It would be absolutely glorious if Trudeau passed the “We’re building a shit-ton of housing act” that completely trampled over provincial jurisdiction. Zoning, easements, building codes, everything. Just completely ignored provincial authority.
Great article! The thing is none of this is new. Nor is it true that the feds never played a role in directly building housing. They just need to look to the history of the CMHC.
Prior to the mid 80s, they built affordable housing, co-ops, they built Granville Island, Habitat in Montreal and I think played a big role in Toronto's St Lawrence neighbourhood. Hell, they built the fucking town of Ajax Ontario for fucks sakes! Its all there. And I'll note at the time the PM of the day (Mackenzie King) wasn't wringing his hands about federal overreach! If the Liberals would empower CMHC to do half of what it used to, we'd be way better off.
Some excellent comments. Evan, as usual - you are controversial - but I like that. You do understand jurisdictional differences.
Housing is so much a Municipal zoning, permitting and inspection responsibility - given that responsibility by the Provinces. Municipalities also pander to short-sighted NIMBYs - a process of their creation. CMHC (Federal) is very supportive of building housing and is poised to funnel Fed $$ to projects and they are frustrated by the Municipal processes which add YEARs to a project approval. (Give them a call and chat.Capital funding has deadlines to them usually by fiscal year.) Let's not forget the shortage of trades/construction workers - that likely cannot find places to live either and commuting 2 hours to a job site is hardly efficient adding more cost. The NRC (Federal) reviews/updates building codes every 5 years. Provinces then adopt the codes and amend them for regional geographic and policy differences (time consuming) including training Building Inspectors (Municipal) and very time consuming and also suffering a labour shortage. Building is a very complex challenge and the Industry has many players. Architects & Engineers that need to have registration in every Province they want to practice in regardless their National registration. This adds time & costs to projects. (This is an InterProvincial Trade barrier.)
If the solution to this complex problem was just "Build Some Fucking Houses" every dude with a hammer and half-ton would be a multi millionaire. Or perhaps every Liberal dude?
The upside, the City of Van has been persuaded to change their zoning bylaws for multiplex units - 'Missing Middle' which will also increase their property tax income as more housing is constructed and the City hasn't invested in W/S infrastructure in - forever. Another challenge to affordable housing. The real Solution is a concerted effort to work together (all government levels) to solve these challenges rather than mud-slinging politics. It is possible.
How else was he supposed to say it? It ISN'T a primary federal responsibility. He said that because it's a Premier's job! He didn't mean it wasn't a concern for the Feds. He did also add it is something Feds CAN and MUST help with. Then he went on to mention how the Harper government pulled itself out of the housing business for a decade and the missed opportunities THAT created.
BTW absolutely love the fact that he bypassed Ford and handed funds directly to Andrea.
If he would have said that housing is a shared responsibility, with the provinces and municipalities having the most control, then it would not have been possible for the CPC to spin this as not a responsibility at all.
But Trudeau should not make it this easy for them. Anyway what is done is done, and Trudeau will hopefully be more careful how he phrases these things.
I listened to the quote. It isn't that bad actually if you listen to it fully but we all know that conservatives are master in manipulating such quote. Provinces definitly need to be at the tables when talking about hosing and most of them have proved reccord to be totally incompetent on the matter. Hopefully, the liberals can find a way to force their hand. It's not an issue that could be simply micro-managed by PMO like Polievre seems to suggest.
Both on housing and healthcare, there is a massive opening for the Liberals to step into the vacuum and lead. It is pretty clear to most Canadians that most provinces have abdicated their responsibilities in these domains. Lectures about the exact constitutional boundaries are pointless.
So, set some real measurable goals on both files. Examples are number affordable housing units, family doctors per capita per region, length of waiting lists for common procedures. Then, pull the top performers in the bureaucracy out of their departments and put them in charge of implementing this. Accept that some things will go wrong, but overall results will outshine any small failures along the way. Get Anand to lead this. Tell the provinces that they can be part of it, but costs for the federal government over a certain threshold will be subtracted from transfer payments.
As a side note, this is how the Covid response worked. CERB, vaccines procurement & distribution were managed by a small group of civil servants that were hand picked from their departments and given wide latitude to implement.
At some point it just gets into the politically tricky question of reworking the entire transfer payment structure.
