Tag Archives: Real estate

Mission or market? Churches are not always on the right side of the housing crisis.

Editor’s opinion: I believe Christianity needs to be ‘reborn’ in a form more palatable to the 21st century. I do not know what this would look like, but suspect it will be substantially different from what we see now, at least in its outward forms. At the moment, there are probably more Christians outside of the Church than in it.

By Sidney Coles, Capital Daily, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The fiscal reality that churches are increasingly less viable solely as places of worship is repeating itself across the country.  Unable to count on tithes or bums in seats, churches have been either closing their doors or selling off and re-purposing their assets in a land and real estate market only too happy to receive them. And it’s paying big dividends.

Continue reading Mission or market? Churches are not always on the right side of the housing crisis.

A tale of two co-buys

Originally published on qathet Living

One was strictly business. The other is an intentional community. Both versions of shared mortgages achieved the same goal: getting people into the housing market who might otherwise be shut out. 

Do something weird.

That’s 460 Realtor Austyn MacKinnon’s advice to first-time home buyers who are navigating a crazy market like qathet’s. She should know. She and her husband did something weird to get into the market back in 2014: they co-bought an $800,000 house with acquaintances.

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Canada has jobs and public support for immigrants but it doesn’t have the housing

By Fabian Dawson, New Canadian Media, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Canada’s plan to open its doors to hundreds of thousands of immigrants will be a “trainwreck” if the Trudeau Liberal government does not come up with a comprehensive housing solution for the newcomers who are needed to fill jobs in the country, experts say.

Housing affordability and availability are the key issues of concern for Canadians, who are generally in favour of immigration, said pollster Nik Nanos. The results of his organization’s latest survey shows over half of Canadians polled believe an increase in immigrants as permanent residents will have a positive or somewhat positive impact on the economy.

Continue reading Canada has jobs and public support for immigrants but it doesn’t have the housing

Corporations are winning the inflation bump, while Canadians struggle with high prices

By Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

As Canadians struggle to afford essential goods and services, the spoils of inflation are ending up largely in corporate profits, particularly in oil, gas and mining industries, a new analysis reveals.

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) crunched the numbers to see how much more Canadians spent over the last two years due to inflation and pinpointed which industries benefited the most.

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Cortes Island faces housing listing shortage while BC supply at an all-time low

By Greg Osoba, CKTZ News, through an LJI grant to Canada-info.ca

A recent BC Real Estate Association report says 2021 was a record year for sales in the BC housing market, while 2022 begins with the lowest number of listings on record.

On Cortes Island, local resident realtor Martha Abelson, who has 17 years experience, says there are only four active listings, fewer than half the average for this time of year. She believes the pandemic is contributing to the housing supply shortage.

Continue reading Cortes Island faces housing listing shortage while BC supply at an all-time low