A new study at the University of BC says affordability is on the top of people's minds in the Alberta election — but the study shows the UCP and NDP are weak on housing..The study says now that Alberta is halfway through the election, both the UCP and NDP are "surprisingly weak on housing policy" at a time when affordability is one of the main issues.. Study graphThe study examines party platforms for evidence of commitments to scale up non-profit housing, fix the regular housing market, and break the addiction to high and rising home prices. ."The average price of a home in Alberta is approximately $447,000. It requires 10 years of full-time work for a typical young person to save enough for a 20 payment, up from six years in 1976," said Dr. Paul Kershaw, Director of the Public Health Program at the University of BC School of Population and Public Health."Still, Alberta has a major affordability advantage with relatively low housing prices compared to Ontario and B.C., where the average home prices are $932,000 and $996,000, respectively.".Kershaw said unfortunately, neither party proposes to nurture and protect this advantage "so far" by offering a clear plan to stall home prices and give earnings a chance to catch up.."Instead, a new study of the parties’ platforms shows the UCP is stuck at the starting line in the quest to protect and improve housing affordability," Kershaw said.."The NDP is a better, but still promises to implement just one-third of the policy changes needed to protect Alberta’s housing advantage.".The study examines party platforms for evidence of commitments to scale up non-profit housing, fix the regular housing market, and break the addiction to high and rising home prices.."As of May 15, housing is not even identified as one of the 27 priority issue areas on the UCP’s campaign website. This signals the party intends to rely on luck to promote housing affordability, instead of careful and deliberate policy design," Kershaw said.."While relatively strong at offering plans to scale up non-profit housing, the NDP largely ignores policy levers available to address problems in the regular market where the vast majority of residents find their homes.".Kershaw noted neither party proposes housing policy measures now commonplace in BC and Ontario to fend off forces that erode affordability.."For example, both the UCP and Alberta NDP are silent about steps to discourage foreign buyers, empty homes, money laundering, or regulation of short-term rentals that reallocate housing as hotels for vacationers rather than preserving it primarily for those who work and study in the province," Kershaw said.."Both parties ignore the value of supporting all Alberta cities to produce rigorous housing needs assessments that position them to open up low-density zoning for a diversity of people, families, forms and tenures (including lots of rentals).".Kershaw said nor do the parties promise to encourage new housing to "integrate energy-efficiency objectives."
