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.

  1. vor 3 Tagen

    The Secret to Building Family-Friendly Housing in Existing Neighbourhoods

    Canada needs more housing, but building in existing neighbourhoods often faces strong local opposition. Could gentle density be a solution? In this episode of DemograFix, Cara Stern and Mike Moffatt discuss how infill housing, form-based zoning, and streamlined regulations could help Canada build more family-friendly homes while balancing concerns about neighbourhood character, infrastructure, parking, and density. They also examine multiplex debates in Toronto and Calgary, and whether zoning reform and condo rules are limiting new homeownership opportunities. Topics covered: What is gentle density?Why Canada needs more family-friendly housingThe fight over multiplexes and infill housingToronto's sixplex debateCalgary's citywide upzoning rollbackForm-based zoning explainedZoning vs. building codeHow standardized zoning could reduce red tapeParking, infrastructure, and neighbourhood concernsCreating more homeownership opportunities through gentle densityCondo regulations and small-scale housingBritish Columbia's small-scale, multi-unit housing approachWhat Oregon is doing differentlyShould gentle density start with greenfield development?Can gentle density overcome NIMBY and YIMBY opposition? Chapters: 00:00 – Canada’s Housing Problem and the Case for Gentle Density 01:25 – The Three Ways Cities Can Build More Housing 03:00 – Why Multiplexes Face Local Opposition 04:35 – Toronto’s Controversial Station Road Eightplex 06:15 – Calgary’s Upzoning Rollback 07:30 – What Is Gentle Density? 08:20 – Objection #1: Buildings Are Too Tall 09:35 – Form-Based Zoning Explained 11:05 – Zoning vs. Building Codes 12:15 – Objection #2: Buildings Are Too Large 13:05 – Objection #3: Parking and Infrastructure 14:25 – Can Gentle Density Benefit Existing Homeowners? 16:10 – Tiny Homes and Pocket Neighbourhoods 17:25 – Does Density Mean More Rental Housing? 19:00 – Making Small-Scale Homeownership Easier 20:25 – What Canada Can Learn From B.C. and Oregon 21:45 – Where Should Gentle Density Start? 23:00 – Can Gentle Density Actually Get Political Support? 24:15 – NIMBYs vs. YIMBYs: Is Gentle Density Too Mild? 25:00 – Moving Beyond Arbitrary Unit Counts Research/links: MMI Gentle Density Report: https://www.missingmiddleinitiative.ca/p/from-policy-gridlock-to-housing-growth  NIMBYs will Fight Even the Gentlest of Density https://youtu.be/6WavljFV7fM?si=geir1FhAbhdgliv_ Nightmare on Craven Road: When Local Politics Derail Citywide Housing Goals https://youtu.be/qVQ4gQRnOss?si=RFywNBKZedLERiuj 2025 Statcan Study: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/36-28-0001/2025005/article/00003-eng.htm 2026 Statcan Study: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/46-28-0001/2026001/article/00002-eng.htm Toronto: https://toronto.citynews.ca/2026/04/22/etobicoke-eightplex-site-mimico-residents-developer-toronto/ Calgary: https://calgary.citynews.ca/2026/04/22/calgary-federal-housing-funds/  Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

    The Secret to Building Family-Friendly Housing in Existing Neighbourhoods
  2. vor 5 Tagen

    Why Are Young People Paying for Wealthy Seniors?

