To build far more non-market homes we need to: *Remove the bottleneck of restrictive zoning. *Increase capital grants and loans. *Develop more public sector-driven projects. We also need far more housing supply, period. Non-market and market rental both.

Canada is not facing a bare cupboard. We have the resources to collectively invest in this country’s future—and the opportunity to design a modern, best-in-class wealth tax. We can lead an emerging international coalition to tax the rich. My latest

A wealth tax could raise half a trillion dollars for Canada. Extreme wealth concentration is damaging our economy and society. Taxing the super-rich could fund transformative public investments to build a stronger, more resilient Canada. New report:

If Canada is to double the pace of homebuilding—and it should—big cities can't be allowed to continue banning apartments on the vast majority of residential land. Will the new federal govt—or any level of govt—finally bring this destructive ban to an end?

Want a more resilient Canadian economy? Double down on democratic employee ownership. Putting workers in the driver's seat is essential to face down US threats and economic uncertainty. My latest in today's Vancouver Sun w/ Michael Mackenzie & Simon Pek

Extreme inequality in Canada is fueled both by the super-rich at the very top and growing divides in the housing market amid a shortage of homes. We need to rein in billionaire power and build homes for all. My latest in @jacobin

Two facets of wealth inequality in Canada: billionaires and housing Under threat from the US, to build a stronger Canada we need to rein in the power of the super-rich, share the wealth and build homes for all. My latest @bcpolicysociety

And because housing policy is economic policy, I squeezed in the case for ending the apartment ban in cities like Vancouver to unleash more growth, productivity and equality. Not gonna lie, I'm excited to be back to the business of policy wonkery now in our new shop.

My pre-budget interview with Black Press, first since the launch of BC Policy Solutions. It's toe-to-toe with one of BC's big business lobby groups. I make the case for strong public investments and against cutbacks and austerity in the BC budget. https://t.co/GzmtQPzCqr

Join us for our first public webinar as BC Policy Solutions. I'll be fresh out of the budget lock-up in Victoria, and we'll have our initial analysis of the 2025 BC budget. Register here: https://t.co/KkuqJVCfyF If you can, help us spread the word!

Worried about infrastructure costs? Then end the apartment ban. To tackle the housing shortage and close the infrastructure gap, ending exclusionary zoning is a critical part of the solution. Oped in today's Vancouver Sun

Infrastructure costs have become a go-to excuse for restrictive zoning policy in BC. But this gets things backwards. Infrastructure for denser housing is cheaper per capita. Apartment bans are hurting, not helping. New analysis by me & @DannyOleksiuk

Strong tenant protections would be even more effective at reducing displacement of renters in existing apartment areas if the City of Vancouver would stop banning new apartments in the wealthy detached house areas.

Weakening the Broadway Plan tenant protections would be callous & bad housing policy. Strong protections not only help tenants in cases of redevelopment, they help steer development away from sites with existing renters. They should be strengthened and extended across the city.

Looking forward to this final session of my #HousingCentral 2024. Really encouraging to see the links between exclusionary zoning and barriers to non-market housing firmly on the agenda.

It's a good day when you get to spend it with non-market housing developers, operators and public sector funders at #HousingCentral Everything from financing to zoning reform is on the agenda. One key to tackling the housing crisis and shortage is scaling up non-market housing.

Tax cuts would come back to bite BC. Rather than diminishing the capacity of our public sector with more tax cuts, BC should restore that capacity by taxing the rich and large corporations. My latest on Policy Note and in The Tyee today

Apartment bans in places like Vancouver drive more car-dependent sprawl in the broader region, increasing climate emissions, air pollution and deforestation (as sprawl is forced into the valley and up mountainsides). A critical environmental problem, not just a housing one.

If housing is in the mix, I'm curious whether they recognize the huge environmental damage wreaked by the apartment bans that big cities like Vancouver continue to impose on most of their land. Apartments have lower GHGs, less energy use & consume far less land space than houses

No decision has been made yet, and it'll be critical to watch the final policy details that come to council next year. Like with multiplexes, an overly-restrictive final policy design could undercut the benefits of the proposal.

In more encouraging news: this proposal (initiated by opposition Councilor Boyle and backed by the council majority) would be one very welcome step forward. But city is moving at a snail's pace. Initial motion passed in 2022 & at best no change will be in place before mid-2025.