In an article for The Conversation, Co-Principal Investigator Dawn Parker discusses how Canada’s federal Task Force for Housing and Climate falls short in addressing new affordable and climate-friendly housing by failing to fully consider land and housing market dynamics.
In her article, Prof. Parker discusses how the recommendations from the Task Force’s report “Blueprint for More and Better Housing” could incentivize the building of overly-dense urban cores, which in fact can exacerbate climate impacts, such as urban heat island effects. Dense urban cores don’t leave space for green infrastructure that is essential for addressing climate challenges in our cities.
Prof. Parker recommends considering the construction of mixed, medium-density housing, otherwise known as the “missing middle” – family-sized housing such as townhomes, duplexes and triplexes, and low-rise to mid-rise apartment buildings, that can be built amongst green and amenity-rich environments.
Read the full article in The Conversation.
Dawn Parker, “Housing policies need to fully consider market dynamics to move beyond ‘tall and sprawl’ cities. The Conversation, March 14, 2024.