A phrase my daughter likes to use, 'delulu is the solulu,' suggests that by embracing a 'delusional' mindset, you can achieve your goals, even if they seem far-fetched. A popular concept amongst Gen X.
Delusion seems to be the solution for the older generation out there — those that are not as hip and cool as me. But what does this have to do with housing, math, or anything I would have an opinion on?
Simple. Our solutions to addressing the housing crisis at all three levels of government is based on a foundation of delusion: A false belief or judgment about external reality, held despite incontrovertible evidence to the contrary.
Canadians are being played. Most of the population have a less than a Grade 7 understanding of housing development and the associated economics, and while this might be shocking, the average politician has an even lower understanding. At the municipal level, the fact the average councillor remembers to breathe every couple of seconds is the level the bar is set for expectations around housing. Finding Nemo's Dory the fish — that is the type of person that is running our housing system in government.
It’s not complicated to see the delusion, it sits right at the end of the average person’s nose. The issue is they are busy worrying about feeding the kids, paying the mortgage, or deciding whether or not they need a permit for their tent in an encampment (no B.S., the City of Toronto just created an expedited approval system for tents).
Distracted people, they make great participants in the Housing Ponzi Scheme. That distraction also makes people susceptible to the delusional housing policies sounding like they might work.
- Ford promising of 1.5 million homes by 2031. Utterly delusional from the day it was announced.
- Carney promising 500,000 homes per year. Delusional.
- Trudeau promised 3.87M homes by 2031. Delusional.
- John Tory — how many affordable homes did he promise? Forty thousand by 2031? Delusional.
- Olivia Chow promising just 65,000 rental homes in 7 years and 25,000 rent-controlled units on City land……
I could list so many promises across Canada that are utterly delusional. So why are these statements made? Well, it’s so people think something is being done. It’s obvious it’s not possible, but if you’re trying to feed a kid, work three jobs, et cetera, you’re not exactly focused on complex nuances of housing economics. Hey, the beer-guy salesman on TV said we will have 1.5 million homes soon — sounds pretty good.
It’s all a huge con game — a confidence trick — the average person is being played, duped, conned, and messed with at an epic scale. The housing system is designed to protect the 65% of Canadians who own a home. I have written before that, generally, poor people don't vote so they can eat cake; NIMBY’s are old people with no life that own a home, but they vote.
And the NIMBYs made millions of dollars out of opposing new homes. Drive around a Toronto neighbourhood and look at how many $2-million to $4-million homes have $25,000 to $30,000 cars in the driveways. They got rich by being in the right place at the right time; there is no generated wealth, only property value accumulation.The middle class got rich by owning a home, now they tell everyone else you don’t get the opportunity too and they are supported by government policy to do that.
The housing system is not being fixed because they do not want to — it's political suicide. Ten thousand homeless people in Toronto are inconvenient collateral damage; people on the bread line are a side issue because they do not have a loud enough voice. It’s no different if you look at Alberta, ignored by Ottawa because the loudest people are in Ontario and Quebec (and by 'loud,' I mean enough people vote in numbers that make a difference).
Should people start to see past the delusion (on any aspect of government), Plan B comes into play: distraction. Trump made Ford and Carney this go around, and they should be showering him in planes and gifts thanking him. The other distractions: war on bike paths, hobbit tunnels under 401, $200,000 statues, and accessible beer everywhere (nice to have but not really the priority).
THEY ARE NOT GOING TO FIX THE HOUSING SYSTEM. IT WOULD BE POLITICAL SUICIDE.
“No. I think that we need to deliver more supply, make sure the market is stable. It’s a huge part of our economy,” said Housing and Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson on his way to the first meeting of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s new cabinet, when asked specifically if he thinks home prices needed to go down. The quiet bit said out loud; Trudeau has mentioned this in the past.
So instead, we all run around in a deluded state, pretending things will get better. The math says it will get worse.
Our economy is terrible compared to where it should be, so average wages are not going to go up fast enough. Housing is broken so prices will come down a little bit, but then spiral out of control again. I think it was Mike Moffatt that said it would take some crazy double-digit number of years – like 50 – for incomes to catch up with house prices. So, Robertson, you’re utterly delulu.
Welcome to Canada, where delusion is a daily survival tactic, and our politicians have figured out how to manipulate people into believing they have a solution to everything, when ultimately, they intend to fix almost nothing. When you think of solutions in such short-term timeframes, you cannot fix much, only focus on get reelected until the pension kicks in.
We need to move away from being world leaders in bureaucracy, task forces and consultant reports.
Delusion needs to become aggressive targets we want to focus on and hit.
Canada needs to become an economic powerhouse with homes for all.
Can we solve the housing challenge? Right now, not a chance in hell. Do we have the potential to do it? Yes. Do we have the ability to do it? Yes.
But until politicians loosen the shackles on the people of Canada, do their job – stop playing at being Dory – we are doomed to a life of 'delulu is the solulu.'
