What could actually work to solve the housing crisis?

Let’s just call it like it is: housing has become unattainable for far too many Canadians. Whether you’re trying to buy your first home, find a rental that doesn’t swallow your entire income or downsize in the city you grew up in, chances are you’ve hit a wall. Echoing Greater Vancouver Realtors’ CEO Jeff King’s latest article, we have to try something new. And while headlines love to highlight the problems, at REW we’re much more interested in solutions.

So let’s dive into what could actually work and build more housing people can really afford, not just talk about it.

1. Zoning reform (yes, it’s still the elephant in the room).

Single-family zoning has choked our cities for decades. The good news? We're finally seeing momentum to upzone neighbourhoods and allow for missing middle housing – think triplexes, fourplexes and laneway homes – in places where only detached houses were previously allowed. In Vancouver and BC overall, single family lots now allow up to six units to support this initiative.

And in parts of BC other than Vancouver, changes to construction requirements for low rise apartment buildings will make it easier to build by allowing single-stair wood-frame buildings. According to the province, “Single egress stair building designs build on advancements in fire and life safety, while requiring only one egress stairwell. These building designs are currently implemented in major cities, such as Seattle and New York and support the supply of more homes for people where development was previously not possible due to lot size, cost of land assembly and other limitations.”

Vancouver has yet to adopt single-staircase designs (the city has its own separate building code from BC), instead referring the matter to further study for now.

Could this work? Absolutely. But only if it’s paired with incentives for builders to actually develop these types of homes. And not just the big developers. In urban centres like Calgary, Alberta we see smaller scale, niche infill developers building incredible homes revitalizing some of the city's oldest neighbourhoods. That means easing up on red tape, simplifying approvals and making sure cities aren’t over-taxing the very thing they’re asking for.

2. Public-private partnerships that prioritize affordability.

We need government and private developers at the same table, working toward one goal: increasing the supply of below-market and deeply affordable homes.

What could work? Land swaps, tax breaks and expedited permits for developers who commit to long-term affordability. Think co-ops, community land trusts and models where profits aren’t the only success metrics of a project.

Edmonton, Alberta developer Civida is doing just that through strategic partnerships with the city.

Solving the housing crisis doesn’t mean pitting renters against homeowners or developers. We can build more homes and still ensure people have secure, stable places to live. Communities thrive when their people thrive.

3. Overhaul and simplify the approval process (because time is money).

Ask any builder in BC or Ontario what slows them down and you’ll hear a chorus of groans about permit delays, inconsistent municipal policies and a stack of red tape taller than a high-rise.

What could work? Standards for development approvals, digital permitting systems and timelines with accountability – these aren't pipe dreams, they’re policy choices. And they could drastically cut construction timelines and costs.

Cities like Edmonton, Alberta are already seeing successes with their same day permit approval processes for detached and semi-detached homes.

The city of Vancouver introduced their 3/3/3/1 Permit Approval Framework in 2024, which is also seeing reduced permit approval times.

4. Tackle labour and material shortages head-on.

Even when projects get approved, there’s often no one to build them. Labour shortages, supply chain issues and rising material costs are strangling our ability to scale up.

What could help? Investment in trades education, immigration programs that fast-track skilled workers and incentives for off-site modular construction. Faster builds, lower costs and fewer delays? That’s a win.

5. Rethink how we use public land and underutilized commercial spaces.

Cities across Canada are sitting on land and underutilized development that could house hundreds, but it’s often underused or locked into outdated policies. Why not prioritize these buildings and land for affordable housing developments?

Cities like Calgary, Alberta have already started converting underutilized commercial buildings into residential units.

The Calgary Herald reports, “Of the 17 projects, two office towers have been converted into apartment buildings. The first – a 112-suite building on 5th Avenue S.W. called the Cornerstone – was completed in early 2024. The second, a seven-storey structure with 87 rental homes dubbed the HAT at Eau Claire, is now available for occupancy.”

The report goes on to say, “A third conversion – an apartment complex beside the second project, with 195 premium rental homes – will open this summer. All residences are complete with amenities, including a gym, meeting rooms and in-suite laundry.”

Notably, the City of Vancouver is testing a fresh approach to getting more market rental homes built, starting with a rezoning proposal at Pacific and Hornby. It’s all part of a new pilot that puts City-owned land to work for rental housing.

Long-term leases to non-profits or social developers could unlock serious supply. And if municipalities retain ownership, it’s a generational asset that keeps housing affordable forever in those cities.

6. Encourage gentle density in existing neighbourhoods.

Not every solution has to be a high-rise. Gentle density – think basement suites, garden suites and small multiplexes – can add housing where infrastructure already exists.

What could work here? Policies that legalize and streamline secondary suites, reduce parking requirements and give homeowners the tools to contribute to the solution by incentivizing multi-generational living spaces, one unit at a time.

Several Canadian cities such as Toronto, Calgary and Saskatoon have secondary suite incentive programs. Locally, British Columbia introduced a pilot Secondary Suite Incentive Program, while the Federal Government is committed to a similar initiative in 2025. Note that the BC Secondary Suite Program will no longer be offered to avoid duplicating the Federal plan.

So… what now?

At REW, we know that meaningful change takes more than listings. It takes bold thinking, political courage and above all, collaboration with a “yes and?” mindset. We need all hands on deck: agents, government, developers, non-profits – and, yes, even Homeseekers – working together toward real solutions.

Because if we want to solve this housing crisis, it’s going to take more than just talk. It’s going to take action from every level of government, commitment from industry stakeholders and innovation. We’ve got a long way to go, but there is good news: there are examples of what’s already working – we just have to do more of it.