₦airaland Forum

jedisco:
Fair points.

Finding a vehicle was an issue. I noticed autotrader was quite scanty and different from what I knew. Kept asking and it turns out many dealerships don't advertise on autotrader. Had to contact one directly. Same also insurance- never used a broker before but had to use one. Was always used to going online and seeking out the most competitive on a market-wide comparison site.

I'd look at the brokers you mentioned before the tax year end. Looking for a dependeable but competitively priced broker with a selection of global fvnd.

Regarding mortgages, I found the undue prenium on new houses surprising. Folks will consider a 20yr old house 'old'. Hehe. I'm trying to seek out a good area and hopefully take discussions forward with a broker over winter.

On investments, I'm seeking info on the buy-to-let sector in Canada. It appears the candaian hoising market is more commoditised and easier to navigate. It's the returns that aren't as clear. Understandably, this is localised.

Regarding pensions, the folk advising me wasnt keen on RRSP which I found odd.. Still looking into this.
Do you know of good canadian based financial sites that perhaps compare fees/offerings for pension managers, brokers e.t.c or explains the financial system in clear terms?

Check clutch.ca for your vehicle, it might be a good place to buy a vehicle while avoiding those marketers that upsell their cars.

lanresz:
You pay no taxes on rental accommodation. Same applies to unprepared food. If you buy food from restaurants, you pay taxes on the services.

But stores like Superstores, Freshco, Walmart, Costco apply tax on unprepared food items bought in their stores.

For buy to let in Canada, the return is not that great based on my own experience. I tried it by converting a primary residency to rental and was barely breaking even each month. If you find fixer upper house and you can do some of the renovating work yourself, you may be able to get a good deal.

For investment, like I mentioned I am very risk averse, I do index fund. I can't really recommend any good Canadian financial site.

I hope this helps a bit.

jedisco:
Fair points.

Finding a vehicle was an issue. I noticed autotrader was quite scanty and different from what I knew. Kept asking and it turns out many dealerships don't advertise on autotrader. Had to contact one directly. Same also insurance- never used a broker before but had to use one. Was always used to going online and seeking out the most competitive on a market-wide comparison site.

I'd look at the brokers you mentioned before the tax year end. Looking for a dependeable but competitively priced broker with a selection of global fvnd.

Regarding mortgages, I found the undue prenium on new houses surprising. Folks will consider a 20yr old house 'old'. Hehe. I'm trying to seek out a good area and hopefully take discussions forward with a broker over winter.

On investments, I'm seeking info on the buy-to-let sector in Canada. It appears the candaian hoising market is more commoditised and easier to navigate. It's the returns that aren't as clear. Understandably, this is localised.

Regarding pensions, the folk advising me wasnt keen on RRSP which I found odd.. Still looking into this.
Do you know of good canadian based financial sites that perhaps compare fees/offerings for pension managers, brokers e.t.c or explains the financial system in clear terms?

Really? So, they apply tax when you buy raw rice, chicken, beef, eggs, milk and other food items?

sirabbey:
But stores like Superstores, Freshco, Walmart, Costco apply tax on unprepared food items bought in their stores.

lanresz:
Really? So, they apply tax when you buy raw rice, chicken, beef, eggs, milk and other food items?

Sure they do

lanresz:
Really? So, they apply tax when you buy raw rice, chicken, beef, eggs, milk and other food items?

sirabbey:
But stores like Superstores, Freshco, Walmart, Costco apply tax on unprepared food items bought in their stores.

most food items are tax exempt. Check your receipt next time you do shopping . I bought chicken, beef, turkey and coconut water recently . Only coconut water was charged for HST on the receipt.

73O9:
Check clutch.ca for your vehicle, it might be a good place to buy a vehicle while avoiding those marketers that upsell their cars.

Would do next time. Finally went with a delership as I got a lease

lanresz:
For buy to let in Canada, the return is not that great based on my own experience. I tried it by converting a primary residency to rental and was barely breaking even each month. If you find fixer upper house and you can do some of the renovating work yourself, you may be able to get a good deal.

For investment, like I mentioned I am very risk averse, I do index fvnd. I can't really recommend any good Canadian financial site.

I hope this helps a bit.

