Re: Neighbourhood survey unkind to downtown, March 28
The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation's says that if you spend more than 30 per cent of your income on shelter, it is unaffordable.
However, I don't think that definition applies too well to Centretown, as was done by the recent Ottawa Neighbourhoods Study.
I earn less than the Centretown average of $37,042, and I spend about 37 per cent of the take-home income from my part-time job on rent. Yet I still have money left over to spend on what I consider to be a fairly luxurious life.
I think the calculation fails to consider people like me who are car-free. The CAA estimates that it costs between seven and $8,000 to own a car (including parking, maintenance, insurance, etc.).
If I were to put in longer hours at work in order to earn $7,000 more per year,then spend that money on a car that I don't need, then the proportion of my take-home income that goes to rent would, in fact, be less than 30 per cent.
Instead, I don't waste my money on a car, work fewer hours, and thus have more time for life.