By 2007, affordability of housing was a problem for low and middle income Canadians, while households in the upper quintile—particularly in large affluent urban areas—could afford to purchase houses for investment and/or residency at higher prices while benefitting from historically low interest rates. Canadian government public policies intervene when affordability of housing is stressed to the point home ownership becomes inaccessible even to individuals with full-time employment. Measuring affordability of housing is complicated by Canada's vast physical and human geography which includes remote northern communities and affluent urban regions. Income levels in the upper quintile have increased exponentially while those in lower quintiles have remained stagnant. In 2011, about 1.5 million Canadian households or 12.5 per cent of Canadian households were in core housing need, and various levels of governance in Canada were exploring policy solutions to assist challenges faced by the low-income renter and homeowner overburdened with shelter costs. By 2012, the rising inequality gap had presented a significant challenge for Canadian households who were "priced out" of rental and ownership housing markets. By 2012, there was a slight deterioration in housing affordability, according to the RBC. Many parts of the country also reported that key workers—teachers, nurses, police officers, construction workers and others – who earned reasonably good income from their professions, were finding it increasingly difficult to afford the high cost of housing." According to a Federation of Canadian Municipalities 2012 report, one third of Canadians were renters. The construction and rehabilitation of affordable rental units had not kept pace with the number of affordable rental units lost to demolition, urban intensification projects and the more profitable conversion to condominiums. Fewer than 10 per cent of new housing starts were rental units. The FCA finds the shortage of available rental housing is worsening at the same time that more Canadians are being priced out of home ownership. In 2016, about 1.7 million Canadian households or 12.7 per cent of Canadian households were in core housing need. The percentage was slightly higher in urban areas, with about 13.6% of all Canadian households living in urban areas—1.6 million urban households—were in core housing need. In 2016, the regions with the highest percentage of households in core housing need, were Nunavut with 36.5 percent, Northwest Territories at 15.5 percent, Ontario at 15.3 percent, and Yukon at 15.2 percent. In 2016, the highest rates of core housing need in metropolitan areas included Toronto at 19.1 percent, Vancouver at 17.6 percent, Belleville at 15.4 percent, and Peterborough at 15.1 percent.