Hub Podcasts How Carney's Build Canada Homes plan misdiagnoses the housing crisis
Sep 15, 2025
Chris Spoke, a partner at Toronto Standard, dives into the complexities of Canada's housing affordability crisis. He critiques Prime Minister Mark Carney's Build Canada Homes agency, arguing it misdiagnoses the actual issues at play. Spoke discusses high taxation and regulations as barriers to increasing supply. He calls for simpler construction methods and a reevaluation of government approaches to truly tackle the crisis. The conversation challenges listeners to rethink the effectiveness of current housing strategies and explore broader solutions.
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Campaign Promises Versus Likely Output
- Chris Spoke recalled Carney's three campaign housing ideas: Build Canada Homes, a MERB tax credit, and halving municipal development charges.
- He estimated the announced $13 billion would likely deliver only a few thousand units, a tiny fraction of the 250,000-unit gap.
Supply Shortage Driven By Taxes And Rules
- Chris Spoke argues Canada's housing shortage is fundamentally due to insufficient supply driven by heavy taxes and local regulations.
- He emphasizes most regulatory barriers sit at the municipal level while many costs are applied locally or via HST.
Market-Rate Supply Reduces Need For Subsidies
- Spoke warns that focusing on subsidized affordable housing without increasing market-rate supply misses the root problem.
- He says building abundant market-rate housing first reduces the portion of the population needing subsidized housing.