CANADIANS ARE among the best
housed people in the world accord-
ing to a new report, The Srate of
Canada's Hausing, released recently
by Canada Mortgage and Housing
Corporation (CMHC) andthe
Canadian Home Builders’
Association (CHBA).

The feport provides a portrait of.
Canada's housing and the challenges
which lie ahead, -

Overail, the report fi fi nds that the
vast ‘majority ‘of Canadians live in
- comfortable, adequate: and _afford-
‘able accommodation and - that ‘the
housing industry has kept pace with
arapidly growing and changing pop-
ulation over the past decade.

“This confirms how the quality of
housing. has increased remarkably
over the post-war period and how
improved building products and

. methods have led to greater energy
" efficiency, . durability, and overall
value in: new, homes,” commented

John Kenward, Chief Operating -

Officer of the CHBA.
*.The report describes the housing
sector in Canada and identifies
. changes in the housing stock, the
nature of housing demand and the
~v ability of Canadians to afford decent
housing and access to home owner-
# ship. It also identifies the implication °
: of-current trends ‘for the future and
} the challenges’ the ‘housing sector

“-Lwill likely face.

- According to .the report, : - fiscal :
restraint and scarce. subsidy. dollars,

“will require governments, communi-
ly organizations and the private sec~

New Townhomes,

i ing

tor to develop new partnerships and
create innovative approaches to
meeting housing needs.

The housing industry will also
need to respond to an increasingly
diverse market. With the relative
decline of the nuclear family, hous-
ing demand is changing as single
individuals, single-parent families
and childless couples accelerate the
demand fez a range of choice for dif-
ferent housing types.

With an aging population, new
designs and technology, new financ-
ing and tenure options, and new sup-
port services’ will be needed to
ensure that seniors can continue to
live independently. .

Planning and building code
requirements will also need to be
streamlined and harmonized to per-
mit a greater variety of housing types
and to secure housing affordability.

The Canadian housing stock itself
is aging and will require high levels
of expenditures on repair and
upgrading. As a result, renovation

“will exceed new construction activity

in the years to come.

The report concludes that efforts
must continue to plan and build
housing that consumes resources

more efficiently, makes more effec-

“tive use of land, and is also safe,
healthy and affordable.

The State of Canada’s Housing i is
available without charge through
local offices of Canada. Mortgage
and Housing Corporation, or by call-
. the | Canadian Housing
Information Centre, (613)748-2367.

|
{a
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NEWS photo Cindy Goodman

SUTTON GROUP-Seymour Realty recently held 2 grand opening at their new Parkgate office in
The Parkgate Village Shopping Centre. Welcoming visitors were (left to right): Croft Tracey,
Cathy Charabin, Marisa McCulloch, Monique Frydrysek and Frank Stanhope. .

November a record-setting month |
for housing starts in Vancouver _

IN NOVEMBER, metropolitan
Vancouver had 1,942. housing
starts which was the highest level
ever recorded for the month of
November, according to Canada
Mortgage and Housing
Corporation (CMHC),
The November tevel is 13%
higher than in October, and is 21%
higher than in. November, 1993
which at 1,610 units was the previ-
ous high for the month. of

Crafied with Pride

November,

“The high level of starts are pri-
marily due to a surge of rental
apuriment. starts,” said Don
Renaud, ‘Senior: Market. Analyst
with CMHC in Vancouver.

He added, “A total of 513 rental
units were started in November in
the City of Vancouver, which is
unusually high given the low num-
ber of rental units currently being
built in the Metropolitan area.”

- Housing starts in the January to oa
November period were 1% lower -
than the same period of 1993...

Vancouver’s housing . starts for
the period, at 18, 954 units, are ‘the
highest i in Canada. -

Next on. the list : was! the’
rebounding city . of Toronto: at
17,530 units. i, ie

Housing starts’ in November |
were highest in the. City. of
Vancouver at 878 units...”

V.. isit our brand new

townhomes this weekend to see he fine:
finishing that's become a hallmark of
"United Properties quality!

ESTATE TOWNHOMES -
3 Bedrooms, double garage,
semi-detached

Pre-completion prices from

$374,900

APARTMENT RESIDENCES -
2 Bedroom, 2 Bedroom with den,
some with family room and loft.
Pre- -completion j prices from

$197,900 -

(Estimated eccupancy June '95)