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Articles by Stephen Moranis
This city's housing plan is a rare success story in the global affordability crisis
Auckland's infill housing construction projects demonstrate how increasing density can effectively boost supply. Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images Article content While cities worldwide struggle with housing affordability (with little to no success), Auckland, New Zealand, has implemented a supply-centric approach that increased housing availability, raised density and lowered prices. Can Canada learn from Auckland’s experience?
This city's experience is a rare housing success story in the global affordability crisis
While cities worldwide struggle with housing affordability (with little to no success), Auckland, New Zealand, has implemented a supply-centric approach that increased housing availability, raised density and lowered prices. Can Canada learn from Auckland's experience? The city's residents, like those living in similarly desirable metropolises, faced steep price increases as many competed for the limited supply of homes available to buy or rent.
The needless debate over infill vs. outfill housing development
Skip to Content Analysis of demographics suggests Canada need not choose one development mode over another A transit-focused infill strategy alone will not eliminate the need to construct millions of new homes for growing families in regions where land remains relatively inexpensive and plentiful. There is little doubt Canada needs more housing. Most advocates and experts agree on that point.
The needless debate over infill vs. outfill housing development
Analysis of demographics suggests Canada need not choose one development mode over another A transit-focused infill strategy alone will not eliminate the need to construct millions of new homes for growing families in regions where land remains relatively inexpensive and plentiful. Photo by Barry Lavallee/Getty Images Article content There is little doubt Canada needs more housing. Most advocates and experts agree on that point.
More evidence that increasing new housing supply improves affordability
Posted in The real risk isn’t overbuilding but underbuilding, leading to exclusion, overcrowding and declining affordability By Murtaza Haider and Stephen Moranis, Published May 29, 2026 Building enough housing to keep pace with population growth is vital for affordability. Critics of supply-side solutions say new homes often cost more and don’t meet the needs of low- to middle-income households.
More evidence that increasing new housing supply improves affordability Original
Skip to Content The real risk isn't overbuilding but underbuilding, leading to exclusion, overcrowding and declining affordability Canada’s housing crisis won't be solved by denying the need for more supply in a country with rapid population growth and shrinking household sizes. Building enough housing to keep pace with population growth is vital for affordability. Critics of supply-side solutions say new homes often cost more and don’t meet the needs of low- to middle-income households.
More evidence that increasing new housing supply improves affordability
1 hour ago This is the latest instalment of The Inside Story, Wallpaper’s series spotlighting intriguing, innovative and industry-leading interior design. On Montréal's South Shore, a 1929 residence has had its modernist roots refreshed. A recent renovation by local studio Vives St-Laurent set out to be wholly …
More evidence that increasing new housing supply improves affordability
The real risk isn't overbuilding but underbuilding, leading to exclusion, overcrowding and declining affordability Canada’s housing crisis won't be solved by denying the need for more supply in a country with rapid population growth and shrinking household sizes. Photo by Darren Makowichuk/Postmedia Article content Building enough housing to keep pace with population growth is vital for affordability.
The unintended consequences of 'gentle density' development Original
Skip to Content Gentle density's success depends on aligning policy design with policy outcomes A fourplex in North Central Edmonton, Alta. City governments across Canada are promoting what planners call “gentle density.” The idea is straightforward: replace single-detached houses with duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes and, in Edmonton’s case, eightplexes to increase housing supply without dramatically altering neighbourhood character.
The unintended consequences of 'gentle density' development
Advertisement oop Skip to Content Multiplex zoning can unintentionally create unregulated clusters of transient accommodation A fourplex in North Central Edmonton, Alta. City governments across Canada are promoting what planners call “gentle density.” The idea is straightforward: replace single-detached houses with duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes and, in Edmonton’s case, eightplexes to increase housing supply without dramatically altering neighbourhood character.
Edmontonians are engaged in a common, contentious debate: how should a city grow? Original
Skip to Content Urban housing policies should be guided by neighbourhood demographics and available amenities Given the decline in residential construction productivity in Canada over the years, large-scale adoption of infill developments may exacerbate productivity challenges. Edmonton is the right city in Canada to ask an uncomfortable question: Should growth be pushed inward or outward?
