The Costs of Migration

One does not need to be right-wing to be concerned about the various costs of migration. And one does not need to be concerned only about “foreigner” migration. (Populist politicians, whether right-wing or not, will exploit whatever topic they can to gain power.)

The costs of migration are real. There is a community north of Vancouver (where I once lived) where housing was affordable. The price of residential real estate rose dramatically in Vancouver during the 1990s, then again after the 2010 Olympics. People would sell a family home for $3,000,000 move to the small community and think nothing of paying $750,000 for a home. A few years earlier, that home was half the price. Local young people could no longer afford a home, so they left the small city.

That had nothing to do with “foreigners”.

Migration can be wonderful. It can vitaliza or revitalize an area. It can create new opportunities. Thirty years ago when I bought property in Troncones almost no children made it to secondary school. They simply couldn’t get there. With migration and development some newly established businesses started to fund transportation to the secondary school. Attending secondary school became common.

But unplanned development, regardless of the migration aspect, can have serious adverse consequences. We see that with infrastructure issues. Although the non-Mexican migrants might be more visible, the residents of Morelia, Guadalajara, Mexico City, and elsewhere have a strong effect on these communities.

In over 40 years of coming to this area and 30 years of home ownership I have never experienced hostility. But given the attitudes and the actions of some, I would understand misdirected hostility.