Castanet

Nom_de_Plume wrote:

jsytnick wrote:
High cost of living can be avoided by moving to more affordable places. Vancouver/Kelowna/Victoria are desirable places to live and own real estate, you either accept that or move somewhere less desirable and thus cheaper. You don't have the right to own a home here just because you were born here/live here/work here. You're competing with people that will sacrifice a lot more than you to own property here, maybe you don't see that but it is a fact.

Ok, I have no idea why this is such a heated subject with a sea of moderator colours but....
I think some people are missing the point.
Yes everyone could move to cheaper places and live a happy little life, but then who would be doing the low wage jobs?
The jobs that everyone in large cities needs to have filled. The burger flippers, the floor moppers, barista's, the grocery workers and the gas station attendants? Those people need to live in these high priced cities in order to provide these services. It makes absolutely no sense for someone to commute an hour or more on public into a city to make minimum wage. Subsidizing housing in these locations is the only way to get these jobs filled adequately.

Those entry level jobs, should be treated as such. They're not meant to afford someone a nice place of their own in DT Vancouver or by the hospital in Kelowna. They're meant for students, people starting out, etc. Those still living at home or are supported by family/friends(roommates). Why should someone expect to live in a desirable location while holding down a part time minimum wage job? It was true when I was young, and I assume it's the same now. Yes, there's problems abound with housing costs in certain locales across the country, but if it were me working for $10/hour I'd probably pull up my bootstraps or head to a way cheaper place to live. Canada is literally huge, people need to learn to utilize that fact and head to where cost of living makes sense for them. My family though the generations did this, in much harsher conditions, why should people expect everything handed to them now?

Regardless of who should be in those entry level jobs, the reality is most of those places are staffed by more reliable full-time folks. Not students living at home. I think some of that precious real-estate should be put aside for affordable housing.
Because unfortunately, it is those "desirable" areas that have a desperate need for baristas and burger flippers and sandwich artists and cashiers. Minimum wage does not afford one the ability to commute from another town to get to work. It's all well and good wanting things to be a how you think they "should" be, but it's probably better to try and make things work how they actually "are".