Ever seen that viral map with a giant red circle over Canada’s north and wondered, “Why don’t they just build houses there?” In today’s episode, I dig deep into that question and uncover why, despite all that empty land, we simply can’t solve Canada’s housing crisis by moving north. From the brutal realities of building on permafrost and ancient bedrock to sky-high infrastructure and transportation costs, I break down the real reason why most of us live near the border. And more importantly, I lay out a roadmap for how we can actually fix our housing shortage using the land we already have.

We take a closer look at Canada’s so-called “habitable belt”—that narrow band where almost 90% of Canadians call home. The true challenge isn’t land scarcity, but land-use efficiency. Imagine cities filled with “missing middle” housing, public land turned into vibrant mixed-income communities, and smarter policies that drive affordability. I walk through concrete, practical solutions: legalizing gentle density, eliminating parking minimums near transit, investing in modular construction, and fast-tracking skilled trades immigration and apprenticeships, all to unlock more housing and better neighborhoods.

Finally, I explore the numbers: How can we truly build 3.3 million new homes in the next decade while keeping our communities affordable, sustainable, and ready for climate change? With a mix of innovative policy, smart investments, and a big-picture shift in how we think about our cities, we really can tackle Canada’s housing crisis without venturing into the frozen north. If you have thoughts or questions about today’s episode, don’t forget to visit our website or drop us a line at hello@micme.com. Let’s keep the conversation going—because the solution is right here, in how we choose to build.

Takeaway List (Top 12):

• Building in northern Canada is prohibitively costly and challenging due to terrain and permafrost
• The real solution is optimizing land usage in the southern “habitable belt”
• Around 90% of Canadians live within 160 km of the U.S. border
• Canada faces a land use efficiency problem, not a land shortage
• “Missing middle” housing can multiply unit count without city sprawl
• Federal infrastructure funding could be tied to upzoning and density goals
• Eliminate mandatory parking minimums near rapid transit to cut costs
• Unlock public land for mixed-income, affordable housing on long-term leases, not outright sale
• Use "mega-batches" for large-scale modular housing to tap manufacturing discounts
• Fast-track skilled trades immigration and expand apprenticeships to address labor shortages
• Retrofit and legalize millions of secondary suites and convert underused offices
• Every housing initiative should factor in climate resilience and genuine affordability

Chapters:

0:00 – Introduction and the social media “red circle” myth
3:12 – Why building in the Canadian Shield and Arctic is so tough
7:04 – Cost breakdowns: Permafrost, ice roads, and infrastructure
10:46 – Housing needs where people already live
12:30 – What “using land better” looks like
15:11 – Missing middle: gentle density explained
18:02 – Policy tools: upzoning, funding, parking reform
20:25 – Transforming public land and Build Canada Homes
23:10 – Addressing labor shortages (immigration, apprenticeships)
25:30 – Smart growth: transit-oriented development
28:42 – Unlocking housing capacity: suites and office conversions
31:19 – Embedding affordability: co-ops, rentals, targeted incentives
34:06 – Climate resilience and sustainable design
36:45 – The math: how to build 3.3 million homes in 10 years
39:54 – Accountability, transparency, final thoughts

Curious about how we can really fix Canada’s housing crisis?

• Visit canadashousingcrisis.transistor.fm for more episodes
• Read the full blog post here: https://canadashousingcrisis.transistor.fm/canada-unlock-the-habitable-5-10-for-real-change
• Share your questions and ideas by emailing hello@micme.com

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