the immigrant

[@christianduval9067]

Stop living solo and found a better job.........everyone want free rent.......

[@christianduval9067]

@@imds04 When people stop using their home like a ATM machine....the price will go down

[@shauncameron8390]

Everyone want to live the big-city life but don't want to pay big-city prices.

[@davetimberland8831]

Thats ok most of us good builders are no longer working winters

[@awhkwong]

I never believe in renting, I got my first condo in 20 years ago and it was only 190k

[@Robert-vh2cl]

This report is not complete. No mention at all of the tiny home movement. 😮 Also many people are choosing to live with their parents longer.

[@sherbournesubwaymess]

2:34 "Right so their costs (landlords) are rising and they gotta pass that on to the renters!" - Host It's obvious she's never rented, let alone spoke to a landlord in her life. As a landlord, please explain to me specifically how I can 'pass on' my rising costs to my renters? I'd really like to have a clear answer on that one, because I am telling you: This CBC host is an airhead.

[@ericgeorge7874]

CBC got a student to be expert interviewee.

[@michaelh7125]

As long as said person promotes their narrative, they do not judge

[@easytogrowfoodathome3153]

What is affordable rent for some one on minimum wages. When the Government has stopped building

[@shauncameron8390]

Affordable = to an urban professional. During the Chretien and Martin years.

[@melissaanderson821]

this world runs on greed! its the new hunger games

[@grahamjohnston7748]

Blame air B&Bs .As they grew, so did the homeless.

[@julsh9776]

Mot necessarily. My city has baned air B&N and we still have a shortage.

[@shauncameron8390]

Air BnB is a consequence of rent control.

[@edkolly7147]

No one is talking about the mass immigration of 500 thousand each year to match the so-called labour shortage because Canada would rather bring in skilled immigrants than investing in training Canadians been doing this since WW11 !

[@meetmikee]

Toronto Metropolitan University.... Me: Wait... What?... Ohhh... You mean Ryerson Uni..... 🤦🏽‍♂️

[@shauncameron8390]

It's TMU, because apparently Ryerson was too white for the wokie crowd.

[@JaysonT975]

Too many single family homes with just couples living in them. Maybe if we had more duplexes and small condos mixed into those areas?

[@continentalmasters5432]

You hardly see new single home been built in Toronto. It’s all high rise but the rent keeps soaring

[@markpretty]

Can we just convert those empty offices into apartments?

[@alic1977]

Private landlord should’ve never been allowed in the first place just because someone can be approved for a mortgage or has the money for a down payment does not make them good landlords . I’m sure there are amazing landlords out there. Unfortunately there’s not enough of them. A lot of people got into being landlords because they wanted to get Rich off the backs of people with an average income. I am pretty sure if these rents continue to be high with individual landlords, we will see more people being delinquent tenants, and just squatting in these places which ultimately will cost Landlord a lot more money in the long run. It’s better to have tenants paying a reasonable rent price and have them rent long-term and be consistently paying on time than to charge unreasonable unsustainable rates for rent. and if interest rates going up is an excuse, then it probably means that you had no business being a landlord to begin with.

[@shauncameron8390]

Define reasonable.

[@showbling]

Market price is fair. Govt interventions can only benefit few lottery winners. Gotta pay to play, otherwise just move to Winnipeg. Plenty of affordable units there

[@on2thenextthing]

All of these whiners want to live in Vancouver at Winnipeg prices.

[@shauncameron8390]

@@on2thenextthing Exactly.

[@Me97202]

It’s also a wealth transfer _from_ the masses _to_ the top 1%… enabled by our elected people. And another example of how capitalism *always* does this.

[@julsh9776]

Not necessarily. There was a 10/11 years gap between 2008 and 2019 with low interest rates and a very affordable housing market. A lot of middle classe got their house at that time. It is a question of timing and opportunities. People who had the financial means to do so but missed that chance must be crying now.

[@mirakowallik4783]

Tenants have way too many rights and maybe you should not spread misinformation

[@shauncameron8390]

I just came back from the co-op annual general meeting. And the Board of Directors said more or less the same thing.

[@theresaj.dsouza5375]

By renting a place you enable someone to pay their mortgage.

[@longross4763]

This news story is kinda pathetic. He keeps talking about how gov got out of housing but they very much affect it through zoning laws. If zoning laws were less cost prohibitive then developers would be lining up to create affordable housing. This is very much a supply issue at the municipal level and the news story doesn’t even address that. Very disappointing.

[@guineapigzed]

Why should I pay for your house?

[@canadianjatti]

because you cant get your own?

[@shauncameron8390]

Why don't you get your own house then?

[@mawreeoh]

I’ve always voted liberal for the greater good. I’ve never been selfish and I’ve always known that there are people who have less than I and it is our obligation to take care of others. That was my view anyway. Over the decades, liberal governments have used my rights as a Quebec anglophone as a pawn it can sacrifice to win the votes from this province’s ethnonationalists who would never vote for them. As a result of seeing my quality of life and my community’s rights eroded, I will look at the conservative platform to see if it takes care of people like me. And if it does, I will vote for them.

[@mathewscott9453]

I feel very similar to you as a rural manitoban

[@cartninja6479]

If you cared about others would be voting conservative not liberal

[@msmnews9322]

@@cartninja6479 😆 Conservatives are ghouls.

[@mawreeoh]

@@cartninja6479 up until this point in time the conservative platform would have been disastrous for my community so….yes we seem to have different values. Hopefully the new leader can make room in the party

[@mawreeoh]

@@overinvested yes: conservatives view the federal government as redundant, wanting to reduce its size and influence in favour of giving local leaders more power. Unfortunately that didn’t align with my previous ideology. Now, I see that a weak federal government is dangerous to our national cohesion and the social fabric of our country

[@labigs]

there's no caps on rental increase for these new buildings after 2018 due to fords rules .... fix these rules .

[@Macky1101]

You know why these builders have investors????? Because the government reduced the interest rate to zero. So you now have to pay monthly fee to put your money in the bank. So everyone is borrowing free money and "investing" it, and hence, you have investors. Back in the 80s the bank paid you 12% GIC for having money with them. I hope the government increases the interest rate back up to 22% next year. Yeah. I am dreaming. That would never happen.

[@markplain2555]

Many realities of economics may seem counter intuitive. A knee jerk reaction to make a short term solution may cause way more problems in a few years. For example capping rents may create a short term solution but man does it cause problems down the line. Solutions have to be long lasting. . Most renters cannot imagine that their landlords take the rent throw in an additional $400 a month and pay the mortgage ie: in MOST cases "renters' housing" is being subsidized by their landlords.

[@SainathKanamarlapudi]

Decrease mortgage rates.

[@ianbrown7089]

🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦 Maybe get Trudeau to ask the WEF in Davos next week if they can help ? 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦

[@flamingo690]

''you will own nothing and you will be happy''...