by Karl Nerenberg • Rabble.ca
There are a lot of regulations, which are not a bad thing, but they do slow things down and make everything more expensive.
Are they really that much more restrictive than US regulations? Like, easing some of them (especially zoning!) is a great way to help, once the money issue pointed out here is taken care of, but the US industry looks really similar on paper while producing a lot more houses per capita.
The sheer amount of immigrants. A million plus every year, year after year, adds up. Building a million homes a year would be tough for any country.
That could be a factor, but if a lot of them work in construction that should actually be helpful in the long term. (And of course, blaming them makes me nervous for reasons that have nothing to do with economics)
That could be a factor, but if a lot of them work in construction that should actually be helpful in the long term.
It looks like very few new Canadians work in construction:
New immigrants currently constitute only 2.0% of construction workers in the country, and thus more efforts need to be made to facilitate their smooth transition into the Canadian infrastructural market.
I suspect that we’d need a concerted effort to adjust our visa and immigration programs to increase those numbers. AFAIU, the points system rewards white collar credentials. Trades-oriented credentials seem to require Canadian experience in the temporary foreign workers program.
Huh. Yeah that’s a problem, at the very least going forwards.
AFAIU, the points system rewards white collar credentials.
Yes, I don’t understand it all because it’s really complicated, but executive experience gets you more points that anything else, which is ridiculous given the roles that are made available to new Canadians.
A lot of construction is unionized and requires skills and training. Many immigrants cant just up and start in construction just anywhere. Especially housing which is also restricted by trades like electricians, plumbers, cabinetry, flooring, drywall, painters, etc.
Yeah, I’m sure for something like electrical you wouldn’t want someone fresh from the third world in charge. Framing, on the other hand, should be eminently doable.
Hmm, what is the unionisation rate?
Even framing has a lot to learn. Not a lot of stick frame construction done outside of North America.
