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If a potential buyer was willing to pay more than other potential buyers, I’m sure they could find a house. It would still be a bargain compared to Vancouver or Toronto prices.
That doesn't mean houses are abundant. It could take a while find them, Halifax has supply and demand problem.
That doesn't mean houses are abundant. It could take a while find them, Halifax has supply and demand problem.
I didn’t say they were abundant. High mortgage rates mean that buyers can’t afford houses they might have been able to afford 3+ years ago. I expect rates to be lower next summer and continue to drop. I imagine lower rates will also encourage developers to build again. Does Saskatoon have a shortage of land for building new houses? If there is a demand, developers will build when interest rates drop.
I gather cities like Toronto and Vancouver have a severe shortage of land that can be developed for housing. That’s a different situation.
Does Saskatoon have a shortage of land for building new houses?
If you look at Saskatoon, Regina, Edmonton, Winnipeg there is lots of nice flat land to sprawl out to But there may be shortage of skilled people or builders so can only build so many houses each year because of shortage.
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If there is a demand, developers will build when interest rates drop.
Not sure what interest rates have to do with developers unless they fear that building hundreds of homes and no one buying it because of higher interest rate and fear the price of the home will go down?
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I gather cities like Toronto and Vancouver have a severe shortage of land that can be developed for housing. That’s a different situation.
Toronto GTA area has lots of land to sprawl out to, but Vancouver probably not because of the mountains and the water.
If you look at Saskatoon, Regina, Edmonton, Winnipeg there is lots of nice flat land to sprawl out to But there may be shortage of skilled people or builders so can only build so many houses each year because of shortage.
It’s not a good idea to allocate prime farm land for housing but I’m sure there are pockets of poor land, but not necessarily adjacent to cities. A major issue with sprawl is the need to build expensive infrastructure e.g. roads, overpasses, bridges, sewage pipe, public transportation. Building (high rises, infill projects) in an established area of a city avoids those costs.
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Not sure what interest rates have to do with developers unless they fear that building hundreds of homes and no one buying it because of higher interest rate and fear the price of the home will go down.
Developers borrow money for their building projects. They have to buy land, prepare it by removing trees, etc. hire engineers, architects, lawyers, designers, etc., build roads and lay sewage pipe before a hole is dug for the first house. I have read that high interest rates, supply chain shortages, and high price of lumber have been some of the reasons developers have been reluctant to build. I assume shortage of construction workers is another reason.
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Toronto GTA area has lots of land to sprawl out to, but Vancouver probably not because of the mountains and the water.
Is it likely to be zoned for housing developments?
It’s not a good idea to allocate prime farm land for housing
I’m no sure if farm land is all around Saskatoon, Regina, Edmonton, Calgary and Winnipeg limiting sprawl or just empty land there? And that one of the reasons.
But say it is nothing but farm land there how is it different than the Midwest or South in the US those sprawl cities in that area? Unless I’m missing some thing about the farms in Canada. That the farm land there is special and cannot be moved? Not sure how they are doing it in the US as those cities are very big on sprawl lots farms in the Midwest and south.
I’m no sure if farm land is all around Saskatoon, Regina, Edmonton, Calgary and Winnipeg limiting sprawl or just empty land there? And that one of the reasons.
But say it is nothing but farm land there how is it different than the Midwest or South in the US those sprawl cities in that area? Unless I’m missing some thing about the farms in Canada. That the farm land there is special and cannot be moved? Not sure how they are doing it in the US as those cities are very big on sprawl lots farms in the Midwest and south.
I think prime farm land is a very valuable resource, particularly in light of climate change. A lot of farms in the U.S. southwest will be in big trouble because of lack of water.
I’m no sure if farm land is all around Saskatoon, Regina, Edmonton, Calgary and Winnipeg limiting sprawl or just empty land there? And that one of the reasons.
But say it is nothing but farm land there how is it different than the Midwest or South in the US those sprawl cities in that area? Unless I’m missing some thing about the farms in Canada. That the farm land there is special and cannot be moved? Not sure how they are doing it in the US as those cities are very big on sprawl lots farms in the Midwest and south.
Farmland is very special - that is how you eat. It is also your legacy to your children and children's children so that they can eat. Unless you want to cap a country's population to a certain point. Or perhaps cut off exports to other countries which would cut into Canada's ability to buy the stuff we can't or don't produce.
