Canada’s housing crisis is a pressing social and economic issue — but it’s not a new one. The main difference now is its scope. A century ago, working-class slums were the epicentre of the crisis, while today, it impacts people from all income levels and backgrounds.

Today in The Conversation Canada, Raphaël Fischler from the Université de Montréal explores the similarities between past and present housing crises, helping us understand how the current one has developed.

He explains how, in the early 1900s, reformers on the political left and right advocated for better housing standards. In North America, right-wing reformers prevailed, leading to a housing market largely dominated by private developers. While this approach has improved housing standards and quality, it has largely done so at the cost of affordability.

As today’s crisis deepens, it’s clear that relying on the private sector alone won’t solve the housing affordability crisis. To make housing more affordable and accessible, Fischler writes that Canada must provide more government support, continue to find ways to lower the cost of construction and review current housing standards.

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