Over and over again, we see the same problems come up when building anything physical in this country, such as a house or a train. Costs start to balloon and every project seems to end up over budget – or at least costs us more than it would cost to build in other countries. More Neighbours Toronto’s founder Eric Lombardi attributes this largely to…

A lot of people get into advocacy for better cities and urbanism by watching what’s perhaps YouTube’s biggest urbanism channel, @NotJustBikes . But that leads many to think that with enough advocacy, their hometowns could one day also look like a city in the Netherlands. Not Just Bikes’ Jason Slaughter says it’s not that simple. In this conversatio…

In this episode of the Missing Middle, Cara Stern is mad. A majority of MPs recently voted to increase Old Age Security for seniors aged 65-74, regardless of whether they actually need more money. She and Mike Moffatt explore the structure of Canada's pension programs, the purpose of OAS, and the financial burden it places on the federal budget – a…

In this episode of Missing Middle, journalist Cara Stern is mad. A street in her neighbourhood in Toronto is trying to get an exemption to the city-wide garden suites rules. Cara and economist Mike Moffatt discuss the ongoing challenges of NIMBYism in Toronto, still supported by local city councillors, even when it's about the gentlest of gentle de…

When Mike bought his first home, it cost him $168,000. That number barely covers a downpayment in much of Ontario these days – and even if a developer wanted to, it could not offer that price (even indexed to inflation) because the costs to build are just so high. Mike and Cara break down the costs associated with home-building, including land pric…

@NotJustBikes is many people's gateway into urbanism, and an understanding into how much better our cities and towns can be, if we just make some policy changes. In this conversation, journalist Cara Stern, economist Mike Moffatt, Not Just Bikes creator Jason Slaughter discuss the challenges and implications of car-dependent suburbs in North Americ…

The conversation explores the impact of the AI revolution on workers and the potential for mass unemployment. The hosts discuss past technological revolutions and the winners and losers they created. They also consider the role of AI in job creation and the potential for increased inequality. The conversation touches on the importance of skills and…

This week, the federal government announced some big changes to mortgage policies in Canada. Specifically, it’s expanding 30-year mortgage amortizations to anyone buying a new build, or to all first-time homebuyers. It’s also raising the insured mortgage cap from $1 million to $1.5 million. In this conversation journalist Cara Stern and economist M…

Rents are down in some college towns, and some are crediting the government's international student reforms. In news stories about rents falling, the media often frame price reductions as a bad thing, even though it’s a huge relief for students. Mike and Cara discuss the price drops and why the media tend to ignore the positive side of the story. H…

Economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern discuss Canada's record levels of population growth -- and how the majority of it came from record levels of temporary immigration. Since these numbers became known, due to backlash from the public, the federal government has announced it would implement policies it hopes will reduce the number of no…

Cities across Canada are implementing vacant home taxes to address the issue of homes sitting empty. These taxes aim to encourage owners to sell or rent out their vacant properties. Economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern discuss the challenges in implementation of these taxes including issues with reporting and enforcement. Studies have s…

On May 23, professionals who work in the industry to develop missing middle housing, as well as those interested in building them, gathered at the Toronto Reference Library for a one-day conference. The Missing Middle podcast team spoke to the presenters and will be sharing those interviews with you each week on Fridays throughout the next month. R…

In this conversation, Cara and Mike discuss the financial considerations of having children. They touch on topics such as housing costs, childcare expenses, and the impact on income during parental leave. They also explore the limitations of the government's childcare program and the need for increased availability of affordable childcare options. …

On May 23, professionals who work in the industry to develop missing middle housing, as well as those interested in building them, gathered at the Toronto Reference Library for a one-day conference. The Missing Middle podcast team spoke to the presenters and will be sharing those interviews with you each week on Fridays throughout this month. Naama…

There's been a lot of news lately about the low-wage stream of the temporary foreign worker program -- but the high-wage stream has similar problems. In this episode, Cara and Mike explore the types of jobs that are being filled through this stream, and whether the wages offered are truly competitive. They worry about the impact of bringing in fore…

On May 23, professionals who work in the industry to develop missing middle housing, as well as those interested in building them, gathered at the Toronto Reference Library for a one-day conference. The Missing Middle podcast team spoke to the presenters and will be sharing those interviews with you each week on Fridays throughout the next month. B…

