Campaigning for the provincial election is in full swing here in Saskatchewan, with many topics on the minds of voters as they cast their ballots later this month. One of the biggest issues facing voters is housing availability and affordability. The Saskatoon and Regina Home Builders Associations as well as Saskatchewan’s Realtors and Landlord Associations have tabled a Secure Homes, Strong Future blueprint for the provincial government.
With rental and housing vacancy rates at an all-decade low and prices at an all-time high, residents feel the pinch on housing and younger generations feel the idea of owning their own home more of a fairytale than reality. Cameron Chouqette is the president of the Saskatchewan Landlord Association, reiterates the sentiment facing Saskatchewan residents looking to rent or buy a home.
“What really needs to be a top priority in our province and that's housing supply and development. It's a great opportunity as we enter provincial election time here in Saskatchewan to really put housing at the forefront of the provincial parties. As they get on the campaign trail and talk with voters that they're informed about what the industry needs and wants and to make sure that Saskatchewan can continue to grow and welcome people into the province with good, safe, hopefully affordable places to live.”
70% of Saskatchewan residents are concerned about the issue of housing affordability. The provincial government plans to climb to a population of 1.4 million by 2030, however, 30,000-50,000 homes will need to be built in order to accommodate the ballooning population.
Saskatchewan is the most affordable place to live in Canada, however, most residents would not feel that way as inflation and increased population growth have skyrocketed prices of housing and rental properties. Choquette says the only way to be able to accommodate this increasing population and control the inflation rate on houses, is to build more houses.
“Housing affordability is top of mind for renters, for homeowners, and by increasing supply and introducing various types of housing across the continuum, we hope to retain our affordability advantage here in Saskatchewan as the lowest place to rent a home across the country. We're seeing such strong population growth in the province and we're seeing strong rental housing supply growth, but not strong enough in terms of meeting the demand for Saskatchewan renters.”
You can read the Secure Homes, Strong Future blueprint below. Election Document (saskatoonhomebuilders.com)