As someone who believes:
A) Housing investors collectively have made incredibly large amounts of money at cost of other Canadians.
B) Essentially every single level of government has done little to aid in housing/infrastructure developments. If not outright block them.
C) Given the other 2 issues aren’t dealt with immigration is the only thing that can completely pivot overnight but we’ve only increased it.
I think the biggest issues is that in the last election 80% of voters seemed to think more of the same was okay. To be clear I’m talking about the people who voted for a party who’s housing minister said that investor is helping the situation or the party’s leader said the same or people who couldn’t even be bothered to vote.
Canada’s fertility rate hasn’t been above the replacement rate in over 50 years and that is with immigration. It’s currently at 1.4 (child per woman/family)
Nearly four-fifths of the 1.8 million population increase from 2016 to 2021 was attributable to new arrivals to Canada either as permanent or temporary immigrants
If you want to lower immigration rates, you’re gonna need to increase birth rates unless you want to become the next Japan where the population is expected to halve within our lifetimes.
The issue is the supply of affordable housing, plain and simple, and there is no solution that does not involve the government intervening in the housing market in some form.
The number one reason young people tell me they do not want kids these days is because they cannot afford it. Perhaps if housing was more affordable and wages weren’t stagnated it wouldn’t be a privledge to raise a family these days.
The number one reason young people tell me they do not want kids these days is because they cannot afford it.
So they say. I always wonder what the real reason is.
Kids don’t cost much. Moreover, they are a complete time sink. Anything that you used to spend money on vanishes as you won’t have time for it anymore. It is likely the the average person will come out net ahead. And as the kids get a little bit order, they start to become productive, which becomes an income multiplicative factor.
If the average woman in Niger, where the average income is $50 USD per month, can have seven children, anyone in Canada can afford at least one child with ease.
I expect it is the “16 and Pregnant” movement that has dissuaded people from having children. The whole “Don’t ruin your life having children, go to school and get a good job!” message that keeps getting perpetuated. People don’t want to be seen as the rural hick woman pumping out babies. That stereotype has become the scorn of our society.
Children cost approximately $15,000 a year up to the age of 18.
According to StatsCan, the average total income for a person in Canada is $54,400 in 2021.
Experts tell us that we should only spend 30% of our income on housing. That would mean the average Canadian should be spending $16,320 a year. $54,400 minus $16,320 equals $38,080. If you have one child at $15,000 a year, that leaves you with $23,080.
$23,080 is a nice chunk of change, however we still haven’t done any other bills. According to the Globe and Mail, the average new car payment is $880 per month. That’s $10,560 a year. We’re now at $13,080 in left over income.
In the 2023 Canada Food Price Report, a family four will spend $16,288.41. We’ll take 75% of $16,288.41 to represent a family of three. That couple would be spending approximately $12,216.30 a year in food. $13,080 subtracting $12,216 .30 means you are left over with $863.70.
CCA currently states that the average price of gasoline in 2022 was $1.632. Let’s say you have a 50l tank, that means you are spending $81.60 per fill up. Twice a month, means you spend $163.20. Over the course of a year, you will spend $1,958.40. Oh shit, we’re in the red now with -$1,904.70
We still have to pay for our cell phone, internet, hair cuts, clothing, emergencies, save for retirement, pay down debt, etc.
Poor people don’t need cars. So it saves a lot of money.
Not to mention that if you look at what the $15,000 child cost includes, it already factors in things like transportation and shelter costs. Which @ShaggySnacks@lemmy.myserv.one includes again when budgeting parental costs.
Based on his numbers, removing the duplication, this single income supporting a family of three comes out comfortably in the black. And that’s with childcare costs included! If you are going to pay for childcare, why not have two incomes supporting the family of three? Now you’re saving money hand over fist.
If not being able to accurately calculate costs is the reason why Canadians aren’t having children… Maybe it’s best to keep that out of the gene pool anyway.
