The butterfly effects of high rent prices in Canada

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I came to London, Ontario, in December 2016 from Korea and started living in Toronto in 2022. Yes, I’ve been living in Canada for over eight years. I’d say Canada feels like a frog slowly dying in a boiling pot because of the high rent prices. I know there are many other reasons, but I’d like to talk about rent prices first because they are fundamental to our lives.

Most people are likely aware of how daunting the rent burden is in Canada’s major cities. In Metro Vancouver, the average tenant spends about 61.65% of their monthly income on rent (Canada Express). In Toronto, the average income for the lowest-income group is around $12,935, with a rent burden of 88% (Joins Media Canada). In Ontario, the average income for the lowest-income group is approximately $13,621, and the rent burden is 73% (Joins Media Canada).

Such high rents lower the quality of life of citizens in many ways.

Even though they have jobs, people want to live better lives by taking on two or three side jobs in Canada. Couples naturally have to work separately, and their only leisure time is spent sleeping or lying down. The only time they are allowed to do so is through social media or watching dramas without having to think about anything. They won’t even have enough time to take care of their children, of course.I believe you can probably imagine more specifically than me all these scenarios based on your experiences and observations.

At least 30–40% of people in Canada are in these situations, and it seems that this has increased over the past 8 years based on my experiences.

 

People who pay more than half of their income on rent have little room for consumption. The domestic market loses its vitality due to consumers who have closed their wallets. In order to stimulate the economy, the government believes that more immigrants are needed. More immigrants come in, but all that happens is that rent prices increase, and they too fall into the trap of high rent, leaving them with even less ability to consume.

What happens in a place where many individuals without purchasing power live together?

Do you think they have the time, energy, or resources to read books, visit art galleries, attend concerts, or engage in cultural activities? Can they provide their children with opportunities to experience cultural enrichment? I am not talking about people in the upper middle class or above, but about ordinary citizens and immigrants. These are the majority of people we meet every day when we go outside. Most of them are likely only able to focus on eating, sleeping, and basic necessities, making it difficult to access opportunities for cultural and artistic experiences.

For individuals without cultural literacy, the better life they can imagine in their harsh lives is only “a life for money.” When money becomes the priority value for individuals who have lost culture, most people will first abandon morality and conscience.

Crime occurs when people, who have abandoned morality and conscience, prioritize money above all else. If someone commits a crime without valuing money, it is likely due to psychopathy or a mental health issue.

I want to ask the government, wealthy individuals, and those who own many homes or buildings: Is it truly beneficial for all of us in Canada, in the end, that more immigrants come in, more taxes are collected, and rental prices rise, making the rich even richer? The wealthy and the government cannot live inside their own bubble. Without economically healthy citizens, the economy will lose its resilience in the long run, and crime rates will inevitably continue to rise.

 

Rent is not just a matter of cost. That is a fundamental part of a stable life that allows people to envision a hopeful future, desire more cultural activities, and be more mindful of the education of the next generation. Of course, there will still be people who fall behind in such an environment, but if they are not the mainstream, there will be more people reaching out to help them.

Canada today feels more distrustful, more fearful, and less vibrant compared to when I first arrived. There are likely many reasons and triggers, but in my opinion, the rent price is one of the most critically important factors. Like the frog in the pot, we may not feel the danger now, but by the time we realize it, we might find that it’s already too late.

Finally, I conclude by quoting the words of Kim Gu, a respected Korean independence activist and politician.

“Our wealth is sufficient to make our lives prosperous, and our strength is enough to prevent the invasion of others. What we truly desire endlessly is the power of high culture. The power of culture makes us happy and, furthermore, allows us to bring happiness to others. What humanity lacks today is neither military force nor economic power. The power of natural science, no matter how abundant, is enough for humanity to live comfortably with the current state of natural science. The fundamental reason for humanity’s unhappiness today is not the lack of material resources, but the lack of benevolence, righteousness, compassion, and love. If only these virtues were developed, with the current material power, all 2 billion people could live comfortably.

The cultivation of this spirit in humanity can only be achieved through culture.”

Kim Gu, Baekbeom Diary, 1943

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