Oslo, Norway where I live is a pretty expensive city, but we don't have property taxes so that is not an issue.
But like Vancouver we have serious issues with the housing market. We have a green area around Oslo were you can't build on (that is where everybody goes skiing and hiking).
And we have the extra problem that due to being so far north we can't build high rises otherwise we wouldn't get any sun in the city in winter time.
But they have started turning a lot of old villa areas in to 4-5 story buildings. So densification is definitely a strategy being followed in Oslo.
But like Vancouver we have serious issues with the housing market. We have a green area around Oslo were you can't build on (that is where everybody goes skiing and hiking).
And we have the extra problem that due to being so far north we can't build high rises otherwise we wouldn't get any sun in the city in winter time.
But they have started turning a lot of old villa areas in to 4-5 story buildings. So densification is definitely a strategy being followed in Oslo.