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By Doug Collins

ONE MAN'S OPINION

COLLINS: Housing — what we need and what we can afford are still miles apart

Aug 22, 2024 | 6:00 AM

AN ARTICLE IN THE TORONTO STAR points out the bleak future for housing in Canada. The report points out quite a difference between what developers are building and what buyers want.

Developers are building smaller and smaller units while families need something with at least three bedrooms to be even remotely comfortable. Obviously, developers want to maximize profits, so more concern seems to be placed on the number of units as opposed to the comfort of the units. It is a vicious circle.

Unwilling to raise their kids in some condo that maximizes what I call “shortcuts.” They look forward to the “burbs” to see if there’s anything better there. Most often there isn’t. And then you have to add in things like higher transportation and heating costs, and you can quickly see where this train is heading.

Developers putting in these new ideas are pointing to a whole wave of design change by looking at new ideas that will only appeal to a relative few. One of the more interesting innovations is the extensive use of glass. Bedrooms don’t have individual windows. Glass walls let light into the rooms from a larger, separate light source, maybe a living room window. These and many other new “innovations” naturally get sold as the “best ever”.

But they are not what people want. And they don’t provide a better way to live. In other words, they are a waste of time for many. And they sure are not “affordable.”

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Governments, including our own, are putting huge emphasis on building affordable homes. But that isn’t going to happen. If we help the disadvantaged get off the streets, we have to subsidize their care. But affordable homes are just not affordable for families.

No matter how many new-fangled ideas we try, we are not likely to meet the goals of providing affordable housing for those who need it most — the middle class who are so often forgotten in all this great planning for the future.

I’m Doug Collins and that’s One Man’s Opinion.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.