It's not strong logic, but at least slightly more logical than any other interpretation in this head scratching decision.

And yes, it's difficult not to read more into the decision.

When something defies any definition of logic, people are left to wonder if there might be some other reason for opposing these homes. 🤔

Full story: tricitiesdispatch.com/residents-di...

If there is a lot more building going on and we continue to scale back on immigration targets the real pinch point for housing will be in construction labour. Skilled trades and training investments will be vital. We can expect a Liberal government with a new mandate to double down here.

I’m not sure what their plans are for the Housing Accelerator Fund, but this may be a more direct way of getting funds to municipalities. If they end up moving away from the Accelerator Fund, expect the work that municipalities have been doing with these dollars to stop midstream.

Development cost charges will come down. The big question with these charges is who will pay for necessary infrastructure. The Liberal platform cracks this nut with a commitment to making municipalities whole for the five years that these charges are reduced.

$25B in financing for prefabricated home builders in Canada: a focus on Canadian technologies and resources is critical given the existential threat we face, and the pre-fab industry will invest in itself if they have certainty in their pipeline. This has the potential to help with scale.

The loss of these incentives in the 1980s were a key ingredient for the rental housing crisis we see today. We’ve seen incentives in other forms over the last decade, but these are likely to be helpful nonetheless.

The Liberals have committed to reintroducing incentives for purpose built rental and this is a good way of supporting the private sector to help government achieve its goals.

I’d feel better about this commitment if non-profit and co-op housing providers were at the centre of it. The Federal government has increasingly been opening up their programs to the private sector with no protections for long-term affordability. This is where the NDP/GR/BQ can push the Liberals.

$10B in low-cost financing and capital for affordable homes. A few thoughts on this one: The ratio of financing and capital is going to matter a lot. Financing matters, but it’s the capital that creates affordability on new projects. A look at what brings down rents on this project in Delta:

A Federal government that’s in the business of building homes for the first time in generations. Big ticket commitments are critical to solving the crisis, but getting this machine up, running, and making a noticeable impact will take time. That time will be measured in years not months.

And that was just the first night!

I’ll miss your stories, but already looking forward to your next book. Congratulations Chris!