Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Ep 41: So Many Condos, So Few Buyers
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Ep 41: So Many Condos, So Few Buyers
Send us Fan Mail
A housing boom can feel like prosperity—until the numbers stop adding up.
We sat down with chief economist and EVP Research at Centurion Asset Management, Carl Gomez to examine Canada’s great housing reset and why an economy so tied to mortgages, pre-sales, and condo construction is now confronting record-low business investment and stagnant productivity.
From Toronto to Vancouver, investor-driven micro-units crowd the skyline while families search for livable, mid-sized homes. That mismatch sits at the heart of today’s slowdown: oversupply where demand is thin, and scarcity where people actually want to grow.
We trace how the last decade funneled capital toward residential investment and away from machinery, software, and R&D, and what that trade-off means for wages, growth, and resilience.
Carl explains why resets can take close to a decade, how absorption rates signal a long clearing process, and why rents and prices may still need to adjust before the market balances.
We also dig into the smarter personal finance playbook for 2026: when renting can beat buying, how to weigh mobility and opportunity cost, and what it really takes to build wealth outside of a single leveraged asset.
Policy isn’t off the hook. We break down Nova Scotia’s first-time buyer pilot and the broader risks of demand-side boosts that pull tomorrow’s buyers into today’s market while socializing downside.
Then we pivot to the structural fixes: unlocking the missing middle, reforming development charges, streamlining approvals near transit, and creating conditions for firms to scale at home.
With U.S. industrial policy reshaping supply chains and the AI boom accelerating, Canada faces a choice—double down on housing as a growth crutch or invest in productivity that compounds.
If our take on housing, affordability, and productivity got you thinking, tap follow, share this episode with a friend, and leave a quick review so more listeners can find the show. Your support helps us bring sharper conversations to your feed every week.
Quick heads up this episode was recorded on February 17, 2026 so while the news may have changed since this conversation was recorded the thoughts and ideas still remain relevant.
Also everything we talk about in this episode is for educational purposes and not to be taken as financial advice.
View all episodes
By Julia PennellaSend us Fan Mail
A housing boom can feel like prosperity—until the numbers stop adding up.
We sat down with chief economist and EVP Research at Centurion Asset Management, Carl Gomez to examine Canada’s great housing reset and why an economy so tied to mortgages, pre-sales, and condo construction is now confronting record-low business investment and stagnant productivity.
From Toronto to Vancouver, investor-driven micro-units crowd the skyline while families search for livable, mid-sized homes. That mismatch sits at the heart of today’s slowdown: oversupply where demand is thin, and scarcity where people actually want to grow.
We trace how the last decade funneled capital toward residential investment and away from machinery, software, and R&D, and what that trade-off means for wages, growth, and resilience.
Carl explains why resets can take close to a decade, how absorption rates signal a long clearing process, and why rents and prices may still need to adjust before the market balances.
We also dig into the smarter personal finance playbook for 2026: when renting can beat buying, how to weigh mobility and opportunity cost, and what it really takes to build wealth outside of a single leveraged asset.
Policy isn’t off the hook. We break down Nova Scotia’s first-time buyer pilot and the broader risks of demand-side boosts that pull tomorrow’s buyers into today’s market while socializing downside.
Then we pivot to the structural fixes: unlocking the missing middle, reforming development charges, streamlining approvals near transit, and creating conditions for firms to scale at home.
With U.S. industrial policy reshaping supply chains and the AI boom accelerating, Canada faces a choice—double down on housing as a growth crutch or invest in productivity that compounds.
If our take on housing, affordability, and productivity got you thinking, tap follow, share this episode with a friend, and leave a quick review so more listeners can find the show. Your support helps us bring sharper conversations to your feed every week.
Quick heads up this episode was recorded on February 17, 2026 so while the news may have changed since this conversation was recorded the thoughts and ideas still remain relevant.
Also everything we talk about in this episode is for educational purposes and not to be taken as financial advice.