The COVID-19 pandemic

[Joedelay Highhoe]

Another spring wave, though I don't think anyone cares at this point: https://globalnews.ca/news/8720190/canad...explainer/

I'm sure someone cares, somewhere. Not in my workplace though. Even the maskers are sitting in groups at lunch, basking in each other's moist droplets.

[ac3r]

Yeah, that's what I mean. Lots of people are over caring, though I don't blame them. We've been stuck in this crisis for two years now. At this point it's safe to say everyone is highly likely to get it this year, especially with masks no longer required in most places. Thankfully we've got high vaccination rates here.

[plam]

Yeah, that's what I mean. Lots of people are over caring, though I don't blame them. We've been stuck in this crisis for two years now. At this point it's safe to say everyone is highly likely to get it this year, especially with masks no longer required in most places. Thankfully we've got high vaccination rates here.

Once again I'm going to reject COVID fatalism. I am still trying to avoid COVID because of possible long-term effects and long COVID, by choosing which activities I do, especially unmasked. I wear an N95 and limit indoor time in general. Last I checked the Ontario infection rate was 20%, which is far less than 100%, and it's only like 40% in the US.

[ac3r]

I hate this headline, but this is an important development...

"Never Had Covid? You May Hold Key To Beating the Virus": https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/...-the-virus

[danbrotherston]

Another spring wave, though I don't think anyone cares at this point: https://globalnews.ca/news/8720190/canad...explainer/

Plenty do care, but they are not being listened to in any meaningful fashion.

The gov has said there are plenty of beds in the hospital for us to lie suffering in, anyone who thinks about it for even a few seconds should realize how defeating that is.

Many of us also have kids who cannot be vaccinated who are being needlessly endangered with a high risk of long term health issues.

But yeah, those in power, in the media, in the government, do not care.

That being said, I am now in the Netherlands...where they are also doing exactly the same thing...albeit, with no increase in cases so far.

[Spokes]

I remember you were talking about moving, is this the move or a scouting trip?

[danbrotherston]

I remember you were talking about moving, is this the move or a scouting trip?

This is the move...we never did a scouting trip, I'm not sure how that'll work out...it's very frustrating trying to deal with getting housing here, it seems the housing crisis is not restricted to Canada.

That being said, I really have no understanding of the mechanisms driving it here.

But we're very excited to be here...we even got some snow this morning to remind us of home.

[Joedelay Highhoe]

I remember you were talking about moving, is this the move or a scouting trip?

This is the move...we never did a scouting trip, I'm not sure how that'll work out...it's very frustrating trying to deal with getting housing here, it seems the housing crisis is not restricted to Canada.

That being said, I really have no understanding of the mechanisms driving it here.

But we're very excited to be here...we even got some snow this morning to remind us of home.

Congrats on the move, I really enjoyed my time bumming around Amsterdam a few years ago.

[ac3r]

You're gonna be in for a surprise haha. Housing in the Netherlands is suffering from largely the same problems as they are in Canada and certain other European countries. It's absolutely dire there. Rents and prices are through the roof all over the country. There is a mess with banks, bidding, investors etc, the same as in Canada. Also the classic supply versus demand problem as well. The government had set a goal to build 1 million additional homes in 10 years, though many professionals in the industry have said that is a completely unattainable goal. Bouwend Nederland says at best, they could maybe be able to get 750'000 built but even that will be a challenge - the more realistic number is about 500'000. The workforce and resources just aren't there. The war in Ukraine will likely worsen things too, especially for renters.

Hopefully you can find something though. But if you moved away from Canada over housing, you'll find the exact same problem there and it is nearly just as bad. It's not the utopia Not Just Bikes makes it out to be in his videos. If you're anywhere in the Randstad you'll find it challenging to rent or buy, though the further you get from the main cities the cheaper things get.

[danbrotherston]

You're gonna be in for a surprise haha. Housing in the Netherlands is suffering from largely the same problems as they are in Canada and certain other European countries. It's absolutely dire there. Rents and prices are through the roof all over the country. There is a mess with banks, bidding, investors etc, the same as in Canada. Also the classic supply versus demand problem as well. The government had set a goal to build 1 million additional homes in 10 years, though many professionals in the industry have said that is a completely unattainable goal. Bouwend Nederland says at best, they could maybe be able to get 750'000 built but even that will be a challenge - the more realistic number is about 500'000. The workforce and resources just aren't there. The war in Ukraine will likely worsen things too, especially for renters.

Hopefully you can find something though. But if you moved away from Canada over housing, you'll find the exact same problem there and it is nearly just as bad. It's not the utopia Not Just Bikes makes it out to be in his videos. If you're anywhere in the Randstad you'll find it challenging to rent or buy, though the further you get from the main cities the cheaper things get.

Housing was not the motivation for moving, I would be having the same challenges if I was moving to any Canadian city. I had hoped that moving to a smaller midsized city would less challenging, but it appears not.

Rental prices however, are quite reasonable, significantly less than KW and even our Airbnb is less than Toronto.

[plam]

You're gonna be in for a surprise haha. Housing in the Netherlands is suffering from largely the same problems as they are in Canada and certain other European countries. It's absolutely dire there. Rents and prices are through the roof all over the country. There is a mess with banks, bidding, investors etc, the same as in Canada.

People often look at the problems at the place they are in and think they're specific to that place, but we are in a pretty global economy and many of the problems happen in many of the places. Some things aren't universal (I hear housing is easy to come by in Germany) but many are surprisingly universal. So I'm always like "hey, look, we should see what other countries are doing too, maybe they found a solution, or maybe that solution doesn't work so great".

[danbrotherston]

You're gonna be in for a surprise haha. Housing in the Netherlands is suffering from largely the same problems as they are in Canada and certain other European countries. It's absolutely dire there. Rents and prices are through the roof all over the country. There is a mess with banks, bidding, investors etc, the same as in Canada.

People often look at the problems at the place they are in and think they're specific to that place, but we are in a pretty global economy and many of the problems happen in many of the places. Some things aren't universal (I hear housing is easy to come by in Germany) but many are surprisingly universal. So I'm always like "hey, look, we should see what other countries are doing too, maybe they found a solution, or maybe that solution doesn't work so great".

I think it depends on a few factors, thing which are caused by specific legislation in certain places, obviously those problems only exist where those laws exist.

Other problems are probably more general and occur everywhere, or at least everywhere that isn't actively solving that problem.

Other problems probably have different causes in different places. This sounds like the housing problem.

FWIW...I have a fairly good understanding of some of the factors in the housing crisis, but not how they (and other) factors apply here. But the fundamental problem remains the same, more people than homes.

[ijmorlan]

But the fundamental problem remains the same, more people than homes.

Exactly. High prices are a symptom, not the problem itself.

[ac3r]

What to Know About the XE Variant: https://time.com/6165297/xe-variant-what-to-know/

[ac3r]

The WHO has officially declared the pandemic to be over: https://twitter.com/BBCBreaking/status/1...5037989890

At last! Now to pick up the pieces of this debacle...