I agree with the sentiment, but not sure if "corruption" is the right word.

It's generally the form of legal "captured industries." Regulatory agencies, government, associations, etc. work together to put a fence around some industry for their own benefit.

In Canada, right now, I'd say the worst offender is real estate and while I don't live in Vancouver, it seems from the outside like it in particular seems to suffer the most from this. Toronto as well, obviously.

Any time any gov't makes any tepid moves to try to deal with these types of situations they're put in their place. Already the mumbling is starting about the Bank of Canada and interest rates and the property market. And all the gov'ts measures around regulating real estate practices are completely de-fanged.

When the Trudeau gov't made moves some years ago to close loopholes in tax code re: the use of corporate taxation by "consultants" and "small businesses" (who really aren't, and are often just individuals) to shelter assets, the pitchforks came out and they had to back down. So middle class wage earners are taxed like crazy while a whole cabal of fake-businesses pay some of the lowest corporate taxes in the western world while really just being effectively employees. But I digress.

Everything in this country -- from telecoms to commodity/resource sectors to wine (dear god, VQA Ontario, don't get me started), to the tech sector, etc. -- falls prey to this. It goes back to colonial times and has a lot to do with being a resource rich colony with a small(ish) population cordoned off from our more powerful neighbour to the south.

Historically that neighbour tolerates our local bourgeoisie as long as the commodities keep exporting for cheap and we stay compliant. So a little caste of bullies runs things up here, profiting off us and off of their exclusive access to this world. Because the alternative would seamingly mean the disintegration of the country.

He's just exaggerating to sell his view which really has nothing to do with corruption, Canada gives special cartel licenses out, for instance the gambling industry. How those people running those outfits attain those is a mystery.

But there isn't an outright corruption like you would find in Ukraine or Zambia.

If you think Vancouver is corrupt, you really haven't travelled

Go to Richmond where there is an underground economy and you can buy a drivers license.

Go to ubc where there is massive cheating and you can pay to have others write your exam for you.

Look at the monopolies everywhere. Look at how long the taxi industry kept out uber and lyft.