Interesting. It does. I know rental yeilds are regional and depend on house type but what does it average at for single family homes in general? Also, what are the main additional costs e.g safety checks, insurance e.t.c.
My thinking would be that if one can get yields of above 7% on a mortgage of 4% ish, then breaking even would be possible and over time, capital gains would do the heavy lifting profit wise while inflation erodes the debt. Do you wonder if the current market slump could present sensible opportunities longterm?

Thought abt renos in the past but I'm not strong on DIY. Also, I don't have the connection to handymen to facilitate it and putting the time in my reg job should pay better.

When looking to get a place, I was thinking of getting one with a legal basement so I could rent that out and ease my way into the property market from there.
I'm not traditionally as risk averse though I've become more careful with time as one has got older.

jedisco:
Interesting. It does. I know rental yeilds are regional and depend on house type but what does it average at for single family homes in general? Also, what are the main additional costs e.g safety checks, insurance e.t.c.
My thinking would be that if one can get yields of above 7% on a mortgage of 4% ish, then breaking even would be possible and over time, capital gains would do the heavy lifting profit wise while inflation erodes the debt. Do you wonder if the current market slump could present sensible opportunities longterm?

Thought abt renos in the past but I'm not strong on DIY. Also, I don't have the connection to handymen to facilitate it and putting the time in my reg job should pay better.

When looking to get a place, I was thinking of getting one with a legal basement so I could rent that out and ease my way into the property market from there.
I'm not traditionally as risk averse though I've become more careful with time as one has got older.

the average condo owner in Toronto/GTA that bought 2 years ago is currently losing 1000-1200 a month, plus the condo value dropping as much as by 10-20%. The housing market is in a mess because everyone wanted to make crazy gains from the equity investment. Unfortunately like a ponzi once immigrants, jobs and foreign buyers dried up . It casted.

Maria96:
the average condo owner in Toronto/GTA that bought 2 years ago is currently losing 1000-1200 a month, plus the condo value dropping as much as by 10-20%. The housing market is in a mess because everyone wanted to make crazy gains from the equity investment. Unfortunately like a ponzi once immigrants, jobs and foreign buyers dried up . It casted.

The condo market especially in the big cities has been a mess. In my province, property prices have retained some stability and are slightly up.
I've always not been keen on flats/condos because I see their supply as 'unlimited' and they are prone to certain issues and fees

I'd prefer family homes or a multi unit building (as its called).

All said, I wonder if the current slump might profer good value over the next 10 - 20 yrs just like we've witnessed in most markets e.g buying st0cks after the 2008 crash.

The contrarian thought would be if the last frenzy was a generational one e.g Japan boom that happened around 1990 that they are yet to surpass. I think this is less likely to be the case here.

jedisco:
Would do next time. Finally went with a delership as I got a lease

Congratulations why go for a lease? Better than finance? Kindly educate me. Are you a business owner?

AirBay:
Congratulations why go for a lease? Better than finance? Kindly educate me. Are you a business owner?

Choice and numbers- with the lease, I have a residual with an option to buy if I want to.
With the finance, I'm obliged to.

I know many people doing buy to let. It's just not for me. I was forced to be a landlord when I needed a bigger place and couldn't sell my condo townhouse. I was barely break even after accounting for the carrying cost. For this townhouse, condo fees have more than triple compared to when I bought the place 16 years ago. I bought after 2008 financial when I thought prices were at the lowest possible. The property is currently on a rent to own program, I will be making no property gain, I am actually selling it at a loss. The only consolation is that my loss is less than my neighbor's who bought 2 years before me.

Do you wonder if the current market slump could present sensible opportunities longterm?
Possibly, but the question is that are we at the bottom yet? Also, some markets are not witnessing slump right now. It also depends on the property type. For instance, condos don't really hold their value over time. They tend to depreciate in the long term. There may be more opportunities in freehold townhouses, duplexes and single detached.

Getting a place with a large basement is always good but they come at a higher price. You will need a walkout basement. You also have to be comfortable with someone living in the same property as you all the time.

jedisco:
Interesting. It does. I know rental yeilds are regional and depend on house type but what does it average at for single family homes in general? Also, what are the main additional costs e.g safety checks, insurance e.t.c.
My thinking would be that if one can get yields of above 7% on a mortgage of 4% ish, then breaking even would be possible and over time, capital gains would do the heavy lifting profit wise while inflation erodes the debt. Do you wonder if the current market slump could present sensible opportunities longterm?

