Greg Morrow

@dillonliam Indeed, just as inevitable and foreseeable that YIMBYs would continue to object to the carve outs, and just as inevitable and foreseeable that cities who do as much as they can to avoid it. Everyone is doing what we expect them to do! ;-)

@gregmorrow All I’m saying is what’s happening was inevitable and entirely foreseeable when the law passed as written

To me, the YIMBY groups — and even the governor! — being mad/feeling betrayed about cities taking advantage of the exemptions in SB 79 is a little weird. If you didn't want exemptions, then you shouldn't have put them in the law.

@mitchellvii Exports to the US account for 17.8% of Canada's GDP according to Stats Canada. That's significant but it's not 75%. It's embarrassing that the US Trade Representative doesn't know these basic facts.

In case you were wondering, Canada cannot survive without us. Canada is 75% dependent on US for their GDP, they literally can't afford to play tough guy or antagonist games with us. They need America way more than we need them - period. No more getting pushed around by our northern neighbors who rely on our market to survive. Trump's team is making sure fair deals happen - Canada better get in line or feel the pain. America First means we hold the cards and play them hard!

@TondaMacC @aballinga @TorontoStar It feels to me that Carney is doing what he thinks is right for Canada, more so than aim for narrow political wins. It seems like he prioritizes practical outcomes that balance multiple objectives in light of the existential changes Canada's economy faces.

Mark Carney's Alberta deal defies some of his own MPs who see 'zero political win' federally, analysis by me and @aballinga thestar.com/politics/mark-… via @torontostar

@MikePMoffatt The 14 regulatory hurdles are barriers to building more housing, period. All good things to reform. But few people can afford what large units in central locations would cost to build. It's the same reason why there's a bigger market for 4-br homes in Aurora than in Rosedale.

New MMI piece: We look at the 3.5 million people in Canada who live in a home that is too small to meet their needs, and how a mismanaged push by governments and urban planners towards densification is at odds with the human right to housing. Read here: missingmiddleinitiative.ca/p/families-are…

@pulte At the average US home price of $512,800, and average 6.25% interest rate with 20% down ($102,560), a $410,240 mortgage over 50-year mortgage would cost $1,341,418 so $931,178 in interest payments. So roughly 70% of the costs are interest. Why not focus on downpayment assistance?

Thanks to President Trump, we are indeed working on The 50 year Mortgage - a complete game changer.

.@CAgovernor Newsom has signed SB 79, landmark legislation to allow min 5 story buildings within 1/2 mile of major transit stations in 8 California counties. It's not a panacea for California's housing problems, but it's a step in the right direction cayimby.org/news-events/pr…

We are so thrilled to welcome our first Master of Real Estate Development Degree (MRED) cohort to @UCLA! The inaugural UCLA MRED'26 class visited Echelon Studios, developed by the BARDAS Investment Group. Cheers to our students—the pioneers shaping the future! #UCLALuskin

@acoyne If they can indict a ham sandwich they can certain indict a man throwing a ham sandwich!

Book 'em, Danno. Felony sandwich-hurling with intent. Man accused of hurling sandwich at federal agent in D.C. gets hit with felony assault charge nbcnews.com/politics/polit…

@FredDeLorey @acoyne That’s not true. “top up” seats are regional seats (as in MMP) and could be based on provincial votes so that wouldn’t change the distribution of seats b/w provinces (would all increase proportionally to the current distribution).

@acoyne That’s the problem - real PR models include top-up seats, which do change the distribution of seats between provinces. That triggers Section 42 and requires a constitutional amendment.

You’re embarrassing yourself. Proportional representation requires a constitutional amendment. Ranked ballots don’t - and even Trudeau regrets not going that route. But groups like Fair Vote chase fantasies and kill real reform. That’s why nothing ever changes.

@Sean_Speer Canadian taxes pay or heavily subsidize health insurance and higher ed. My family pays $36k/yr USD per year for health insurance. College tuition is $15k/yr (in-state public) to $65k+/yr (private). UBC/UofT is $5k/yr USD, so US is 3-13x more. PIT doesn't tell the whole story.

If we compare PIT rates in the 10 Canadian provinces to the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, the scale of our problem becomes apparent. Specifically, when ranking the top combined (federal and provincial/state) PIT rates in 2025, Canadian provinces hold nine of the top 10 highest rates among the 61 American and Canadian jurisdictions. Saskatchewan (at 15th highest) is the only province to escape the top 10.

@EricDLombardi I don't think it's fallen off the agenda at all. But years of bad & conflicting policies aren't going to be harmonized overnight. Provinces are negotiating through these now. Unrealistic to think this would be completely solved less than 2 months after Parliament first sat.

I’m still flabbergasted by house quickly interprovincial trade barriers fell off the agenda, given how little meaningful change there has been.

This should serve as a PSA warning of what extreme partisanship does to your brain. Trudeau really did a number on these people. Everything is Trudeau's fault! Including Alberta's measles outbreak right now! And they wonder why they can't win government...

@bhargreaves Low performing urban schools are one of the biggest reasons why people decamp to the suburbs. And the economics of development make large units exceptionally challenging on high-value land, so you get more bang for your buck where land is lower value.

Cities are failing families, and parents are opting out. NYC lost 17% of its under-5 population since 2020. SF has more dogs than kids. Meanwhile, birthrates plummet. The US won't succeed without fixing this. Yesterday I published an 8-part "Abundance for Families" agenda: 🧵

@Sean_Speer @TheHubCanada As a Senior Fellow at the Munk Institute, I would think you are very much part of the "Laurentian Elite"!

Don Cherry is the peoples' nominee for the Order of Canada. His ongoing exclusion despite his significant cultural contribution to Canada speaks to the persistent gap between the Laurentian elite and the rest of us. My latest for @TheHubCanada. thehub.ca/2025/06/30/sea…

@acoyne You were expecting him to drop the 51st state schtick at the G7? :-)

So exactly zero progress made. What a useful summit. thestar.com/politics/feder…

@acoyne I don't think willingness to engage = endorsing every bad action. What does finger waging from the sidelines achieve? Carney is using the G7 platform to position Canada as a more influential world player. I'm willing to give Carney some rope here to see what he accomplishes.

Message: All is well, let's not let a little confrontation over state-directed assassinations of regime critics or other acts of state terrorism get in the way of good relations. Seems to be the Carney doctrine generally.

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JOB OPPORTUNITY: UCLA MRED Director of Student Services. Responsibilities include advising students, managing admissions, enrollment, financial aid & collaborating with faculty leadership on curriculum planning, course scheduling, and program development. jobs.ucla.edu/jobs/7818

@acoyne So the book is to gear up to run for Prime Minister, like Carney, then? ;-)

Well this is very nice. theglobeandmail.com/arts/books/bes… thestar.com/entertainment/… cbc.ca/amp/1.7534732