Urban Population Densities in Canada and Abroad—an Update

Affordable housing in cities is a major public-policy issue in Canada.
Zoning and related restrictions on increased construction of multi-family housing in urban centres have been identified by the federal government and several provincial governments as major impediments to affordable housing.
Governments are promoting increased population density in urban areas through financial incentives and other initiatives but face opposition from homeowners and other interest groups concerned that density will bring a diminished quality of living.
In fact, urban population densities in Canada are relatively low compared to medium- and large-sized cities in other wealthy countries.
Moreover, there is no consistent evidence showing that increased urban density leads to a lower quality of living.