As represented in this map, which displays the affordability of housing in Vancouver, affordability factors in not just the actual cost of the house but the income of the household. This index gives a better measure of affordability as it takes into account the percentage of their wages and shows whether or not they are able to pay the cost of the house with the money they have.

The affordability categories are broken into manual categories of specific values as designated by our lab coordinators. This representation was chosen to best represent the affordability of housing in Vancouver. While another ranking system would be best used to illustrate Montreal’s housing affordability it is better to show the comparison between the two cities and to highlight how much more expensive Vancouver is.

It is my personal opinion that affordability does not accurately show livability as there are many different indicators that factor into how livable a city is and not just the cost of house. This includes the community of people that live in the area, the environment and weather conditions that all play a role in how people live their day to day lives.