Is there suitable housing near work? The impact of housing suitability on commute distances in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver

ABSTRACT

This paper makes a novel contribution by examining the impacts of housing suitability on the commute. Smart Growth and related planning policies have contributed to higher residential densities with the aim to reduce commute distances and enhance urban sustainability. While important in terms of alleviating sprawl, reductions in space accompanying increases in densities may not be suitable for larger households. If households instead commute longer distances, the sustainability objective of minimizing commute distances is undercut. We operationalize housing suitability at the household level in different ways, analysing the characteristics of housing available near the place of work in relation to the housing suitability needs based on household characteristics. Regardless of the measure used, the better the match between workers’ housing suitability needs and the housing stock available near work, the shorter the commute. The paper uniquely highlights the importance of explicitly considering housing suitability in planning for sustainability.

KEYWORDS:

• Housing suitability
• housing space
• commuting
• planning
• urban sustainability
• smart growth

Acknowledgements

The analysis in this work was originally produced as part of a Master's thesis in the School of Planning at the University of Waterloo by Tristan Wilkin under the supervision of Markus Moos. The authors would like to thank the journal's referees and editor for helpful comments that definitely helped improve the article. We also owe thanks to Jean Andrey and Clarence Woudsma at the University of Waterloo for sharing helpful insights on earlier versions of this work. We thank Pat Newcombe-Welch of the Southwestern Ontario Research Data Centre (SWORDC) for her statistical expertise and assistance with the census data. Thank you also to both Scott MacFarlane, GIS technologist with Mapping, Analysis and Design at the University of Waterloo, and Mike Elliot with the City of Kitchener who shared their GIS expertise. All errors and/or omissions remain the responsibility of the authors.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Notes on contributors

Markus Moos

Markus Moos is Associate Professor in the School of Planning at the University of Waterloo and a registered professional planner. His research is on urban housing markets and the changing demography, social structures, and economies of cities.

Nick Revington

Nick Revington is a PhD candidate in the School of Planning at the University of Waterloo. His research explores the relationships between young adults’ housing, employment, and debt in Canadian cities, including broader implications for urban change and the economy.

Tristan Wilkin

Tristan Wilkin is a graduate of the School of Planning's MA program at the University of Waterloo. She is currently working as a researcher in the public sector.