Hub Podcasts How can Canada have a housing shortage while homes sit unsold?
Jan 20, 2026
This discussion features commentary authors Matt Spoke, Joanna Barron, and Richard Shimooka, each bringing sharp insights into pressing issues. Matt Spoke tackles the paradox of Canada’s housing crisis amid unsold homes, highlighting structural underbuilding and the impact of policy on housing costs. Joanna Barron analyzes the recent Federal Court ruling on the Emergencies Act, calling for judicial scrutiny of executive power. Richard Shimooka argues for a focus on military capability over job creation in defense procurement, advocating for collaborative development as a strategic advantage.
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Shortage And Cooling Can Coexist
- Canada can have a housing shortage and an apparent excess of homes for sale simultaneously because different forces operate on different timelines.
- Market cycles suppress transactions while long-term policy barriers prevent the right supply from being built to meet underlying demand.
Structural Causes Shape Housing Supply
- Decades of underbuilding, restrictive zoning, delays, and extra taxes created a slow, unresponsive housing system.
- These structural failures push young adults into delayed family formation, longer commutes, and suburban sprawl.
Financial Cycle Worsens Affordability
- Higher interest rates reduced purchasing power while construction and regulatory costs stayed high, widening the affordability gap.
- This creates misaligned supply: homes exist but not at price points many buyers can afford.