[policyenthusiast]

Should we expect commensurate adjustments in CHMC program? I assume this government remains interested in creating long-term affordable units.

Changes were already made this year, such as removing the ability for developers to bundle multiple products/lots into one MLI S application. CMHC funding reductions are coming fast too.

Subjectively, I would say the gravy train is slowing down.

 

[David A]

Changes were already made this year, such as removing the ability for developers to bundle multiple products/lots into one MLI S application. CMHC funding reductions are coming fast too.

Subjectively, I would say the gravy train is slowing down.

Maybe that is a good thing, when things move too fast more bad decisions seem to get made, like building in areas not as well suited or building cheap/unattractive projects, all to make a quick buck.

Some other parts of the country need to speed up with building, but here it seems a bit like the wild west.

 

[Out of Towner]

Raising the personal taxable threshold level is a better way to address the affordable housing problem. A higher threshold would allow more renters to pay market rates rather than creating an "artificial rental market" by incentivizing builders with lower down payments and extended amortizations.

 

[IanO]

 

[David A]

Interesting how Ottawa and Halifax have become more expensive in the last couple of years. Montreal, while a much bigger city, is not too much more than here.

Young people in BC and Ontario are clearly voting with their feet and fleeing unaffordability, which is probably one reason high rents there are starting to go down.

 

[policyenthusiast]

Interesting how Ottawa and Halifax have become more expensive in the last couple of years. Montreal, while a much bigger city, is not too much more than here.

Young people in BC and Ontario are clearly voting with their feet and fleeing unaffordability, which is probably one reason high rents there are starting to go down.

You can check the location people searching home listings in AB are looking from. Here are the Q3 2025 numbers:

84.1% Alberta
11.6% British Columbia
4.9% Ontario

While checking out a listing is obviously different from buying and moving, that's a concerning proportion of non-Albertans salivating over Alberta's homes. To compare, here are Ottawa's numbers:

77.4% Ontario
2.6% British Columbia
2.2% Alberta

Good thing we're still building homes.

 

[David A]

Edmontonians well positioned to renew, refinance or borrow for a home​

MSN

For a change, the wealth effect of equity has switched and is finally also working in our favour now. Not so good for those who purchased in the GTA in the last few years.

 

[kcantor]

Interesting how Ottawa and Halifax have become more expensive in the last couple of years. Montreal, while a much bigger city, is not too much more than here.

Young people in BC and Ontario are clearly voting with their feet and fleeing unaffordability, which is probably one reason high rents there are starting to go down.

It think it's more than young people voting with their feet. I think what you're seeing is the impact of vacancy taxes in metro Vancouver and metro Toronto "working their way through the system". Not only are the reporting requirements (in some cases to three levels of government and to your condo board/management company) onerous, the additional taxes paid on vacant units can get quite punitive for most investors.

In Vancouver the municipal vacancy tax is 3% with an additional 3% levied by the province (plus the feds potential imposition of their underused housing tax). The trigger is 6 months in any calendar year unoccupied and that would include any time needed to renovate and/or re-lease.a vacant unit. For the average $725,000 condo, that could represent in excess of $43,500 per annum or $3,625 per month in annual holding costs. With average rents of $2,500 per month for a one bedroom and $3,500 per month for a two bedroom unit, it takes a long time to recover that (if ever) vs taking a lower rent.

 

[Stevey_G]

It think it's more than young people voting with their feet. I think what you're seeing is the impact of vacancy taxes in metro Vancouver and metro Toronto "working their way through the system". Not only are the reporting requirements (in some cases to three levels of government and to your condo board/management company) onerous, the additional taxes paid on vacant units can get quite punitive for most investors.

In Vancouver the municipal vacancy tax is 3% with an additional 3% levied by the province (plus the feds potential imposition of their underused housing tax). The trigger is 6 months in any calendar year unoccupied and that would include any time needed to renovate and/or re-lease.a vacant unit. For the average $725,000 condo, that could represent in excess of $43,500 per annum or $3,625 per month in annual holding costs. With average rents of $2,500 per month for a one bedroom and $3,500 per month for a two bedroom unit, it takes a long time to recover that (if ever) vs taking a lower rent.

