What Gregor Robertson's housing track record can tell us about his ministerial plans

Canada ’s new housing minister Gregor Robertson failed to address the paradox on his first day on the job.

Robertson blithely answered the question he was asked: “Do you think that prices need to go down?” It was a trick question loaded with subtext: which massive cohort of Canadians do you plan to screw over, the ones who own a home or those who don’t.

Conservatives repeatedly accused Robertson of causing Vancouver 's housing crisis during his time as mayor.

Vancouver became the first city in Canada to impose a speculation tax and impose an empty homes tax.

Robertson ’s oft-repeated claim to have built more affordable housing than any other mayor in Canada tends to ring hollow.

Many of the ideas Robertson came up with have since spread across the country.

Canada does n’t need hundreds or thousands of new homes, it needs millions of dollars , says housing expert.

Canada doesn't need hundreds of thousands of homes, but millions need millions , he says.

Robertson will be tasked with aligning 13 provincial and territorial governments with thousands of towns and cities.

Robertson has a mandate to embrace a new program of supply-like construction that hasn't been seen since WWII .