Good news. Canada prevented the mortgage cliff that would have seen existing borrowers pay more. The bad news? The rapid rate cuts and extended amortizations are only expected to help new buyers for a few weeks before further affordability erosion. That was the take in a new report from Oxford Economics, who doesn’t see affordability returning until 2035. https://betterdwelling.com/canadian-mortgage-rates-to-rise-housing-unaffordable-until-2035-oxford-econ/

Bank of Canada deputy governor Rhys Mendes says allowing for a period of price declines may sound tempting, but it would ultimately be more painful for Canadians. His speech comes as the Bank of Canada declares victory on high inflation, but Canadians remain dissatisfied with higher prices across the economy. The Liberal government has worn much of the political blame for higher prices, to the advantage of the federal Conservatives. On Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled a plan to give a two-month GST break on a slew of items starting Dec. 14 to help with the affordability crunch. The federal government is also sending out $250 cheques to Canadians who worked in 2023 and earned up to $150,000. https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/economics/2024/11/26/allowing-a-period-of-price-declines-would-be-painful-for-canadians-boc-official/

Trudeau lectures Canadians to prioritize climate change over groceries, affordability 🇨🇦 #NoMoreLiberalsAndNDP 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 #SayingTheQuietPartOutLoud 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 #resigntrudeau 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 #JustSayNoMore 🇨🇦 https://tnc.news/2024/11/18/trudeau-prioritize-climate-change-over-groceries/ via @truenorthcentre

Newcomers, non-whites are ‘unhappy’ with their lives in Canada, poll finds! Nearly half (45%) of newcomers and non-white Canadians are ‘not happy’ with their lives in Canada, citing the affordability crisis, rising taxation, and less opportunities. 🇨🇦 #NoMoreLiberalsAndNDP 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 #SayingTheQuietPartOutLoud 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 #resigntrudeau 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 #JustSayNoMore 🇨🇦 https://www.rebelnews.com/newcomers_non_whites_are_unhappy_with_their_lives_in_canada_poll_finds

The number two at Canada’s central bank just made it clear she isn’t a policy cheerleader, like the Governor has been in recent months. Bank of Canada (BoC) Deputy Governor Carolyn Rogers addressed finance professionals at the Economic Club of Canada last week, explaining the usual mortgage market risks. It got more interesting when she trekked into the rarely discussed issue of cheap credit and extended amortizations and how they actually erode affordability, even though politicians claim otherwise. The Deputy Governor warned policymakers that “there’s no free lunch,” and tinkering with the mortgage market can have the opposite impact while amplifying longer term risks to households, and the greater economy. https://betterdwelling.com/bank-of-canada-warns-policymakers-against-tinkering-with-mortgages/

One in three parents worry their children won’t survive affordability crisis: report! Canadian parents are most worried about their children's ability to afford a home, with 77% expressing anxiety over this issue, followed by concerns about saving for retirement, rising food costs, and supporting their own families. 🇨🇦 #NoMoreLiberalsAndNDP 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 #SayingTheQuietPartOutLoud 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 #resigntrudeau 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 #JustSayNoMore 🇨🇦 https://www.rebelnews.com/wont_survive_affordability_crisis_report

Interprovincial migration was largely driven by affordability issues, especially when it comes to a crucial demographic—young adults. They largely fled from regions like BC and Ontario, two provinces the bank expects shelter costs to moderate over the next few years. “Suffice it to say that rental markets in Ontario and B.C., which have a pipeline of supply coming to market, will also likely see their demand curves impacted most. Watch for that to play out in lower rent (immediately) and cooling housing starts (eventually),” Many cities in those regions have seen shelter costs rise at a much faster pace than traditional major real estate markets. As a result, the spread between the expensive cities young adults fled to is narrowing, providing less incentive than it once did. Buyer psychology can shift dramatically, and slow interprovincial migration if the regions they’re fleeing pick up. https://betterdwelling.com/canadian-immigration-changes-to-impact-bc-ontario-real-estate-most-bmo/

Canada is pulling back on immigration after a disasterous attempt to use it as stimulus. Building on top of this year’s reduction to temporary residents such as foreign students, the country will see state-mandated de-growth. For the next two years, the population will shrink in a attempt to stabilize housing after policymakers’ promises to triple homebuilding fail to materialize. Canada delivered its biggest affordability measure in years—shrinking its population. That was the takeaway from a new report from BMO Capital Markets this week. The bank has repeatedly warned that promises to triple the new homes built and create affordability with supply, weren’t grounded in reality. Now that Canada is quietly acknowledging this failure, they see real affordability on the way as scaled up building meets a shrinking population. https://betterdwelling.com/canadian-real-estate-prices-to-correct-after-immigration-cuts-bmo/

The statement is shocking. If the intention was to never lower home prices, what was with the tens of billions spent on improving affordability about? https://betterdwelling.com/canadian-home-prices-need-to-be-high-to-pay-for-retirements-pm/

Chrystia Freeland wears $740 designer sneakers while speaking to Canadians about affordability 🇨🇦 #resigntrudeau 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 #NoMoreLiberalsAndNDP 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 #SayingTheQuietPartOutLoud 🇨🇦 https://tnc.news/2024/06/03/chrystia-freeland-designer-sneakers-canadians-affordability/ via @truenorthcentre