Larry Waters

Zoning for Densification

This has to be the next logical topic. So, why go from favouring single-family housing to zoning for densification? Next instalment – some suggestions for the how. And later, I will tackle land use and buildable area. The Why I have touched on the various reasons in my last post. Also, I wrote about the […]

The End Game

I don’t think that controlling fentanyl and illegal immigration has ever been the Trump end game. Driving the Trump Tariffs for Canada – control of our resources and our geographic location. The dead giveaway: “We don’t need anything they (Canada / Canadians) have”. Donald Trump Translation from years of negotiating, what I hear – “we […]

Do One Good Thing

Do you share my frustration at the disintegration of civility in today’s world? Is there anything we can do to reverse the trend towards insolence and contempt? A start – do one good thing. What is civility? To paraphrase a recently-read quotation that lamented “there lacks an adequate definition of civility ,but I can recognize […]

Single-Family Home Fixation

The White Picket Fence

I had ambitions of tackling densification, zoning, and land use all in one post. Indeed, that was ambitious. So for now, I will tackle the problems of the single-family home fixation. City Zoning Favours Single-Family Housing Toronto’s yellow-belt covers 75% of its land area. Until quite recently, the yellow-belt restricted development to detached and semi-detached […]

Here’s to 2025!

Well, we made it through all 366 days of 2024. I kind of shut down on December 22nd. Enough of 2024 already and I needed to put my brain to sleep for a few days. Okay, okay! Save the snarky comments. Anyway, here’s to 2025! Sad Start I have never been to New Orleans but […]

Increasing Housing Supply

Canadian governments have to stop pouring money into the dream of the white picket fence and purchaser incentives. Demand is not the problem. Collectively, the focus has to be on increasing housing supply. Solve the supply problem – solve the affordability problem. Some Statistics So What to do? Based on current housing production, home shortages […]

Bunch of Wimps

Who are the bunch of wimps I refer to? Essentially most of Canada’s political class! I have spent most of my adult life negotiating with real estate developers. So, I have a number of pointers: Prepare to Walk Away Sweat the Small Stuff Many might think this is just too trivial, but trust me, it […]

Political Christmas Gift

Aromatics for Québec-distilled gin

Canada’s de facto ruling coalition is delivering a political Christmas gift of $342.65. The math: Isn’t Inflation the Problem? And this to help Canadians deal with the cost of living. So the world has struggled with inflation for the last few years and finally seemed to be getting it under control, at least in Canada. […]

Common Sense or Nonsense?

When Vienna needed housing

I have been trying to figure out how a 5% sales tax rebate makes homes more affordable. I haven’t been able to because it just doesn’t work. Homes sell at a market price. If that market price is $1.0 million dollars, the only party to benefit from the $50,000 rebate will be the seller because […]

Everybody Take a Valium

OK! Everybody take a valium! The inspiration for this post comes from one of Aislin’s most famous editorial cartoons of the last four decades. The Montréal Gazette published it the day after René Lévesque’s Parti québécois was first elected in 1976. If I had the necessary skills I would replace Réné with Donald Trump and […]