This is the stuff that transfer payments are supposed to be funding, but historically the provinces have preferred to pocket the money, use it to lower provincial taxes, and then brag about how much more fiscally responsible they are than the big spending federal government.
I wonder if we might be at the point where the system of begging the federal government to fund provincial responsibilities and then attacking them for spending finally collapses under its own weight.
And I believe the provinces have still not defined the measurable criteria that they would use to demonstrate that this funding has an effect. Time to impose a measurement system for healthcare, with or without the provinces involvement.
I'm a 30 something renter and ... well I thought I could one day own a home. There's something you and alot of public figures are dodging, because it involves taking a political position that's unconscionable in Canada in 2023. See, I do know supply and demand is about supply *and* demand.
The housing crisis stops getting worse tomorrow if immigration is cut.
That is a federal responsibility, and it takes less time than the 3 years or so it takes to bring a bunch of apartments online (building supply and labour issues and all). It certainly takes less time than it does to convince Canada to build things.
But U-turns are bad politics.
I'm a down the line social progressive, I hate the convoy crew and everything about them, but I'm also opposed to paying $2000 a month for a 1 bedroom for the rest of my life. Or for people with less income than me to choose between their family and the street.
Tangent: With respect to the NDP making PR a red line, the Liberals were very clear the not doing PR was a red line. so there would not have been a deal if the NDP did that.
It would be absolutely glorious if Trudeau passed the “We’re building a shit-ton of housing act” that completely trampled over provincial jurisdiction. Zoning, easements, building codes, everything. Just completely ignored provincial authority.
Dare the provinces to sue and block it.
And while I’m dreaming, I’d like a pony
Great article! The thing is none of this is new. Nor is it true that the feds never played a role in directly building housing. They just need to look to the history of the CMHC.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_Mortgage_and_Housing_Corporation
Prior to the mid 80s, they built affordable housing, co-ops, they built Granville Island, Habitat in Montreal and I think played a big role in Toronto's St Lawrence neighbourhood. Hell, they built the fucking town of Ajax Ontario for fucks sakes! Its all there. And I'll note at the time the PM of the day (Mackenzie King) wasn't wringing his hands about federal overreach! If the Liberals would empower CMHC to do half of what it used to, we'd be way better off.
Some excellent comments. Evan, as usual - you are controversial - but I like that. You do understand jurisdictional differences.
Housing is so much a Municipal zoning, permitting and inspection responsibility - given that responsibility by the Provinces. Municipalities also pander to short-sighted NIMBYs - a process of their creation. CMHC (Federal) is very supportive of building housing and is poised to funnel Fed $$ to projects and they are frustrated by the Municipal processes which add YEARs to a project approval. (Give them a call and chat.Capital funding has deadlines to them usually by fiscal year.) Let's not forget the shortage of trades/construction workers - that likely cannot find places to live either and commuting 2 hours to a job site is hardly efficient adding more cost. The NRC (Federal) reviews/updates building codes every 5 years. Provinces then adopt the codes and amend them for regional geographic and policy differences (time consuming) including training Building Inspectors (Municipal) and very time consuming and also suffering a labour shortage. Building is a very complex challenge and the Industry has many players. Architects & Engineers that need to have registration in every Province they want to practice in regardless their National registration. This adds time & costs to projects. (This is an InterProvincial Trade barrier.)
If the solution to this complex problem was just "Build Some Fucking Houses" every dude with a hammer and half-ton would be a multi millionaire. Or perhaps every Liberal dude?
The upside, the City of Van has been persuaded to change their zoning bylaws for multiplex units - 'Missing Middle' which will also increase their property tax income as more housing is constructed and the City hasn't invested in W/S infrastructure in - forever. Another challenge to affordable housing. The real Solution is a concerted effort to work together (all government levels) to solve these challenges rather than mud-slinging politics. It is possible.
How else was he supposed to say it? It ISN'T a primary federal responsibility. He said that because it's a Premier's job! He didn't mean it wasn't a concern for the Feds. He did also add it is something Feds CAN and MUST help with. Then he went on to mention how the Harper government pulled itself out of the housing business for a decade and the missed opportunities THAT created.
BTW absolutely love the fact that he bypassed Ford and handed funds directly to Andrea.