    Canada’s growing debt isn’t just a problem for governments; it could shape the future for younger generations. Sabrina Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt explore how government debt, Old Age Security (OAS), and spending choices shift wealth between generations. They discuss whether wealthy seniors should receive full OAS benefits and how younger Canadians may be paying more through higher taxes, housing costs, and rising debt. While not all debt is harmful, borrowing for long-term investments like infrastructure, transit, housing, and energy can be beneficial, borrowing to sustain costly programs is more controversial and raises questions about long-term fiscal sustainability. The key question: Is Canada placing too much of the financial burden on younger generations? Topics covered: • Canada’s rising public debt and interest costs • Old Age Security (OAS) and wealthy seniors • Intergenerational wealth transfers • Why government debt is rarely fully “paid off” • Infrastructure investment vs. program spending • The Gordie Howe Bridge and public investment • Inflation, money creation, and debt • Housing, taxes, and affordability for younger Canadians • OAS reform and fiscal trade-offs Chapters: 01:28 OAS: The $100 Billion Problem Hiding in the Budget 02:09 Why Wealthy Seniors Still Get Old Age Security 03:28 When Government Debt Is Actually a Good Thing 05:29 Who Should Pay for Infrastructure That Lasts 100 Years? 06:00 The Gordie Howe Bridge and the Case for Government Debt 06:53 The Truth About How Government Debt Gets Paid Off 08:49 Why Canada’s Growing Debt Still Matters 09:16 How Government Debt Can Fuel Inflation 10:18 What Happens When Governments Can’t Borrow? 11:38 Why Deficits Are Especially Dangerous for OAS 12:08 Should Canada Cut Old Age Security? 13:10 Are Younger Canadians Giving Up on Canada? 13:58 There’s No Easy Way to Fix the Intergenerational Wealth Gap 14:55 Why Younger Canadians Want Lower Taxes 16:20 Why Tax Cuts Aren’t Fixing the Generational Divide 16:46 When Government Debt Makes Sense—and When It Doesn’t Research/Links: As Canada faces crippling debt, it must do the unpopular thing and cut elderly benefits https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-canada-debt-cut-elderly-benefits/ Scott Gallowy Short: https://youtube.com/shorts/PAAbLq1bJY0?si=9-Z06rW1H8tiQW-k Canadian taxpayers face up to $3,348 each in government debt interest https://www.wealthprofessional.ca/news/industry-news/canadian-taxpayers-face-up-to-3348-each-in-government-debt-interest/392762 The Burdens of borrowing: Government debt and intergenerational fairness https://www.if.org.uk/2025/01/28/the-burdens-of-borrowing-government-debt-and-intergenerational-fairness/ G7 debt is now a pressure point for anxious markets https://www.reuters.com/world/china/g7-debt-is-now-pressure-point-anxious-markets-2025-06-03/ The evolution of federal debt interest costs in Canada https://www.fraserinstitute.org/commentary/evolution-federal-debt-interest-costs-canada Canada’s combined federal-provincial government debt estimated to surpass $2.4 trillion in 2025/26 https://www.fraserinstitute.org/studies/growing-debt-burden-canadians-2026-edition Intergenerational Injustice in Canadian Public Finance https://www.gensqueeze.ca/intergenerational_injustice_in_canadian_public_finance Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

    Why Are Young People Paying for Wealthy Seniors?
  3. 5. Aug.

    Is Outdated Parental Leave to Blame for Canada's Fertility Crisis?