Canada has seen a significant increase in the number of low-wage temporary foreign workers, raising concerns about the impact on the job market. The low-wage stream of temporary foreign workers is tied to specific employers and is measured relative to the provincial median wage. The government made changes to the program in 2022, allowing more temp…

On May 23, professionals who work in the industry to develop missing middle housing, as well as those interested in building them, gathered at the Toronto Reference Library for a one-day conference. The Missing Middle podcast team spoke to the presenters and will be sharing those interviews with you each week on Fridays throughout the month. Max Go…

Back in 2021, Mike Moffatt wrote: "The top-10 most common ages to leave Toronto are the ten between the ages of 31–35 and 0–4. The single most common age is zero — that is, babies under the age of 1. That’s who is leaving Toronto." Three years later, it's gotten worse. Young Families are leaving big cities across the country. Mike and Cara discuss …

On May 23, professionals who work in the industry to develop missing middle housing, as well as those interested in building them, gathered at the Toronto Reference Library for a one-day conference. The Missing Middle podcast team spoke to the presenters and will be sharing those interviews with you each week on Fridays throughout the next month. S…

This conversation explores the intersection of the Yes In My Backyard movement and urbanism, focusing on the question of whether the end goal is to legalize or require dense, walkable neighborhoods. Mike and Cara discuss the benefits of walkable neighborhoods, the challenges of legalizing density, and the impact of taxation and development charges.…

On May 23, professionals who work in the industry to develop missing middle housing, as well as those interested in building them, gathered at the Toronto Reference Library for a one-day conference. The Missing Middle podcast team spoke to the presenters and will be sharing those interviews with you each week on Fridays throughout the next month. S…

Recently, economist Mike Moffatt got into a bit of a Twitter argument with housing advocates who think a land value tax can solve the housing crisis. He doesn’t think so. This conversation explores the idea of a land value tax as a solution to the housing crisis. The hosts discuss the concept of a land value tax, which involves increasing the tax o…

On May 23, professionals who work in the industry to develop missing middle housing, as well as those interested in building them, gathered at the Toronto Reference Library for a one-day conference. The Missing Middle podcast team spoke to the presenters and will be sharing those interviews with you each week on Fridays. Evan Saskin, an architect a…

A recent Leger poll examined how young Canadians feel about their economic situation, and whether they're getting enough support from the government. Mike Moffatt and Cara Stern discuss the results, which found that millennials and Gen Z feel they are worse off than their parents. They also touch on the perception that politicians prioritize the in…

Part of the Missing Middle Summit Series On May 23, professionals who work in the industry to develop missing middle housing, as well as those interested in building them, gathered at the Toronto Reference Library for a one-day conference. The Missing Middle podcast team spoke to the presenters and will be sharing those interviews with you each wee…

The number of temporary foreign workers in Canada has been increasing, and that has led to all sorts of concerns. There’s low youth employment levels, stagnant wages, and industries that rely entirely on low-wage temporary workers to keep prices low. In this discussion, economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern talk about the different types…

If you get deep enough into the conversation about the housing crisis, you're inevitably going to hear the words "single egress". A lot of people, especially in Canada, think that the country is too strict with its stairwell rules, which require multiple exits for almost every multi-storey apartment building. Conrad Speckert, intern architect at LG…

In this discussion, Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern discuss return-to-office plans and the role of politicians in helping local business districts survive. It explores the controversy surrounding the mayor of Toronto's push to get workers back to the office and the potential negative impacts on workers, t…

In this discussion, Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern discuss the idea of a tax break for landlords in the UK who sell their homes to their tenants. They explore the potential impact of this policy and whether it could be applicable in Canada. They also discuss the broader housing crisis and the importance …

In this discussion, Mike and Cara talk to Stephen Smith, executive director of the non-profit Center for Building in North America about how elevators and building codes have contributed to the housing crisis. Stephen describes how elevators in North America are much more expensive than in Europe due to size requirements, technical codes and standa…

Here at the Missing Middle, we get a lot of great listener questions. In this episode, we answer one about whether landlords' expectations play a role in unaffordable rental prices. The conversation discusses the challenges faced by millennials and younger generations in Canada when it comes to homeownership and starting a family. It explores the i…

