‘Have you tried finding richer parents?’ Sarcastic billboard about housing crisis goes up in Toronto

An advocacy group called Canada Housing Crisis is catching the attention of Torontonians with a sarcastic billboard raising awareness about the housing market.

The message, near Spadina Avenue and Queen Street West, went up the week of May 17 and reads “Can’t afford a home? Have you tried finding richer parents?”

Raphael Morin, a moderator for the group’s Reddit page, says it’s about the market being so unaffordable that Canadian millennials with full salaries still have to ask for help from family to buy a house.

“People are frustrated with how politicians are handling the crisis. The whole point is to gain attention so we can push for more equal housing policies across major cities in Canada,” Morin said.

Some of the policies they want considered include making the bidding processes more transparent and ensuring free, public data on sales and listings in the market.

The Canada Housing Crisis group began in March when Redditors created a page dedicated to sparking conversation, sharing news and raising awareness about housing laws. For the past month, the group has used a GoFundMe page to raise money from followers for billboards in Toronto and Ottawa.

Since the billboard went up, Canada Housing Crisis’s Reddit community has grown to 11,000 people as of Friday morning.

“We are fighting for Canada’s future. We want common sense housing laws that ensure: transparency, ample housing stock, and sustainable price appreciation, all so Canadians can find a decent home to live in,” the Reddit page states.

Would-be buyers of modest means might well find the current market numbers daunting: In March, according to the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board, the average price for a detached house in the city of Toronto hit $1.75 million. Last month, the Star found that aggregate home prices, including condos, in Toronto were 33 per cent higher than in April 2020 — and prices have been rising even faster in the suburban 905 areas.

This month, 75 per cent of first-time homebuyers in Toronto said they were concerned about not having enough down payment to afford a home, a survey by Royal LePage reported.

The crisis group has reached its donation goal of $10,000 and a discussion has begun on Reddit about what the next billboard message should be. Morin said the billboards are meant to show aspiring homebuyers that they’re not alone.

“I think our message taps into the hopelessness people feel.”

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Breanna Xavier-Carter is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star's radio room in Toronto. Reach her via email: [email protected]