If he would have said that housing is a shared responsibility, with the provinces and municipalities having the most control, then it would not have been possible for the CPC to spin this as not a responsibility at all.
Any which way he says anything about anything at all, they still find ways to cast negative spins.
But Trudeau should not make it this easy for them. Anyway what is done is done, and Trudeau will hopefully be more careful how he phrases these things.
I listened to the quote. It isn't that bad actually if you listen to it fully but we all know that conservatives are master in manipulating such quote. Provinces definitly need to be at the tables when talking about hosing and most of them have proved reccord to be totally incompetent on the matter. Hopefully, the liberals can find a way to force their hand. It's not an issue that could be simply micro-managed by PMO like Polievre seems to suggest.
It is time for “just watch me”.
Both on housing and healthcare, there is a massive opening for the Liberals to step into the vacuum and lead. It is pretty clear to most Canadians that most provinces have abdicated their responsibilities in these domains. Lectures about the exact constitutional boundaries are pointless.
So, set some real measurable goals on both files. Examples are number affordable housing units, family doctors per capita per region, length of waiting lists for common procedures. Then, pull the top performers in the bureaucracy out of their departments and put them in charge of implementing this. Accept that some things will go wrong, but overall results will outshine any small failures along the way. Get Anand to lead this. Tell the provinces that they can be part of it, but costs for the federal government over a certain threshold will be subtracted from transfer payments.
As a side note, this is how the Covid response worked. CERB, vaccines procurement & distribution were managed by a small group of civil servants that were hand picked from their departments and given wide latitude to implement.
At some point it just gets into the politically tricky question of reworking the entire transfer payment structure.
This is the stuff that transfer payments are supposed to be funding, but historically the provinces have preferred to pocket the money, use it to lower provincial taxes, and then brag about how much more fiscally responsible they are than the big spending federal government.
I wonder if we might be at the point where the system of begging the federal government to fund provincial responsibilities and then attacking them for spending finally collapses under its own weight.
Transfer payments in kind. Solved.
That was basically the new earmarked federal health spending that the provinces lost their shit over.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-health-care-deal-1.6740143
And I believe the provinces have still not defined the measurable criteria that they would use to demonstrate that this funding has an effect. Time to impose a measurement system for healthcare, with or without the provinces involvement.
I'm a 30 something renter and ... well I thought I could one day own a home. There's something you and alot of public figures are dodging, because it involves taking a political position that's unconscionable in Canada in 2023. See, I do know supply and demand is about supply *and* demand.
The housing crisis stops getting worse tomorrow if immigration is cut.
That is a federal responsibility, and it takes less time than the 3 years or so it takes to bring a bunch of apartments online (building supply and labour issues and all). It certainly takes less time than it does to convince Canada to build things.
But U-turns are bad politics.
I'm a down the line social progressive, I hate the convoy crew and everything about them, but I'm also opposed to paying $2000 a month for a 1 bedroom for the rest of my life. Or for people with less income than me to choose between their family and the street.
I'm not really sure what to do with that.
Tangent: With respect to the NDP making PR a red line, the Liberals were very clear the not doing PR was a red line. so there would not have been a deal if the NDP did that.
.. c’mon Evan ! The ‘Penetration’ & Retention or ‘reach’ of that comment..
verbatim mind you.. & not a translation or mutation a la Jenni Byrne et al
into the ‘perceptions’ of Canadian Voters - On or Before October 20, 2025 are ??
Wasn’t it Stephen Harper who taught that lying through your teeth daily
made it impossible to zero in on ‘the whole of it’ or much of any of it at all
as the Voting Public’s eyes would glaze over even trying to keep track
Will it be worse than ‘surfing blackface or sired by Fidel Castro ?’
or That London Funeral where his entire retinue of approx 40 shared
a single room for a weekend junket in London England for 6,000 large
not including fresh squeezed orange juice..
(Full disclosure - yes, while shooting The Savoy .. I knocked several OJ down DAILY !
plus ! While shooting for Fairmont Hotels & Resorts.. banged down classic martinis by the quart
as any former crack bartender is prone to do.. 🦎🏴☠️)
Another phrase comes to mind for Trudeau and his government to start acting on housing, regardless of federal / provincial jurisdictions:
“You or your successor will implement this policy / initiative”
Tell him to make Mortgage payments tax deductable