Just in time for the winter Olympics, The Economist has rated Vancouver as the world’s most livable city. The Economist rates cities (presumably metropolitan areas or urban areas) “over 30 qualitative and quantitative factors across five broad categories: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure.” There is no doubt that Vancouver is in a setting that is among the most attractive in the world. It is also clear that the quality of life is good in Vancouver.
Vancouver won another honor in the last month, that of most unaffordable housing market in the six nations surveyed by the Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey (United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand). In Vancouver, housing costs 9.3 times annual gross household incomes and is rated severely unaffordable. This measure, the Median Multiple, would be 3.0 or less in a properly functioning urban market. The second most expensive major “city” in Canada was Toronto, far behind Vancouver, but still severely unaffordable at a Median Multiple of 5.2.
Meanwhile, Pittsburgh, the ranked highest city in the United States (yes, higher than Portland, Seattle or San Diego) shows that affordability and livability are not incompatible. Pittsburgh has a Median Multiple of 2.6.
Vancouver’s high ranking, however, makes it clear that the cost of housing (and by extension, the cost of living), has little to do with The Economist ratings. As Owen McShane wrote here to commemorate the last release of The Economist ratings, the cities are ranked based upon their attractiveness to expatriate executives. These are not ordinary Canadians. At historic credit underwriting standards, 85% of Canadians households could not qualify for a mortgage on the median priced house in Vancouver.
Vancouver is doubtless among the most livable cities in the world for those for whom money is no object. But for ordinary Canadians, affordability is a prerequisite to livability. This makes Vancouver Canada’s least livable city.
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13 responses to “Unlivable Vancouver”
Your article misses the entire point of livability standards. If you take the time to dig deeper, you’ll come to a startling conclusion. Housing is more expensive, in places were people WANT to live. Housing is less expensive, in places were people don’t really want to live. Statistically, Pittsburg is an iron-town, on the decline. Too little has been invested, to diversify their economy during the 1970’s & 1980’s. The flight of the affluent out of the Pittsburg urban core during those times, eroded the viability of the city. Suburban development flourished, and downtown languished. Only recently, has efforts been put into play, to modernize Pittsburg, and bring up the livability indexes there. It will take time, for those changes to show in increased desire to reside there.
Vancouver BC, has consistently made efforts to keep livability standards high, rather than primarily investing in suburban development, that erodes the downtown core.
You view this subject matter, from an unnaturally narrow point, that dilutes the facts, and misrepresents the truth.
Having lived in pricey London during the booming latter 90s, I can assure you that people find a way. My American and Canadian visitors were stunned at the house price/salary ratios and declared life in London impossible. But of course it was anything but.
One thing I wondered though is why the inverted commas in this line: The second most expensive major “city” in Canada was Toronto…
It reads as though you are suggesting it’s not really a city, but perhaps you were referring to the fact that housing is quite affordable in certain distant suburbs vs. the overpriced central area? Just curious.
This argument seems really disingenuous. I think the whole thing tries, at best, to justify sprawl from a liberal point of view: from a point of view that values equality. But the people who really want more housing development don’t really value this themselves. From a more capitalist point of view, shouldn’t a city try to raise its overall property values? What would be wrong with helping the people who help themselves?
For instance: housing is really cheap in Mogadishu right now – or as Cox might put it, “affordable,” – and I’m sure it’d rank very near the bottom of The Economist’s list, which clearly leaves out this key component. The question, then, is whether cities should shoot to resemble Mogadishu or if they should shoot to resemble Vancouver.
Furthermore, this is not a decision anyone at New Geography gets to make. The property owners of every city, if they want to keep their property valuable, will try to be Vancouver. They’re property owners, after all, and if we buy into the capitalist ideal, it’s hard to explain exactly why they shouldn’t try to raise their property values. Or at least try to protect them. That seems like what every profit-motivated asset owner, in a capitalist economy, would and should do. But then again, we could see acknowledge some problems with the capitalist ideal, and the inequalities of affordability it creates… but this leads down an interesting path.
“But for ordinary Canadians, affordability is a prerequisite to livability. This makes Vancouver Canada’s least livable city.”
Actually, it’d make it the least livable for “ordinary Canadians.” (Whoever they are – clearly no one in Vancouver counts as an ‘ordinary Canadian.’) I’m pretty sure Vancouverites wouldn’t buy the premise that “affordability is a prerequisite to livability.” Vancouver’s policies since the 1960s are based in the opposite: livability as a prerequisite to affordability.
Sadly, in Cox’s view, this has resulted in the city’s tremendous economic success, placing it out of reach for ‘ordinary Canadians.’
Cox seems to be arguing that it’s unfair – in this capitalist system – that some people, regions, or countries are able to become wealthy while others are not. I would probably agree with him, but I’m really not sure he’d agree with himself. (Nevermind how out of reach ‘ordinary Canada’ is for ‘ordinary humans.’ Let’s just leave that alone. But if we were to pursue it, it might force us to consider the entire world’s broader inequalities…)
Except for the games, never stayed for long at Vancouver to know how expensive Vancouver is but such a beautiful place will be definitely expensive to live. Thanks for sharing the interesting fact about Vancouver.
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It’s been a privileged to appreciate Vancouver who won another honour, that of most excessive accommodation market in the six nations surveyed by the Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey : GA-G31M-ES2L
Its nice to see that the Economist charge cities (most probably urban areas) “over 30 factors crossways five minor road categories: steadiness, healthcare, civilization and surroundings, learning and communications: Tantric Massage London
Though, Vancouver is expensive but I never paid any heed to it.I think Vancouver a coastal city located in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, and is a good place to enjoy healthy and delicious sea food. Tahitian Noni Juice
Vancouver is one of my favorite city where I keep traveling once in a month and It’s really great to see that The Economist has rated Vancouver as the world’s most livable city as the people are really kind and decent here : Engineering Jobs
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Perhaps there are hidden appointments with that issue. There could possibly be information that they hold to be out in public.
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There’s no doubt that Vancouver is a lovely city and a great place to visit but I think it would be a bit too expensive to live and do business there. If they had companies that offer finance solutions, like the one we have in Australia, then maybe life would be easier for the ordinary people.
well i wanted to settle in Vancouver.. but seems like i will be going there next year now..
i love the place ceasuri casio
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