Vancouver Most Unaffordable in Canada

(August 28, 2012 )

Article from News 1130 reports:  A new study finds the Lower Mainland is the worst in the country for housing affordability.

RBC Economics calculates housing affordability based on the amount of monthly pre-tax income it takes to own a home, including mortgage payments, utilities, and property taxes.

In its "Housing Trends and Affordability Report," Vancouver is ranked dead last, at a staggering 91 per cent -- far back of Toronto at 54.5 per cent, Ottawa at nearly 42 per cent, and Montreal at 40.4 per cent.

RBC says our unaffordability has finally started weighing down on the local housing market, as home resales have fallen by 18 per cent compared to this time last year.

But Vancouver isn't an indicator for the rest of the province.

For example, in Victoria, the share of income needs to carry the costs of a mortgage at market prices for some housing types is almost half that seen on the Lower Mainland.


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