> Too many properties are being used as investments and not as a primary residence.
When properties are being used as an investment, they are rented out. If that's true, it should show up as higher rental vacancy rate and low/stagnant rent. That's not the case in Vancouver, BC as we have low vacancy rate and rising rent.
Homes could be left as left empty as well, but we have multiple annual taxes, ranging from 0.5% to 3% of the total property value targeting these underutilized home, and that hasn't driven price down. In additions, these taxes essentially provide an one-time only increase in the number of homes available. They can be easily absorbed by population growth.
With the population increase in Canada, building more is the only way out.