    Canada’s parental leave system was built for a workforce that no longer exists. As work and family life have changed, the policy hasn’t, leaving more parents without the support they need. In this episode of Classonomics, Sabrina Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt examine why Canada's parental leave system is increasingly out of step with today's workforce. They discuss how rising housing costs, stagnant income replacement, contract work, and outdated Employment Insurance rules are making it harder for Canadians to start or grow their families. The conversation explores why many parents, especially freelancers, self-employed workers, and those in the gig economy, struggle to qualify for benefits, how employer parental leave top-ups are disappearing, and what Canada can learn from Quebec's parental insurance plan and Finland's family-friendly reforms. Topics covered: Why Canada's fertility rate has reached a record low How EI parental leave actually works Why one-third of Canadian mothers don't qualify for paid parental leave The financial reality of taking parental leave today Housing costs and the affordability of raising children Why freelancers, contractors, and gig workers are left behind The decline of employer parental leave top-ups Quebec's parental leave model and its impact on fertility Finland's parental leave reforms and shared parenting Policy reforms that could make it easier for Canadians to have the families they want Chapters: 00:00 Why Canada's fertility rate hit a record low 00:49 How Canada's parental leave system actually works 02:42 Why Young Canadians Are Delaying Having Kids 04:18 The Hidden Financial Penalty of Parental Leave 06:32 Why 1 in 3 Mothers Can't Access Paid Leave 08:08 The Self-Employment Trap 10:02 Why Employer Parental Leave Benefits Are Shrinking 12:37 What Quebec Gets Right About Parental Leave 14:34 Finland's Family Policy Is Changing Fatherhood 16:28 How Canada Could Fix Parental Leave   Research links: Statistics Canada -- Canada's total fertility rate reaches a new low in 2024: https://www.statcan.gc.ca/o1/en/plus/9140-canadas-total-fertility-rate-reaches-new-low-2024 Statistics Canada -- The Daily: Fertility and baby names, 2024: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/250924/dq250924d-eng.htm The Hub / Cardus -- Stop dismissing falling fertility rates as a choice (2.2 children wanted stat): https://thehub.ca/2026/04/14/with-a-record-low-1-25-children-per-canadian-woman-stop-dismissing-falling-fertility-rates-as-a-choice/ Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives -- Support for parents in a post-pandemic world (EI reform; replacement rate, eligibility threshold proposals): https://www.policyalternatives.ca/news-research/support-for-parents-in-a-post-pandemic-world-options-for-enhancing-federal-maternity-and-parental-leave/ Policy Options / IRPP -- Parental leave benefits need to be more practical and equitable (1 in 4 self-employed stat; top-up decline): https://policyoptions.irpp.org/2024/05/parental-leave-equity/ PMC -- Policy and Fertility: A Case Study of the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (peer-reviewed; fertility lift estimates): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11070327/ Yle News / Helsinki Times -- More fathers taking parental leave since Finland's 2022 law change: https://yle.fi/a/74-20162964 Fast Company -- Deloitte and Zoom cut parental leave and other benefits: https://www.fastcompany.com/91530300/deloitte-and-zoom-cut-parental-leave-and-other-benefits PMC -- Reconceptualizing Parental Leave Benefits in COVID-19 Canada:  From Employment Policy to Care Policy (EI vs QPIP comparison; self-employed eligibility history): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8229861/ Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

    Is Outdated Parental Leave to Blame for Canada's Fertility Crisis?
  4. 31. Juli

    Why Suburbs Will Stay in High Demand for Decades

    Many people assume Canada’s suburbs are destined to decline as Baby Boomers age and younger generations embrace urban living. But does the data actually support that? In this episode of DemograFix, Cara Stern and Mike Moffatt examine new Statistics Canada research on how immigrants’ housing choices evolve over time. While most newcomers begin as renters in urban centres, the data shows many transition into homeownership, including family-sized homes in the suburbs, as they build their lives in Canada. They also test this prediction against several scenarios that could prove it wrong, including lower immigration, more family-sized housing in cities, rising emigration, and changing housing preferences. Chapters: 00:00 Why Everyone Got the Future of the Suburbs Wrong 00:27 Do Immigrants Actually Want Suburban Homes? 01:54 Why Newcomers Rent First—Then Buy Houses 04:33 Are Immigrants Buying Condos or Single-Family Homes? 06:56 Why Immigration Policy Shapes Housing Demand 08:03 Will Baby Boomers Flood the Market With Homes? 09:13 What Could Kill Demand for the Canadian Suburb? 10:28 Could Better Cities Replace the Suburbs? 12:04 Will Young Canadians Leave Instead of Buying Homes? 13:09 Is the Dream of a House With a Backyard Dying? 14:21 Does Canada's Housing Market Still Attract Immigrants? 17:54 Why People Buy Homes Even When It's a Bad Investment 19:15 The Housing Lesson Policymakers Keep Missing Research/links: Housing use of immigrants and non-permanent residents in ownership and rental markets https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/36-28-0001/2025005/article/00003-eng.htm The homeownership trajectories of recent immigrants https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/46-28-0001/2026001/article/00002-eng.htm Credits: Mike Moffatt  https://twitter.com/MikePMoffatt https://bsky.app/profile/mikepmoffatt.bsky.social Cara Stern  https://x.com/carastern https://bsky.app/profile/carastern.bsky.social Meredith Martin  https://twitter.com/meredithmartin https://bsky.app/profile/meredithmartin.bsky.social Sean Foreman @seanegertonforeman https://bsky.app/profile/seanforeman.bsky.social Co-op Student Kelly Hoban Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

