In Britain after WWII there was a severe housing shortage and the solution they came up with was “row houses” basically large apartment blocks. The genius part of this was along with this you also got an allotment. A small parcel of land where you could garden and enjoy the outdoors.
Cons under Mulroney began the cuts to social spending to balance the books, libs under Chretien finished it off.
The idea was that the government shouldn’t have a hand in housing and it should be left to the free market.