The Missing Middle Podcast

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 internati...

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 positiv...

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 Hom...

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 fa...

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 Sm...

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 opportuniti...

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 w...

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 arou...

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 f...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 on the land portion of property and using the reve...

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 and builder, discusses his company Blue Lion Buildi...

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 interests of older generations over younger one...

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 week on Fridays for the next eight weeks. First up is...

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 of temporary residents, the support they receive...

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 LGA Architectural Partners, thinks th...

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, the environment, and affordability. The idea o...

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 of choice between renting and owning a home.  More...

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 standards, and labour issues. He suggests adopting a gl...

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 increasing cost of housing, the shift in marke...

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 impact of policies on affordability, an...

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 prospect of retirement. The results were definitive....