    Why Suburbs Will Stay in High Demand for Decades
  5. 29. Juli

    The Surprising Way Greenbelts Can Increase Urban Sprawl

    Canada has spent decades trying to curb urban sprawl through policies like greenbelts, urban growth boundaries, and higher development charges, but what if those policies are having the opposite effect? In this episode, Mike Moffatt and Sabrina Maddeaux examine the rise of "leapfrog development," where families priced out of cities move beyond growth boundaries into neighbouring communities, leading to longer commutes, higher infrastructure costs, and even more sprawl. They explore real-world examples from Ottawa, London, and the Greater Toronto Area, discuss the research behind these trends, and ask whether it's time to rethink how Canadian cities grow. Topics covered: Why urban growth boundaries were created What leapfrog development is and why it matters How greenbelts and development charges affect housing affordability Why more families are moving outside city limits The Ottawa and Carleton Place case study Statistics Canada's commuting data and metro boundaries The relationship between housing costs, commuting, and emissions Why regional planning may work better than local planning Can cities reduce sprawl without pricing families out? Subscribe for more conversations on housing, affordability, economics, and public policy in Canada. #Housing #Canada #UrbanPlanning #HousingCrisis #RealEstate #Affordability #Greenbelt #UrbanSprawl #PublicPolicy #MissingMiddle Chapters: 00:00 Is the Greenbelt Actually Causing More Sprawl? 01:33 The "Strange Pattern" of Ontario's Development  03:11 How StatsCan Defines Metro Boundaries  05:07 The Rise of the "Commuter Village"  07:59 What is "Leapfrog Development" & Why Boundaries Fail  11:02 Why the Environmental Movement Refuses to Change Its Mind  12:51 Anti-Sprawl Politics: Virtue Signaling vs. Real Outcomes  Research: Did Development Charges Cause Metro Ottawa to Grow by Over 1000km in Size? https://www.missingmiddleinitiative.ca/p/did-development-charges-cause-metro  Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

    The Surprising Way Greenbelts Can Increase Urban Sprawl
  6. 17. Juli

    Three Kids Are the New Status Symbol

    Has having three kids become a status symbol in Canada? In this episode of DemograFix, Cara Stern and Mike Moffatt explore why having three children has become a luxury for many middle-class Canadian families. From the cost of family-sized housing to childcare, career sacrifices, transportation, and the changing expectations placed on parents, they break down why so many families stop at two, even when they wanted more. The conversation also looks at Canadian and international research on fertility, Quebec's childcare experiment, why family-sized homes have almost disappeared from our cities, and what governments would actually need to change if they want Canadians to have the families they hope for. If you've ever wondered why three kids now feels like a status symbol, this episode explains the economics behind it. Topics covered: Why Canada's fertility rate has reached record lowsIs a third child becoming a luxury good?How housing shortages shape family sizeWhy family-sized homes are disappearingThe hidden career costs of having childrenDoes affordable childcare actually increase birth rates?Why cities are losing young familiesWhat policies could make raising larger families affordable again Chapters: 00:00 Why 3 Kids Are Becoming a Rich Person's Luxury 00:58 When Families Become Status Symbols 03:03 The Housing Crisis is Eliminating the Third Child 05:09 Canada Stopped Building Family Homes 06:28 The Big Childcare Problem 07:55 Does Cheap Childcare Actually Boost Birth Rates? 12:15 The Real Cost of a Third Baby 15:07 Families Are Being Forced Out of Cities 17:20 How Canada Could Make Three Kids Affordable Again Research/links: More Crowding, Fewer Babies: The Effects of Housing Density on Fertility | Institute for Family Studies  https://ifstudies.org/blog/more-crowding-fewer-babies-the-effects-of-housing-density-on-fertility The ultimate status symbol? A big family https://www.ft.com/content/a4025e93-7552-4f8f-8ce2-e785a7d950a4?syn-25a6b1a6=1 Opinion | Three Kids? You Showoffs. - The Washington Post  https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/opinions/2008/04/06/three-kids-you-showoffs/6b7952ed-4547-4f9b-ae9b-cd9d2f1d8aa0/ Why are some families with children leaving the inner city and other staying?  https://www.scup.com/doi/10.18261/njus.2.1.2 Home Alone | Cardus  https://www.cardus.ca/research/family/reports/home-alone/ Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

    Three Kids Are the New Status Symbol
  7. 15. Juli

    Is Chasing Too Many New Homes Canada’s Next Big Failure?