How does that work for people trying to sell a vacant unit out of curiosity? Are there any caveats for single unit owners who lived there a certain amount of years and have decided to move and thus the unit is vacant?

I know very little about this stuff.

 

[archited]

^ This (so far) only applies to Toronto and Vancouver. Both of these cities, like NYC, have foreign investors who pay oversized sums for so-called "prestige" apartments. The downside of this phenomenon is that housing prices are artificially raised as an outcome. This has not been a problem for Edmonton to date.

 

[kcantor]

How does that work for people trying to sell a vacant unit out of curiosity? Are there any caveats for single unit owners who lived there a certain amount of years and have decided to move and thus the unit is vacant?

I know very little about this stuff.

Vancouver's tax does not grant an exemption for an "ex" principal residence. Once it has been vacant for 180 days, the tax "kicks in" even if the property is listed for sale regardlss of whether it was a principal residence or a rental. Once sold, the tax won't apply to the purchaser as of the date of sale (they get a new 180 day clock) and the vendor only pays up to the date of the sale. The only ongoing exemption I'm aware of is if the property is actively undergoing "major renovations" (planned renovations don't count. To qualify, all permits must have been issued, work must be underway, and the scope of the work must be such that the property is uninhabitable.

 

[policyenthusiast]

Small Scale Housing

Bylaw #​ Nbhd​  Rezoning from:​ Rezoning to:​  Vote​ District Plan Designation ​  21320​ Belvedere​ RS​ RSM h14​ 13-0, Passed​ 149 Street Secondary Corridor​  21306​ Strathcona​  RS​  RSM h12​  13-0, Passed​  Urban Mix​ 21304​ Westmount​ DC2.1126​ RSM h12​ 12-1, Passed (Principe Opposed)​ Stony Plain Road Primary Corridor​ 21305​ Highlands​ RS​ RSM h12​ 10-3, Passed (Salvador, Principe, and Clarke Opposed)​ Urban Mix​ 21311​ Mayfield​ RS​ RSM h12​ 0-13, Failed (see below)​ Urban Mix​ 21308​ Forest Heights​ RS​ RSM h12​ 12-1, Passed (Principe Opposed)​ Local Node​

Medium and Large Scale Housing

Bylaw #​ Nbhd​  Rezoning from:​ Rezoning to:​  Vote​ District Plan Designation ​  21310​ Inglewood​ MU h16 f3.5 cf​ RM h16​ 13-0, Passed​ 118 Avenue Primary Corridor​  21330​ Mayfield​  RS​ RM h16​  13-0, Passed​ 156 Street Secondary Corridor​  21321​  Delwood​ CN, RS​ MU h16 f2.0​ 13-0, Passed​  137 Avenue Primary Corridor​ 21307​ Boyle Street​ IM​ MU h23 f3.0​ 13-0, Passed​ Stadium District Node​ 21334​ Calder​ RS​ MUN​ 13-0, Passed​ Local Node​ 21309​ Allendale​ RS​ RM h16​ 13-0, Passed​ Urban Mix ​

Employment and Industrial

Bylaw #​ Nbhd​  Rezoning from:​ Rezoning to:​  Vote​ District Plan Designation ​  21335​ McArthur's Industrial​ AG​ BE​ 13-0, Passed​ Urban Mix​

 

[Greenspace]

The Boyle Street rezoning is right next to Stadium Yards, will be a good addition. (Store Fixtures by Westmount site).

 

[bodsbods9090]

What is considered Large Scale Housing in this sense?

 

[policyenthusiast]

What is considered Large Scale Housing in this sense?

Height max 50 or 65m, with FAR of 4.5 or 5.5

Meant to categorize zones for 9-20 stories. Not sure about unit counts.

EDIT: Here's the full description.