Gender Differences in Housing Demand

This study examines the effect of gender differences in household formation, tenure choice, housing expenditure and location in Vancouver and Toronto. It shows that the continuing increase in women's income prospects and career orientation will reduce family formation, fertility and divorce rates, and change housing demand in ways that will affect the growth and character of large Canadian cities. Without in-migration, the demand for rental housing will decline while the demand for inner-city condominiums will grow substantially as women's income prospects approach those of men's. The proportion of non-family households will continue to increase, but the demand for single-family suburban houses will continue to grow as the increase in income raises the propensity of both men and women, family and non-family, to buy suburban houses. The main reduction will be in the demand for higher-density suburban housing. The elimination of differences in employment opportunity and career outlook between men and women may prompt a more generous immigration policy that will make cities culturally more diverse. These conclusions are developed and illustrated by using the 1991 Census Public Use Micro Data Files.