Thought abt renos in the past but I'm not strong on DIY. Also, I don't have the connection to handymen to facilitate it and putting the time in my reg job should pay better.

When looking to get a place, I was thinking of getting one with a legal basement so I could rent that out and ease my way into the property market from there.
I'm not traditionally as risk averse though I've become more careful with time as one has got older.

If anyone is coming to Halifax this month, I have a 1 bedroom apartment in a basement and a private room with shared kitchen and bathroom. Message me if interested. House is in Dartmouth

lanresz:
I know many people doing buy to let. It's just not for me. I was forced to be a landlord when I needed a bigger place and couldn't sell my condo townhouse. I was barely break even after accounting for the carrying cost. For this townhouse, condo fees have more than triple compared to when I bought the place 16 years ago. I bought after 2008 financial when I thought prices were at the lowest possible. The property is currently on a rent to own program, I will be making no property gain, I am actually selling it at a loss. The only consolation is that my loss is less than my neighbor's who bought 2 years before me.
....

Lol... pele.
This is not even considering that your loss in real terms (i.e accounting for inflation) would be much more. If that money was in the st0ck market all this time, returns would be gallant without the additional stress. I'd steer clear of condos...never been my thing. I just see property as a tested means of diversification and the access to leverage being the cherry.

One thing I noticed in Canada is the high prenium for new builds. Two brokers I spoke to advised to avoid older houses. When I asked the timeframe of what they consider 'old', their answer shocked me. I wonder if it's the timber framing rather than traditional brick used here. In the UK, we consider anything newer that 2000- 2005 as 'new build' and while freshly built houses may still have some prenium, it's not uncommon to see people swear they'd never touch one. Infact, it's common to see a house proudly marketed as a 'Georgian terrace' or 'Victorian detached' with 'period' features. We're talking 100 yrs and above. They're called period properties with 'character'. Truth be said, some of them have a distinct and unmistakable feel.

Well, we learn each day. I stayed in the house for 9 years. The way I looked at it then was that I would still have had to pay rent to live somewhere if I didn't buy the place then. Now I advise people to steer clear of condos and row townhouses. They tend not to hold value.

After living in 3 provinces, I have noticed this too. The premium is huge. Reasons giving are that new homes are better insulated and have modern features. By the time you renovate an old one to have more modern features, the difference in price will not be that much. A new house will be easier to insure and the house will still be under warranty. It will be hard to market a 100 year old house in Canada. In many cases those houses will not be in a desired neighborhood. For me, I'm not after new ones. I live in a house built in 1990 at the moment. The same house would have cost nothing less than $100K more if the house is less than 5 year old. I had to get rid of the carpets in the house when I bought it since I hate the smell.

jedisco:
Lol... pele.
This is not even considering that your loss in real terms (i.e accounting for inflation) would be much more. If that money was in the st0ck market all this time, returns would be gallant without the additional stress. I'd steer clear of condos...never been my thing. I just see property as a tested means of diversification and the access to leverage being the cherry.

One thing I noticed in Canada is the high prenium for new builds. Two brokers I spoke to advised to avoid older houses. When I asked the timeframe of what they consider 'old', their answer shocked me. I wonder if it's the timber framing rather than traditional brick used here. In the UK, we consider anything newer that 2000- 2005 as 'new build' and while freshly built houses may still have some prenium, it's not uncommon to see people swear they'd never touch one. Infact, it's common to see a house proudly marketed as a 'Georgian terrace' or 'Victorian detached' with 'period' features. We're talking 100 yrs and above. They're called period properties with 'character'. Truth be said, some of them have a distinct and unmistakable feel.

