Generation Squeeze
Generation Squeeze's Hard Truths
Asking homeowners to own their wealth and put it to work
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Asking homeowners to own their wealth and put it to work

Journalist and editor Michelle Cyca talks with us about the housing crisis and the role of Canadian homeowners who need to recognize their power and privilege

We spoke with journalist Michelle Cyca about one of the hardest truths we grapple with (and which gets us a lot of hate mail). Skyrocketing home prices have made many older Canadian homeowners rich, while making housing unaffordable for younger generations. But many homeowners resist thinking of themselves as wealthy, especially whenever the subject of taxation comes up. So how do we get more homeowners to recognize their wealth and put it to work fixing our housing crisis? 

We also discuss the high, personal stakes of housing unaffordability; how it’s changing Canadian neighborhoods and society; why "just move somewhere affordable" isn't a solution; and street parking.

“People need to recognize the power and the position that they have through their housing. Housing is the main form of wealth in Canada that most people draw from. And if you have a lot of housing wealth, then you are wealthy. It's uncomfortable. It's not the same as, you know, being Galen Weston, or like a private jet-flying billionaire. But it is real wealth, and it gives you real power. And we can see that power reflected in what our neighborhoods look like.”

— Michelle Cyca

⁠Michelle Cyca⁠ is the editor of Indigenous-led conservation coverage for The Narwhal and a regular contributor to The WalrusMaclean’s, and many other publications. 

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Photo credit: Kayla MacInnis for The Narwhal

Discussion about this podcast

Generation Squeeze
Generation Squeeze's Hard Truths
Gen Squeeze's Hard Truths brings you the untold story about why basic life milestones – like owning a home, raising a family, and living on a habitable planet – are slipping out of reach for younger Canadians, and how we can make this country work more fairly for all generations.
Learn more at https://www.gensqueeze.ca/