One half don't expect children to be able to buy a home. One fifth see housing price correction

In the fourth wave of the Campaign Research Poll, an online omnibus opinion survey conducted among 1,970 adult Canadians, one half (50%) of those with children who do not already own homes (n=1037) say their children will not be able to afford a home in their community, and just 3 in 10 (29%) say their children will be able to afford home buying. Incidence of finding the community unaffordable is highest among boomers (55 to 64 - 61%), in BC (67%), Toronto (62%) and the surrounding GTA (63%), among federal New Democrats (58%) and those in mid income brackets ($60K to $80K - 57%). Community affordability is seen to be highest among the youngest (39%), males (34%) rather than females (25%), in Atlantic Canada (38%) and Quebec (37%) and among Conservatives (33%) and the wealthy ($80K to $100K - 38%). Those who rent are less likely to see their children affording a home (23%) than are those who own a home now (31%).

6 in 10 see affordable housing as a serious issue in their community

Six in ten (60%) Canadians think the lack of affordable housing is a serious problem in their

communities and as many as a quarter say it is a “very serious issue” (26%). This issue is seen to

be especially serious by younger groups (25 to 34 - 34%), females (27%) rather than males

(24%), in BC especially (49%), as well as Toronto (43%), among Green Party supporters (43%)

and among the least wealthy (less than $20K - 31%). Renters are more likely to see affordable

housing as a “very serious” issue (35%) than are those who own homes (21%).

Majority agree government should be building and owning affordable housing

Two thirds of Canadians agree governments should be in the business of building and owning

affordable housing (64%), while just one fifth disagree (19%). A similar proportion don’t have an

opinion (17%). Enthusiasm for state housing is especially high among the youngest (73%),

among females (68%) rather than males (61%), in Quebec (70%) and BC (69%), and, to a lesser

extent, in Toronto (67%), among New Democrats (74%) and among the least wealthy (less than

$20K - 72%, $20K to $40K - 73%). Renters are more likely to agree the government should be in

the housing business (74%) than are homeowners (58%).

One fifth see a housing price correction coming

One fifth of Canadians see a market correction for housing in the future (21%), whereas just

less than half don’t fear this (46%). As many as a third don’t know (33%). Believing a correction

is due is common to mid age groups (35 to 44 - 26%), males (22%) more than females (19%), in

Alberta (23%), Toronto (23%) and the surrounding GTA (25%), as well as among the wealthiest

(26%).

More than a fifth see market correction within a year

More than one fifth of Canadians see a housing market correction occurring within a year or

less (22%), and this group is comprised of few who see it occurring within a month (2%), three

months (2%), six months (6%) and those who see it happening in a year or so (12%). About one

fifth see the market undergoing a correction in more than a year (17%), while about one

quarter think no correction is imminent (22%). As many as 4 in 10 don’t know if or when this

will occur (39%).

“The affordable housing situation is dire indeed when one half of parents with children who

don’t own homes think those kids will never own a home in their community. It is interesting

to see the high level of support for government built and owned affordable housing, a

situation which has proved problematic in Toronto.” ​said Eli Yufest, CEO of Campaign

Research. Eli may be reached at eyufest@campaignresearch.ca or at (647) 931-4025 ext 109.

METHODOLOGY

This online poll was conducted between May 9 and 13, 2017, among a sample of 1,969 adult

Canadians. A probability sample of this size would have a margin of error of plus or minus 2%,

19 times out of 20.