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PODCAST

The Missing Middle Podcast

Cara Stern, Mike Moffatt, and Meredith Martin

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.

news news commentary

All Episodes

4:43

Upzoning Toronto's Major Streets: Naama Blonder at...

The Missing Middle Podcast ·

2024/08/23

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...

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19:37

The High-Wage TFW Program Has Some Problems Too

The Missing Middle Podcast ·

2024/08/21

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...

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7:42

Building Multiplexes Under Toronto's Newest Bylaws:...

The Missing Middle Podcast ·

2024/08/16

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 ...

en-ca

20:31

How the Temporary Foreign Worker Program Suppresses...

The Missing Middle Podcast ·

2024/08/14

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...

en-ca

4:53

Financing Missing Middle Apartment Buildings: Max...

The Missing Middle Podcast ·

2024/08/09

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...

en-ca

17:54

Why are Young Families Leaving Big Cities?

The Missing Middle Podcast ·

2024/08/07

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...

en-ca

6:26

Why Loosening Elevator Policy Means More Homes:...

The Missing Middle Podcast ·

2024/08/02

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...

en-ca

19:33

Should Cities Require Density, or Encourage It?

The Missing Middle Podcast ·

2024/07/31

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...

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3:41

What It Takes to Scale Up Urban Infill: Shea...

The Missing Middle Podcast ·

2024/07/26

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...

en-ca

23:00

Why Mike Moffatt Doesn’t Love Land Value Taxes

The Missing Middle Podcast ·

2024/07/24

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 revenue for other purposes. They debate the effectiveness of this approach and its potential impa...

en-ca

7:02

Designing and Building Infill Homes: Evan Saskin at...

The Missing Middle Podcast ·

2024/07/19

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 Building and their focus on multi-unit urban infill residential buildings. They specialize in subdividing...

en-ca

19:41

Is the System Rigged Against Millennials and Gen Z?

The Missing Middle Podcast ·

2024/07/17

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 ones. The conversation highlights the need for more government support and better allocation of resources ...

en-ca

5:48

Why We Need Missing Middle Homes: Eric Lombardi at...

The Missing Middle Podcast ·

2024/07/12

Part of the Missing Middle Summit SeriesOn 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 Eric Lombardi, founder of the YIMBY group More Neighbours Toronto, who talked about why missing mid...

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23:05

Canada’s Addiction to Temporary Foreign Workers

The Missing Middle Podcast ·

2024/07/10

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 from the government, and the impact they have on the economy and labour market.Links:Temporary res...

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25:56

Why Single Stairways are Heaven for Homebuilding -...

The Missing Middle Podcast ·

2024/07/03

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 this needs to change, and tells Mike and Cara why.Links:This site is a guide for converting single family homes to ...

en-ca

17:09

Should Politicians Encourage a Return to the Office?

The Missing Middle Podcast ·

2024/06/26

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 of converting unused office space into apartments is also discussed as a potential solution. ...

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13:05

Should Landlords Get Tax Breaks to Sell to their...

The Missing Middle Podcast ·

2024/06/20

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 reading:Tories’ capital gains tax break stands to save landlords over £21,000 on averageHost...

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26:54

How Elevator Rules Cost Us Homes

The Missing Middle Podcast ·

2024/06/19

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 global standard for elevators to improve housing options.Guest: Stephen Smith ...

en-ca

17:58

Are Landlords Greedier Than They Used to Be?

The Missing Middle Podcast ·

2024/06/12

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 market behavior by investors, and the impact of policy changes on the rental market. The conversation also t...

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20:18

Could Trudeau Crash the Housing Market?

The Missing Middle Podcast ·

2024/06/05

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, and the challenges of balancing the interests of different stakeholders. It delves into the complexities of ho...

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145 results

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