The housing crisis is a pressing issue across Canada, and it is felt locally on the North Shore, where more than 215,000 people reside.
The increasing cost of housing is pushing homeownership out of reach for many hardworking families, especially those with low to moderate incomes, reported to be between $62,400 and $124,000 annually in 2021.
With homes priced at more than $1 million, those who cannot afford to buy are left with rental options, such as two-bedroom apartments costing approximately between $2,100 in North Vancouver and $3,400 in West Vancouver per month, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Yet, vacancies remain low, the market remains competitive, and families find themselves being pushed out of the North Shore.
As a single mother working full time, home ownership on the North Shore was out of reach for me. My son and I found ourselves without stable housing, moving every year, feeling very stressed and constantly uprooted. That is until we were accepted into a non-profit cousing co-operative (co-op) on the North Shore 10 years ago, where our family remains today as democratic members in a supportive community that we proudly call home.
The non-profit housing co-op model has proven to be a cost-effective way to address the housing crisis, typically costing about 14 per cent less to operate than other types of non-profit housing. Co-ops provide below-market rate rental costs for long-term housing, benefiting people with diverse backgrounds and income levels. These communities are managed democratically by the residents themselves. Housing co-ops have been around for over 50 years and on the North Shore since the 1980s. The Co-Operative Housing Federation notes that there are over 275 co-ops in B.C., and nine of them are on the North Shore. But the last one built here was in 1987, and they’re all full.
In response to the current housing crisis and increasing inequality, the federal and provincial governments have proposed various solutions, such as the Affordable Housing Fund, a federal program through CMHC that provides options to fund new constructions or renovations and repairs of existing buildings for affordable housing. Similarly, CMHC is offering the Co-op Housing Development Program, co-designed with CHF of Canada and the co-operative housing sector, to help support the development of more non-profit co-ops.
Some may express concern that housing co-ops, while affordable, could negatively impact property values or bring in a low-income population that could strain community resources and social cohesion. However, communities thrive on diversity. A healthier community has less inequality, with more social cohesion, a stronger economy, less crime, and better health outcomes, according to the World Health Organization.
A 2023 article in the North Shore News by Nick Laba referenced a study on income inequality in Canada highlighting the significant gap between high and low incomes. The study compared 418 cities across the country and revealed that West Vancouver ranks the second highest in Canada for income gaps, while North Vancouver is the 17th highest. Larger cities and historically wealthier suburbs tend to exhibit higher levels of income inequality, which can erode a community’s social fabric.
To better understand the issue of inequality, it is important to distinguish between average and median incomes. The average income can be skewed by a small number of extremely high earners pulling the average income up, making it appear as though the general population is doing better financially than it really is. In contrast, the median income represents the middle point when incomes are sorted from lowest to highest, providing a clear picture of the financial situation.
The gap between the average and median income reveals, generally, the extent of inequality within a community. A stark example of the negative effects of inequality can be seen in San Francisco in the 1980s, where the rise of the tech industry led to severe housing affordability issues, causing displacement and a homelessness crisis.
The high cost and shortage of affordable housing is negatively impacting the communities of the North Shore by limiting economic opportunities and negatively impacting overall well-being. Housing co-ops could be part of the solution to sustaining healthy and diverse communities. We need to get serious about co-ops as a solution to the North Shore housing crisis.
Kimberley Gunn is a registered social worker and a master of social work student at Dalhousie University. With 10 years of living in co-op housing on the North Shore, where she has served as a board member and active community participant, she has gained a deep understanding of community dynamics and social issues.