I recently receive ITA and I'm getting my documents ready, pease I have a couple of questions
1. For my POF, my brother is gifting me the money and we live in the same country but different state. Which of us can initiate the gift deed and can I sign virtually since our locations are far from each other?
2. Do I need to notorize my gift deed?
3. Do I need to attach a proof of bank transfer from my Donor's (my brother) bank app
4. I have travelled from Togo to Senegal by road and my passport was stamped at Ghana, but I didn't sleepover at Ghana. Should I declare Ghana under my travel history as well? Thank you

5. Lastly, and importantly: I selected Financial Auditors and Accountants as my job role since it is the closest match to my actual position at work. However, the reference letter from my organization lists my job title as Bank Branch Accountant. The job description in the letter, though, aligns with the NOC I chose on the IRCC portal. Should I update my job role on my Express Entry profile to Bank Branch Accountant?

Anyone looking for a place to rent around GTA, you can contact RJ +1 (437) 766-9997. He runs an accommodation WhatsApp group.

Anbandaras:
Good day All, please I’m looking for a room to rent in around Pickering, Hamilton and its environs

jedisco:
Fair enough.. interestingly, the UK and US also posted job losses recently. This is to negate particular challenges Canada faces.
Every country does have challenges and economies do have peaks and troughs, however, conversations should be rounded

As someone who moved recently, I've needed and would need help with certain bits e.g

-Where to find the right rental accommodation, source a vehicle, insurance e.t.c
-Tax efficient savings/investment accounts and how to maximise these annually
-How to go about purchasing my place down the line, mortgages e.t.c
-Investments one can explore
-Pension planning as Canada does have a thinner safety net e.t.c

These obviously would differ from person to person and I still need help with many of these especially from those who've been here long enough. You then see why it becomes tiring when the overwhelming majority of discussions are focused on warning people not to come or driving some far-right narrative.

1) Rental accommodation depends on the city and what one can afford. But it is important to talk to the right people. For instance, I live in a city bisected by a river and the word on the street is the West side is riddled with crime and it is all nice/crimeless on the East side. The official police crime map tells a more complicated story. Accordingly, rent is higher when you cross from the side the sun sets to where it rises for the same configuration and probably less square footage. Do not even get me started on the extra you pay if you are buying. For both renting and buying, there are pockets of deals in safe neighborhoods in the supposedly notorious side.
Always watch out.
It reminds me of Alexander Solzhenitsyn's words - If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being.

2) @ sourcing a vehicle. Facebook market place is under estimated in my opinion for sourcing a vehicle. There are good deals every day on there and I have used it a couple of times to buy and sell. Ensure your powder is dry (cash is handy for transfer to the seller), get your mechanic inspector ready at a short notice, check carfax report for service/other histories and you may be good to go. Another way is to go to the dealership for a new vehicle, you get a good deal (MSRP, Warranty) especially for makers that hold value like Toyota. Although the downside is the wait time for such fast movers like rav4 and grand highlander. Right now in this here parts, there are used rav4 that rival/exceed the price of a new one.

3) This may not be for you. Always get a prepaid cell line first, especially when dealing with the big service providers. I can assure you that within 6 months when you keep up they would want to tie you down to a contract, and it is almost always a sweet one. If there is one bill that nauseates me in this country, it is mobile phone network access bill.

4) With my limited experience, the only thing I can say about getting a mortgage is to shop around (from brokers and banks) and try as much as possible to get to the 20% down payment threshold. Usually its better to put more down, as the saving on the interest rate will be less than the insurance premium.
There is the counter argument that you'll be better served putting less down and investing the difference. But one should be aware that the "return" on paying down a mortgage faster is guaranteed and non-taxable, vs paying capital gains taxes even if your investments fail to outpace interest savings.

5) Real estate trends seem to be defined by geography/city size etc - the big markets are experiencing slight depreciation but the mid-sized/small cities are booming. According to the link below - Fredericton and St. John have seen double-digit gains and Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba continue to gain, led by cities like Red Deer, Saskatoon and Brandon, where prices jumped 10 to 30% year over year.
https://www.wealthprofessional.ca/investments/alternative-investments/canadas-residential-real-estate-market-shows-geographical-divergence/389897

6) As per pension, please take advantage of matching contributions and investment by employer group RRSPs. Also, pension planning, in my opinion, includes planning to pay for college education for kids. Some of us started life early and some of us 'hmm' - you know what I mean! Putting in the minimum $2,500 per child per year into a RESP and attaching it to an investment vehicle attracts both provincial (depending on the province) and federal contributions that gives a little bit more freedom when it's time to pay for the kid's college tuition. College education is not getting any cheaper and I think it's about to experience a jump with the continued reduction in the volume of international students. Lots of higher institutions in the country are struggling because of this and the normal thing to do is to increase fees for all - domestic and international.