Why the long-awaited launch of Toronto's Eglinton Crosstown LRT is hardly worth celebrating Original
Skip to Content It has become a case study in how not to plan, manage and communicate large-scale public infrastructure projects People ride the Eglinton Crosstown LRT on its first day of service in Toronto on Feb. 8. By now, the Eglinton Crosstown in Toronto is no longer merely a delayed transit line. It has become a case study in how not to plan, manage and communicate large-scale public infrastructure projects.
How the other half rents: taking stock of Canada’s high-end rental market
Posted in Despite evident demand, the supply of exclusive, high-end rental units remains limited By Murtaza Haider and Stephen Moranis Published Feb 02, 2026 Do luxury and rental housing meet? Of course they do. Luxury rental housing is a relatively small yet critical segment of the purpose-built rental market, serving high-net-worth individuals who seek the quality of dwellings they once owned, or could easily own, without the burdens of homeownership.
How the other half rents: taking stock of Canada's high-end rental market Original
Skip to Content Despite evident demand, the supply of exclusive, high-end rental units remains limited A snow-framed view of the Toronto skyline from the end of Polson St. on January 29, 2022. Do luxury and rental housing meet? Of course they do. Luxury rental housing is a relatively small yet critical segment of the purpose-built rental market, serving high-net-worth individuals who seek the quality of dwellings they once owned, or could easily own, without the burdens of homeownership.
Cities have to be labour markets first to improve productivity, wages. Edmonton's mayor gets it Original
Skip to Content Haider and Moranis: Without a strong economic engine, decorative gestures amount to little more than civic window dressing Mayor Andrew Knack year end interview on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 in Edmonton. Cities are, first and foremost, labour markets. Their primary economic function is to match people with jobs, companies with workers and skills with opportunity. Productivity improves, wages rise and living standards follow when cities perform this role well.
Cities have to be labour markets first to improve productivity, wages. Edmonton's mayor gets it
1 hour ago Iran - January 01, 2026 Nightime protests erupted in several Iranian cities, including Hamedan and Asad Abad in Hamedan province, as well as Isfahan and Fooladshahr in Isfahan province, local residents reported. Residents reported protests, heightened security presence, and clashes between demonstrators and security forces. In some areas, gunfire, tear gas, and street confrontations were reported as authorities attempted to disperse crowds.
How living close to Mom and Dad affects labour and housing markets Original
Skip to Content Where seniors live and who will be their primary caregiver will have a considerable impact on Canada’s housing needs Aging is predictable, we all become one year older each year. Given this predictability, Canada should be able to plan senior housing needs ahead of time. Most Canadian adults with aging parents live in close proximity to their parents’ home. As the parents grow older and need regular help, their adult children often choose to move closer to provide support.
How living close to Mom and Dad affects labour and housing markets
Fed Rate Cut: What It Really Means for Homebuyers and the Housing Market The Federal Reserve has cut its benchmark interest rate once again, but even Fed Chair Jerome Powell warns that the move will not be a panacea for the …
Supply skepticism makes tackling the housing crisis even harder
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Supply skepticism makes tackling the housing crisis even harder Original
Skip to Content Advertisement 1 Overcoming a shortfall of millions of homes requires trillions of dollars, an investment so large that it rivals Canada’s GDP Article content By Murtaza Haider and Stephen Moranis Sign In or Create an Account Article content Canada is in the midst of a severe housing shortage, yet some advocates argue that building more homes is not the answer. A few even claim that the country has already built enough housing.
Will employers' return-to-office mandates boost productivity? Original
Skip to Content Advertisement 1 A company's decision to allow employees to work remotely or in designated workspaces should be based on what maximizes productivity Article content The closing of offices and businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic helped prevent the spread of the disease, which was contained in record time. The economy and social activities soon recovered, in many instances much faster than expected.
Real estate regulator proves ineffective in case involving $10.5 million in missing trust deposits Original
Skip to Content Advertisement 1 Real Estate Council of Ontario took credibility hit after brokerage firm iPro Realty mishandled millions of dollars Article content The watchdog overseeing Ontario’s real estate industry has taken a credibility hit after a brokerage firm, iPro Realty, was found to have mishandled millions of dollars in its trust account.
