Claim OwnershipThe Missing Middle with Mike Moffatt and Cara Stern
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© 2024 The Missing Middle with Mike Moffatt and Cara Stern
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Welcome to the Missing Middle, a podcast about why the middle class in Canada is disappearing. We hope to help you understand why life is becoming unaffordable for so many in this country, and what can be done to reverse course.
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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 – and younger workers, many of whom are struggling to pay their housing bills.They cover the disparities in income among seniors, the challenges of tar...
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 density.Links:How garden suites are dividing these Toronto neighbours (thestar.com)East-end residents worry they may lose garden suite zoning | CBC N...
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 prices, development charges, construction costs, and taxes, while also examining the impact of these factors on housing affordability. Links:Eric L...
@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 America. They explore personal experiences, historical context, and the impact of legislation on urban design. The discussion also delves into econ...
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 creativity in navigating the changing job market.Links:Vass Bednar @regstorichesDavid Bowie predicted in 1999 the impact of the Internet in BBCDil...
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 Mike Moffatt discuss the changes and the implications for first-time homebuyers, investors, and the overall housing market, while also addressing con...
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.Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern Produced by Meredith Martin This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart P...
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 non-permanent residents, particularly international students, through attrition. The increase in population growth has put pressure on housing, h...
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 shown that these taxes have had a small but positive impact in getting homes back on the market, without slowing down housing construction. Hos...
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.Ryan Valente is a project manager for Highcroft Homes, where he works on custom home development in Toronto. He talks about what it's like building in...
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. The conversation highlights the challenges faced by younger generations in affording housing and starting a family, and the potential consequences ...
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 Blonder is an architect and urban planner with Smart Density, which she co-founded. She spoke to us on the day Toronto City Council was about to app...
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 foreign tech workers on the wages and opportunities for domestic tech workers, many of who end up leaving Canada in pursuit of better opportunities.&nbs...
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.Blair Scorgie is a planner and urban designer, as well as an instructor at Toronto Metropolitan University. He talks about Toronto's newest multiplex ...
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 temporary foreign workers and weakening the rules around their hiring. This has led to questions about whether the government is intentionally suppress...
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 Goyzman works for Peakhill Capital, which provides financing for commercial real estate projects -- mostly apartment buildings. He discusses how financ...
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 the challenges young families face and the consequences on these cities.Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern Produced by Meredith Martin This pod...
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.Stephen Smith works for the Center for Building in North America, and he discusses how strict elevator policy in this continent has cut down on the nu...
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. They also consider the future of cities if these barriers to density were removed, including the potential for more low-rise and missing midd...
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.Shea Gallagher, a principal with architecture firm Superkül, discusses a project he's working on along the Danforth in Toronto. He used it to demonstr...
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