7) Again, with my limited investment experience, this E-series mutual funds was an opportunity to explore during COVID - around 2020. This is a practice, self-directed account that was set up to test-run some ideas. It is not an investment advice. See attached picture.

Hello guys, I am looking for an en-suite room at Edmonton. Thank you

ferfer:
7) Again, with my limited investment experience, this E-series mutual funds was an opportunity to explore during COVID - around 2020. This is a practice, self-directed account that was set up to test-run some ideas. It is not an investment advice. See attached picture.

You nailed it all. Just another reminder why growing slowly with index funds is always the best approach, at least for those who don't mind the slow, but sure growth that comes with it.

lanresz:
Well, we learn each day. I stayed in the house for 9 years. The way I looked at it then was that I would still have had to pay rent to live somewhere if I didn't buy the place then. Now I advise people to steer clear of condos and row townhouses. They tend not to hold value.

After living in 3 provinces, I have noticed this too. The premium is huge. Reasons giving are that new homes are better insulated and have modern features. By the time you renovate an old one to have more modern features, the difference in price will not be that much. A new house will be easier to insure and the house will still be under warranty. It will be had to market a 100 year old house in Canada. In many cases those houses will not be in a desired neighborhood. For me, I'm not after new ones. I live in a house built in 1990 at the moment. The same house would have cost nothing less than $100K more if the house is less than 5 year old. I had to get rid of the carpets in the house when I bought it since I hate the smell.

That's surprising. I wonder if it's because the car-centric nature of most North American cities and the fact they are relatively much newer and planned out that way.
One would expect that older houses would be in more established parts of the city with good infrastructure connections and known communities as against new builds which would be on the outskirts with an evolving population.

If one buys a 30-60 yr old house, what's likely to happen in 15-25 yrs when one might be looking to sell? Would the age then be a negative factor? If so, wouldn't it make sense to factor that from the outset? Also, what happens to older houses.. are they all knocked down to build new ones?

In Europe, most cities evolved naturally over centuries and there is more focus on pedestrianisation meaning older houses are well located. They may not be as energy efficient but folks hardly care. Maybe its cos temperatures are not as cold but then, energy costs are higher
In fact, some older house are 'listed' meaning they have a protected status and can only be renovated in line with how they were originally built e.g sach windows, tatched roofs e.t.c. Its a pain in the a** yet folks stil buy them. What's even more surprising is that most of these (esp in cities) are in rows of similar appearing and conjoined houses but still retain their value. In Canada, it still surprises me how in many afeas, every house looks distinct.

ferfer:
1) Rental accommodation depends on the city and ...

Good stuff

For the rental, I ultimately used rentfaster with aim to get my place when the rental expires

It appears Facebook marketplace is quite popular in Canada as I've seen a few reference it. I'd keep that in mind in future. The waitlist for RAVs dey make me laugh. I know it's dependable but the car dey like taxi for Canada. With a vehicle, I just want peace of mind. As I was blowing money on Uber with my movement still being restricted, I ultimately went to a dealership and sorted out a lease.

Lol @nauseate. See me that my MTN line has been going strongly for over 7yrs away while only needing to use it at intervals. On my initial visit, I got a prepaid sim with Freedom but the jokers told me it's been deactivated when I wanted to return. Appears they deactivated it in abt 3months and worse still, there I was unable to retrieve the number. Subsequently got my second my sim at the airport. It costs 44 cad with 200mins fee international calls which includes the UK and 9ja and 100gb I think. The free international calls was the main clincher. Its saved me alot on roaming fees.

With the mortgage, I'm hoping to put down enough to avoid the insurance prenium. I heavily overpaid on my last mortgage and looking back, I might have handled it better i.e pay the minimum required sum and keep the overpay aside- mostly invested and when I come to remortgage, I can decide how much to add based on the LTV I'm targeting which would be dependent on the rates on offer. Ultimately, there is the subtle pressure that comes with having a large part of your home unpaid - I guess that's what the relevant insurance cover is there for.

