Where are the architects? Ontario's housing crisis

Vincent J. Curtis

26 May 22

RE: All parties fall short on housing crisis.  Spectator editorial 26 May 22.

The answer to the housing crisis is well known and has been known for decades.  Economist Thomas Sowell has repeatedly pointed out in his books that the answer is to make more land available for development.  When demands outpaces supply, enable more supply.  In this respect, the PC Party isn’t falling short on the housing crisis, it is going to force municipalities to make more land available for development one way or another.

The arguments against making more land available were first trotted out, in Sowell’s memory, in the 1970s, precious farmland, green spaces, blah, blah, blah.  Arrant nonsense. Superficial excuses that fall apart upon the least analysis.

Funny thing is, all those calling for no development already enjoy their own home, their own single family dwelling.  They benefit from skyrocketing housing prices.  They aren’t subject to the ramifications of their anti-grown ideology.

British philosopher Roger Scruton proposed one means of overcoming resistance to building new neighbourhoods is to make them more beautiful.  That would require architects to get off their lazy backsides and get creative.  Unfortunately, Hamilton’s favorite architectural team are committed Marxists and are into Brutal Concrete, so we can’t expect beauty from them at cross-purposes to their politics.

The promise of Hamilton since its inception is a little patch of paradise a family can call its own.  That includes Irish immigrants in 1835 who came with virtually nothing, but could build a home on a 1/5 acre lot on O’Reilly Street.

Marxist ideas would turn Hamilton into a teeming hell-hole if allowed to.  (Marxism is hostile to private property, in case you newbies didn’t know that.)  If Canada is short of land and water, the rest of the world is doomed.

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