Is there light at the end of the tunnel for real estate markets?
Murtaza Haider and Stephen Moranis: The road ahead may not be bumpy, but it will remain uncertain until the economic picture clears The housing market outlook today looks significantly different from that of December of last year. At that time, there was cautious optimism about a mild resurgence in 2025. Interest rates were trending lower, with expectations of further cuts.
Is there light at the end of the tunnel for real estate markets?
Skip to Content Advertisement 1 Murtaza Haider and Stephen Moranis: The road ahead may not be bumpy, but it will remain uncertain until the economic picture clears Article content The housing market outlook today looks significantly different from that of December of last year. At that time, there was cautious optimism about a mild resurgence in 2025. Interest rates were trending lower, with expectations of further cuts.
REITs get criticized for being part of the housing affordability problem, but it turns out they aren't
Advertisement 1 The evidence from CMHC is clear: REITs are not the villains in Canada’s rental markets. Public policy should reflect that reality Article content Most of Canada’s purpose-built rental housing was constructed before the 1990s, and maintaining this aging stock has long been a challenge for landlords.
Canada’s social housing deficit is a crisis hiding in plain sight
Housing crisis is about the exclusion of deeply affordable, non-market housing in the national conversation Article content Canada’s housing crisis is not just about escalating home prices or steep market rents. It is also about the near omission of deeply affordable, non-market housing from the national conversation. With fewer than five per cent of all dwellings meeting this definition, Canada faces a shortage that is both severe and structurally entrenched.
Ontario is falling behind in new housing construction, and that’s a problem
Skip to Content Advertisement 1 Residential construction in Ontario is slowing, and other much less populated provinces are rapidly catching up Article content Ontario may be Canada’s most populous province, but it might soon cease to be the national leader in new housing construction.
Why stable housing prices and improved affordability aren't mutually exclusive
Canadians want a government that protects the value of their assets and safeguards their savings, not the other way around Canadians have elected a new government to address the same enduring issues. Prominent among them is the continuing challenge of housing affordability. The newly minted Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, Gregor Robertson, takes the helm of a sizeable multi-department bureaucracy that has been struggling to improve housing affordability outcomes.
Why stable housing prices and improved affordability aren't mutually exclusive
Skip to Content Advertisement 1 Canadians want a government that protects the value of their assets and safeguards their savings, not the other way around Article content Canadians have elected a new government to address the same enduring issues. Prominent among them is the continuing challenge of housing affordability. Sign In or Create an Account Article content We apologize, but this video has failed to load. Try refreshing your browser, or tap here to see other videos from our team.
Here's how important homeownership is to building wealth in Canada
With Canadians heading to the polls in the federal election in less than a week, the persistent challenges of housing affordability stand as a central issue for voters. The political choices made today will not only shape their own financial prospects but also significantly impact their children’s ability to one day own a home. It turns out the same can be said for the housing choices parents make, as a recent study by Statistics Canada shows.
Will the benefits of Trudeau's high-speed rail project justify the enormous cost? Original
The federal government’s $3.9-billion commitment to high-speed rail between Quebec City and Toronto may seem like a bold investment in Canada’s infrastructure future. However, a closer examination reveals a different reality: this amount only covers feasibility studies and initial design work — costs that typically account for only five per cent of a project’s total expenses. If the preliminary bill is nearly $4 billion, the final price tag could easily surpass $80 billion.
The enduring myth of the house flipper, whose impact on housing affordability has been overestimated
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The enduring myth of the house flipper, whose impact on housing affordability has been overestimated Original
It turns out just a little over three per cent of residential properties sold in B.C. in 2021 were owned for less than a year before being resold. Not only is the prevalence of “flipped” sales low, but the economic profits generated by such transactions were negligible, suggesting that flippers are not walking away with exorbitant ill-gotten wealth. The narrative that real estate investors, particularly those flipping homes, are inflating house prices has gained traction in Canada.
Condo investors play a critical role in Canada's tight rental market Original
Statistics Canada’s latest data drop exposes the hidden backbone of Canada’s rental market: investors. Condos built between 2016 and 2022 are increasingly investor-owned, quietly providing lifelines for renters in a housing market desperate for supply. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team.
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