Good enough, I'm not in BC or Ontario. My city has shown some resilience with modest growth and I wouldn't be surprised if that continues into the coming years as markets stabilise. Target is to start looking over winter but I know the market is slow then. I wonder what the common online aggregator for house sales is. I mean one where I can see over 90% of listings. I want to keep an eye on things.

My case is a bit nuanced in that I'm self-employed. So any employee/employer contribution ultimately comes from me. I'm still tryna wrap my head around the RRSP stuff and how tax efficient it can be in different scenarios. So far, I've found it needlessly cumbersome while not being very tax efficient or generous. It appears if one has too much there, it might be detrimental in retirement. Looking for an ELI-5 article on it all. My accountant wasn't so keen on it and says he tends to advise his older (middle-aged) clients to focus more on other investments such as property.. sounded kinda odd

Good performance on your investment. Is the e-series fvnd a global one? Do you know of a site that agrregates brokers and fvnds based on select criteria e.g fees they charge? I'm looking for the Canadian version of this: https://monevator.com/compare-uk-cheapest-online-brokers/
Also a place where I can see deals to be had with different brokers.

Abeg, need help on gtting the NIN inside of Canada, did the application and its way overdue while Passport will expire soon

Given the way cities develop in Canada, houses built 30 to 60 years ago will be in an established parts of the city with good infrastructure connections and known communities as you mentioned. However, over the 30 to 60 years, new communities are established and people tend to move to those communities leaving the older ones behind. Lot of these communities are in downtown full of undesirable characters. If you buy a 30 to 60 year old house, a lot could happen in 15 - 25 years when you might be looking to sell it. It depends on where the market is at that point. One thing I have found about Canada is that it is very underpopulated given the landmass. Outside of the 3 major cities, Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal, there are still lot land that are suitable to build houses. If you look at Edmonton for instance, between Edmonton and Leduc, you still have lot of land that houses could be built on despite all the developments made in recent years. Then there is still lot of land between Edmonton and Fort Saskatchewan that could still be developed. It is not like UK/Europe, where land is a constraint. The point I'm trying to make is that with the land size, it is difficult to predict what would happen in 15 to 25 years when one might be looking to sell. Some of the old houses are knock down to build new ones. If the house is in a desirable area like River Valley in Edmonton and the lot size is big, a developer may pull the house down and build 2 to 4 houses on it. A lot goes into play. Given the increase in cost of heating and the temperature in Canada, people care a lot about how energy efficient a house is.

I hope I answer some of your questions.

jedisco:
That's surprising. I wonder if it's because the car-centric nature of most North American cities and the fact they are relatively much newer and planned out that way.
One would expect that older houses would be in more established parts of the city with good infrastructure connections and known communities as against new builds which would be on the outskirts with an evolving population.

If one buys a 30-60 yr old house, what's likely to happen in 15-25 yrs when one might be looking to sell? Would the age then be a negative factor? If so, wouldn't it make sense to factor that from the outset? Also, what happens to older houses.. are they all knocked down to build new ones?

In Europe, most cities evolved naturally over centuries and there is more focus on pedestrianisation meaning older houses are well located. They may not be as energy efficient but folks hardly care. Maybe its cos temperatures are not as cold but then, energy costs are higher
In fact, some older house are 'listed' meaning they have a protected status and can only be renovated in line with how they were originally built e.g sach windows, tatched roofs e.t.c. Its a pain in the a** yet folks stil buy them. What's even more surprising is that most of these (esp in cities) are in rows of similar appearing and conjoined houses but still retain their value. In Canada, it still surprises me how in many afeas, every house looks distinct.

lanresz:
However, over the 30 to 60 years, new communities are established and people tend to move to those communities leaving the older ones behind. Lot of these communities are in downtown full of undesirable characters. If you buy a 30 to 60 year old house, a lot could happen in 15 - 25 years when you might be looking to sell it. It depends on where the market is at that point. One thing I have found about Canada is that it is very underpopulated given the landmass......The point I'm trying to make is that with the land size, it is difficult to predict what would happen in 15 to 25 years when one might be looking to sell. Some of the old houses are knock down to build new ones. If the house is in a desirable area like River Valley in Edmonton and the lot size is big, a developer may pull the house down and build 2 to 4 houses on it. A lot goes into play. Given the increase in cost of heating and the temperature in Canada, people care a lot about how energy efficient a house is.