No, farm land can't just be moved. Or rather, you can move it to the point where the land isn't any good for farming which would lead you to point one. And some land is more fertile than other land and it might only be a couple of miles apart. It's not interchangeable. With climate change this is even more important.
This is true no matter what country you are in.
Thirdly, I live on a farm, or at least I did until I subdivided the bulk of the farmland from my 16 acre yardsite. I could do that only because I had more than 80 acres and had farmed the land for more than a certain number of years. It's intended to allow farmers to retire at their homes without having to keep the acreage. And I can only subdivide once. I can't subdivide the 16 acres further.
The intent is to grow villages/towns and cities intelligently while preserving farmland without having small holdings all over the place. Something that is very important when it comes to infrastructure as well.
ETA: "nothing but farmland" provides food for migrating birds and feed for cattle and every other creature. If you're vegan that part may not matter.
Farmland is very special - that is how you eat. It is also your legacy to your children and children's children so that they can eat. Unless you want to cap a country's population to a certain point. Or perhaps cut off exports to other countries which would cut into Canada's ability to buy the stuff we can't or don't produce.
No, farm land can't just be moved. Or rather, you can move it to the point where the land isn't any good for farming which would lead you to point one. And some land is more fertile than other land and it might only be a couple of miles apart. It's not interchangeable. With climate change this is even more important.
This is true no matter what country you are in.
Thirdly, I live on a farm, or at least I did until I subdivided the bulk of the farmland from my 16 acre yardsite. I could do that only because I had more than 80 acres and had farmed the land for more than a certain number of years. It's intended to allow farmers to retire at their homes without having to keep the acreage. And I can only subdivide once. I can't subdivide the 16 acres further.
The intent is to grow villages/towns and cities intelligently while preserving farmland without having small holdings all over the place. Something that is very important when it comes to infrastructure as well.
ETA: "nothing but farmland" provides food for migrating birds and feed for cattle and every other creature. If you're vegan that part may not matter.
He said farm land is all around Saskatoon, Regina, Edmonton and Winnipeg and probably Calgary to, so well unless the farm land is unique to Canada unlike the US or little areas in Canada for farm land, I’m shocked how it not problem in the US as in he US they just build out. In the US the Midwest and south as lots of farm land.
Unless the US has just more farm land than Canada it not big problem there will as Canada has little farm land available in the country.
Hopefully some one from south or Midwest in the US can comment here on the farm land there or the farm land is not as prime there?
I disagree with the farmland point, and I’m a strong environmental advocate and generally liberal leaning. Most cities don’t have a green belt. What makes Toronto so special? It’s all about preserving the “illusion” of nature/countryside feeling for the millionaires who own acreages there. I’d imagine much of “farming”done in these areas near Toronto are rich retired hobbyists doing a little bit of gardening for a tax write off. If you’re a 70 year old farmer, you’re kids are grown up and aren’t taking it over the farm ends with you. The land costs $18 million because it’s sitting 5 minutes east of Scarborough. No one is buying that to run a farming operation. I think the whole argument doesn’t add up.
I disagree with the farmland point, and I’m a strong environmental advocate and generally liberal leaning. Most cities don’t have a green belt. What makes Toronto so special? It’s all about preserving the “illusion” of nature/countryside feeling for the millionaires who own acreages there. I’d imagine much of “farming”done in these areas near Toronto are rich retired hobbyists doing a little bit of gardening for a tax write off. If you’re a 70 year old farmer, you’re kids are grown up and aren’t taking it over the farm ends with you. The land costs $18 million because it’s sitting 5 minutes east of Scarborough. No one is buying that to run a farming operation. I think the whole argument doesn’t add up.
What doesn’t add up is all the low density housing within the metropolitan Toronto area. The NIMBY groups seem to be very powerful. When you have a lot of medium and high density housing though, small green belts are also important for the residents. Concrete cities become heat sinks.
Edited to add: The previous posts were in response to a comment about farmland in the prairie provinces. I can assure you that no one is paying $18 million to buy a plot of land to build a house 5 minutes from any prairie city.
Last edited by cdnirene; 08-20-2023 at 08:40 AM..
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