Housing Growth in Manufacturing Centers

On today show we’re talking about housing needs in manufacturing corridors. Yesterday I attended a meeting involving politicians and city staff from five different communities along the St. Lawrence River seaway. Many of these communities have experienced a resurgence in Manufacturing as North American companies have expanded domestic manufacturing capacity. During the pandemic these communities experienced a huge influx of population from people seeking a lower density lifestyle with incredible outdoor amenities and still remain within an hour of a major city.

The problem is that many of these communities are experiencing a severe shortage of housing. That is a combination of new housing, affordable, housing, or merely available housing at any price.

Several themes stood out from the conversations involving politicians, city, staff, and major employers. The employers are struggling to attract new workers because of the lack of available housing. So instead they are just poaching from each other instead of growing the pool of employees.

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Host: Victor Menasce

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