I hope I answer some of your questions.

Interesting and true.
The first thing I noticed in Canada is the ample space. For the most part, there's free room in most directions. When folks put down Canada's housing crises to lack of space, I smile... I tell them the issue is too much space. How can you have the equivalent of almost a dual carriage way in a resi area and as if that's not enough, add another road behind

It's something I'd keep in mind but a bit worrisome though especially coming from a system where I know for the most part, future builds would be father out and not as connected

Poll shows majority of Canadians including immigrants reject endless immigration

A clear majority of Canadians have spoken: they do not believe this country needs more immigration. A recent national poll by Leger found 60% of Canadians disagree with the statement “Canada needs new immigrants.” Opposition is highest in Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec, but the same concern runs through every province. Even more telling, nearly half of immigrants themselves also reject the idea that Canada should continue admitting newcomers at the pace set by Ottawa. When people who came here for a better life now question whether the system is sustainable, it is time to pay attention.

Yet the Carney Liberals, propped up by the NDP, continue to press forward with record immigration targets. It is as if the government has decided the voices of Canadians no longer matter. They talk about economic growth, but ordinary people see something else: housing shortages, overcrowded hospitals, longer wait times, rising crime, and young Canadians struggling to find work or afford a home. These are not abstract concerns. They are daily struggles.

Immigration has become one of the greatest sources of division in our country. That is why it is not surprising Canadians increasingly say newcomers should assimilate. The same poll found that just over half of Canadians believe immigrants should give up their customs and traditions and adopt those of the majority. Compare that to the United States, where nearly three-quarters of Americans reject that idea. The difference is striking. Canada, long celebrated as a multicultural mosaic, is now less tolerant of cultural difference than the so-called “melting pot.” Why? Because Canadians feel overwhelmed. They see public services collapsing under pressure, and they see politicians ignoring them. When governments refuse to respond to legitimate concerns, resentment grows.


Nowhere is this clearer than in the trucking industry. I wrote recently about what is happening inside that sector, and it should alarm every Canadian taxpayer. The practice begins with how drivers are classified. Under federal law, employees who drive company-owned trucks must be treated as employees. Yet many are deliberately misclassified as independent contractors. This allows companies to avoid paying Canada Pension Plan, Employment Insurance, and workers’ compensation premiums. The savings are huge—some insiders estimate up to 30 percent on labour costs. One executive described it bluntly: “It’s a whole scheme.”

At the heart of this is the Labour Market Impact Assessment program, or LMIA. In theory, the LMIA was designed to let businesses bring in temporary foreign workers when no qualified Canadians are available. In practice, it has become a magnet for abuse. Here in Manitoba, industry insiders estimate that roughly 100 new drivers arrive each year under LMIA permits. Each one has paid about $40,000 to be brought here. That is $4 million flowing out of the pockets of vulnerable workers into the hands of recruiters and companies. The money doesn’t stay in Canada. It isn’t taxed. It enriches those exploiting the system, while displacing Canadian workers from jobs they should be filling.


That is the problem Canadians see today. The decisions being made are not grounded in what is best for the country right now. They are grounded in how politicians can position themselves for the next election. Healthcare is collapsing. Housing is scarce. Crime is rising. Young people cannot build a future. These are the warning signs of a country in trouble. Yet the government behaves as if all is well, while doubling down on policies that fuel division and resentment.

The solutions are straightforward. End the LMIA program in its current form. It is broken and open to exploitation. Set immigration levels based not on GDP projections but on real capacity, housing starts, healthcare staffing, infrastructure, and job availability. Stop sending billions abroad until Canada’s crises are under control. Above all, restore honesty to the conversation and stop dismissing the majority of Canadians who are clearly saying enough is enough.

Canada is not heartless. But charity begins at home. Canadians are generous, but generosity has limits when your own family is suffering. If the Carney government refuses to listen, the division in this country will only deepen. The warning signs are flashing everywhere, our leaders can no longer pretend not to see them.

https://winnipegsun.com/opinion/klein-poll-shows-majority-of-canadians-reject-endless-immigration

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