Canada's $238 Billion Housing Addiction And Why It's Killing Growth

Canada has become dangerously dependent on real estate, investing more of its GDP into housing than any G7 nation. This video uncovers the 20-year policy choices that turned shelter into speculation—and the economic price Canada is paying. Canada's economy faces a structural crisis nobody is talking about: housing has swallowed growth. In this video, we expose how political choices, cheap mortgage money, and speculation transformed Canadian real estate from shelter into an economic trap. We're talking about $238 billion in direct GDP contribution—roughly 10% of Canada's total economic output—while the construction sector absorbs a larger share of investment than in any other G7 nation. What You'll Discover: • The exact timeline of how this trap was built (2000–2008: subprime contagion, immigration waves, and the "central bank put") • Hard data proving Canada's housing obsession is unique (and dangerous) • Why this has crushed productivity, triggered brain drain, and locked out an entire generation • The hidden costs: collapsed business investment, stagnant per-capita GDP growth, and lost innovation • What comes next—and what it means for your job, your wealth, and Canada's future Key Facts Referenced: Housing contributes $238 billion directly to Canadian GDP (Fraser Institute, 2023) Canada invests 7–8% of total capital into housing vs. 4–5% G7 average (Globe and Mail, 2024) Canadian per-capita GDP growth lags U.S., Australia, UK since 2000 (Statistics Canada, 2024) Toronto median home price: 280K(2000)→900K+ (2024) Business investment declined significantly in 2024 (Statistics Canada) Greater Toronto Area median home price: $1.2 million (CMHC, 2024) Full Sources Used: NAIOP Canada – Economic Impacts Report 2024 Fraser Institute – Housing GDP Contribution Analysis Globe and Mail – "Housing Investment & GDP Construction" 2024 Statistics Canada – Economic & Productivity Data 2024 Bank of Canada – Historical Policy Documents (2008–2020) Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) – Affordability Data 2024 RBC Economics – Brain Drain & Job Market Analysis 2023