Housing Market Fluctuations in Resource-based Towns

During “boom” periods in northern, resource-based towns the incomes are good, new workers are drawn in, and the demand for local housing goes way up. This can make it difficult for many women to keep a roof over their heads, as women are not often able to access higher-paying resource jobs, local rent prices skyrocket, and subsidized housing is rarely available. Meanwhile, women who are able to afford to purchase homes during the “boom” are often left with unmanageable amounts of mortgage debt when the resource economy inevitably “busts” and high-paying jobs are lost. This fact sheet explores the impacts of resource-based economies on housing prices and diverse women’s experiences of living through these “boom” and “bust” markets.