The Housing Crisis
From Affordable Homes to Unattainable Towers
An interactive data story exploring Metro Vancouver's affordability challenge
Scroll to explore the data
01
Geographic Affordability Map
Interactive map showing price-to-income ratios across Metro Vancouver
/year
Price-to-Income Ratio
Years of median household income needed to purchase a detached home
8-10 years (Affordable)
10-15 years (Moderate)
15-20 years (Expensive)
20+ years (Severely Unaffordable)
West Vancouver requires 24.5 years of median
income - the most expensive municipality in the region.
02
Can You Predict the Housing Crisis?
Draw what you think happened to housing prices from 2011-2024
Use your mouse to draw the price trend line. Use your finger to draw the price trend line. Then submit to see how close you were!
+115%
Housing Price Increase
+28%
Income Increase
87 points
Divergence Gap
03
What Drove the Crisis?
A Tale of Two Forces: Cheap Debt & Global Capital
2011-2024
Drag the slider to explore the forces.
04
What Your Income Actually Buys
See how 2,500 sq ft of purchasing power vanished
Purchasing Power in
2011
Affordable Sq Ft
2,500
Lost Space
0%
Based on Income
$0
05
Where Does Your Paycheck Go?
The budget breakdown for a typical homebuyer
Monthly Income
$0
Mortgage Cost
$0
2011
Based on 20% down payment and 25-year amortization
2011
The Great Detachment
Watch how home prices detached from reality
Gap: 13x Income
07
Journey Through the Crisis
Key milestones that shaped Metro Vancouver's housing affordability
2011
The Starting Point
Average detached home: $800,000. Median household income: $80,000. Price-to-income ratio: 10x. Housing was challenging but within reach for many families.
2015
Foreign Investment Surge
International buyers flood the market. Prices jump 35% in a single year as demand skyrockets while supply remains constrained.
2018
Policy Interventions
BC introduces speculation tax and other cooling measures. Prices temporarily plateau as government attempts to moderate the market.
2020
Pandemic Acceleration
COVID-19 brings historic low interest rates and remote work flexibility. Prices surge to unprecedented levels despite economic uncertainty.
2024
The New Reality
Average detached home: $2.1M. Median income: $115k. Ratio: 18.2x. Home ownership becomes a distant dream for most working families.
08
Pathways to Affordability
Evidence-based solutions to address the housing crisis
High Impact
Increase Housing Supply
Build diverse housing types including townhomes, multiplexes, and purpose-built rentals. Streamline approvals and incentivize construction near transit hubs.
30%
Potential Price Reduction
Medium Impact
Smart Zoning Reform
Update zoning regulations to allow gentle density in single-family neighborhoods. Enable small-scale multi-unit buildings within existing communities.
25%
More Units Possible
Medium Impact
Income Support Programs
Raise minimum wage in line with cost of living. Provide targeted rent assistance and create accessible pathways to homeownership for first-time buyers.
50k
Families Supported