Recently, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau commented that home prices couldn't drop because so many people rely on their home's value for their retirement. But could a prime minister stop a housing crash if he wanted to? In this discussion, Mike and Cara discuss the idea of how much control the federal government has over home prices. They examine the…

In this conversation Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern talk to certified financial planner and founder of the New School of Finance Shannon Lee Simmons, about saving for retirement. Canada’s National Institute for Aging recently did a survey of 6,000 older Canadians to find out how they feel about the prosp…

In this discussion, Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern read a viewer email from Atanas Georgiev of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, who is wondering about potential negative side effects of a deflationary housing market if there is a drastic increase in housing supply. They explore the definition of affordabili…

Housing starts in Canada are falling, particularly in Ontario, and the situation is even worse than predicted. The non-condo ownership market has seen a massive decline over the last 20 years, with high land prices and development charges making it unaffordable for buyers. Yet prices aren’t coming down. Mike Moffatt and Cara Stern discuss this chal…

In this discussion, Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern are joined by tax lawyer Bhuvana Rai with Mors Tribute and estate lawyer Birute Luksenaite with Portfolio Estate Law. They talk about the increase to the capital gains tax introduced by the government in the federal budget on April 16, 2024. They explain…

The federal government of Canada is exploring ways to help renters, such as through the introduction of a Renter’s Bill of Rights. This conversation examines the government’s promises, and covers what impact they might have on renters and rental prices. It explores how price transparency affects the rental market and whether the government is doing…

In this discussion, Mike and Cara are joined by the executive director of Canadians for Tax Fairness Katrina Miller to discuss the benefits of automatic tax filing and how it can save people money. The conversation explores the concept of automatic tax filing, the groups that would benefit from it, the current status of its implementation in Canada…

In this discussion, Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern discuss the federal budget and its impact on housing. They cover new initiatives, such as opening up federal land for development and the deductibility of interest for tax reasons. They also discuss the government's commitment to building 2 million homes…

Guest: Alex Beheshti, Senior Consultant with Altus Group Economic Consulting specializing in urban planning policy analysis, municipal fee reviews, and fiscal impacts of development. In this conversation, Cara, Mike, and Alex discuss the latest housing bill from the Ontario PC government. They grade the bill and discuss its impact on housing supply…

In this conversation, economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern discuss the federal government's new plan to help first-time homebuyers by extending amortization periods on new homes. The conversation explores the reasons behind this decision and the potential impact on housing starts and prices, as well as why this is similar to a policy Mi…

In this discussion, economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern about the great housing paradox: everyone wants landlords but no one wants landlords. Cara and Mike also discuss the different perspectives on who should own rental properties, including small-time landlords, big corporations, and government housing. The conversation also touches …

In this discussion, Mike Moffatt and Cara Stern discuss how heritage designation negatively impacts housing supply in Toronto. During this wide ranging conversation with Globe and Mail's architecture critic, Alex Bozikovic, they touch on the history of urban planning and how it intersects with heritage planning and urban design in unexpected ways. …

In this discussion, Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern discuss the recent revelation by Ontario Premier Doug Ford that he will be caving to NIMBY objections, and won’t be forcing municipalities to legalize fourplexes across the province. Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern Produced by Meredith Martin This po…

In this discussion, Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern talk to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada, Marc Miller. Included in this wide ranging conversation is the recent announcement of new targets for temporary immigration, the need for a decrease in temporary residents, the reas…

In this discussion, Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern talk to Pollster David Coletto about the shifting priorities of millennials and the generational divides in financial stability and housing. He explains that younger Canadians are less likely to prioritize climate change compared to older Canadians. The …

In this discussion, Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern discuss why parking minimums often require developers to allocate a fixed amount of land for parking, regardless of the actual demand for parking in a particular area. This can result in inefficient land use, with valuable urban space being underutilized…

In this discussion, Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern talk to Cherise Burda, Director of City Building Research and Innovation at Toronto Metropolitan University and a co-author with Mike of the Blueprint for More and Better Housing: How Federal, Provincial and Municipal Governments can Ensure We Build 5.8 …

In this 22-minute discussion, Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern talk to Scott Cameron, an economist formerly with the Parliamentary Budget Officer in Ottawa and now working in government in the Channel Islands. This conversation explores economic forecasting models and the Bank of Canada's transition to a n…