100%. People who take out a mortgage need to consider the opportunity cost of that as opposed to renting + investing in a broadly diversified low-cost portfolio. Canadian real estate has not uniformly beat out our domestic stock market over the last two decades as many would assume - the picture is much more nuanced. Many home owners are also not religiously tracking the amount they pay in terms of property taxes, insurance, and maintenance when talking about the appreciation in the value of their home.
Moreover, I also like the idea of having a mix of renters and owners in a city as it provides more choice for families. Many young people are not ready to put down roots while studying, moving around for new jobs, etc., and so renting is often a great choice that provides flexibility for them.
There's a paywall for this globe article but I would highly recommend reading it for any subscribers.
An analysis finds that renters and owners were on fairly equal ground, provided the renters were disciplined with their money
www.theglobeandmail.com