    Is 500,000 new homes a year really what Canada needs to solve the housing crisis? In this episode of the Missing Middle’s Classonomics Podcast, Mike Moffatt and Sabrina Maddeaux examine whether Canada's headline housing targets still make sense now that immigration has slowed and population growth has changed. They discuss why housing starts can be a misleading metric, why the type of housing being built matters just as much as the number of homes, and what governments should actually measure if the goal is restoring affordability. Topics covered: Why the 500,000-home target may no longer be necessaryHow immigration affects housing demandWhy housing starts don't tell the full storyThe shortage of family-sized homesHigh-rise condos vs. townhomes and detached homesThe hidden costs preventing more housing from being builtWhat metrics governments should focus on instead of housing startsCan Canada restore middle-class housing affordability within a decade?Subscribe for more conversations on housing, affordability, economics, and public policy. Chapters: 00:00 - Does Canada Really Need 500,000 Homes a Year? 01:40 - Where Did the 500k Housing Starts Target Come From? 02:47 - The Metrics Governments Should Focus On Instead 04:11 - Balancing Housing Supply with Immigration Demand 05:21 - The Population Math: Why 500k is Overkill 06:40 - How Developers Bet on Future Immigration Policy 08:39 - Why the Type of Housing Matters (High-Rises vs. Townhomes) 10:12 - How Many Homes We Actually Need to Build 11:08 - Solving the Crisis by Lowering Construction Costs 13:04 - Will Baby Boomers Free Up Suburban Housing? Research/links The Impossible Trinity that Broke Canadian Housing https://open.substack.com/pub/missingmiddleinitiative/p/the-impossible-trinity-that-broke?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web The Housing Trilemma: Why You Can't Afford a Home https://www.missingmiddleinitiative.ca/p/the-housing-trilemma-why-you-cant  Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

    Is Chasing Too Many New Homes Canada’s Next Big Failure?
  8. 10. Juli

    Is the Temporary Foreign Worker Program Hurting Young People?

    When a business faces a labour shortage, the free market says they should raise wages. So why is Canada’s government stepping in to make labour cheaper instead? In this episode of The Missing Middle, Cara Stern and Mike Moffatt dive into how Canada's low-wage Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program and the explosion of international student work caps have completely disrupted the laws of supply and demand. As Canadian youth face historic unemployment rates, we break down how corporate lobbying and government policy created a cheat code that insulates businesses from capitalism, while pushing young workers off the first rung of the career ladder. From the housing crisis in Alberta's mountain tourist towns to Tim Hortons' recent PR scramble, we expose the loop of corporate reliance on exploitable temporary labor and ask: how do we let the market actually fix itself? Topics covered: Canada's rising youth unemployment rateThe Temporary Foreign Worker Program explainedHow international student work rules affect the job marketWhy labour shortages don't always mean there aren't enough workersSeasonal jobs, tourism, and staff housingThe economics of wages, supply, and demandTim Hortons and the TFW controversyPolicy solutions to improve opportunities for young Canadians#Canada #YouthUnemployment #TemporaryForeignWorkers #Jobs #CanadianEconomy #LabourMarket #Economics #Immigration #PublicPolicy #MissingMiddle Chapters: 00:00 - The Free Market Myth in Canada 01:24 - Gen Z vs. Gen X: The Youth Unemployment Crisis 02:12 - Why Student Jobs Suddenly Vanished 03:32 - How the TFW Program Ballooned Over 50 Years 05:39 - The Corporate Lobbying Flipping Immigration Rules 07:11 - Debunking the Alberta "Labour Shortage" 09:47 - Why Canada Insulates Businesses From Capitalism 11:11 - What "Dirty Dancing" Teaches Us About Seasonal Housing 14:06 - The Dark Side of Temporary Work Regulations 16:02 - Exposing Tim Hortons' "Local Hiring" PR Spin 18:57 - How to Break the TFW Doom Loop Research/links: Tourist towns ‘desperate’ for workers in Alberta https://www.cp24.com/news/2026/03/28/i-have-to-find-at-least-35-people-before-june-1-worker-shortages-in-albertas-tourist-towns/ Tim Hortons says it will hire locals, scale back temporary foreign workers https://globalnews.ca/news/11863474/tim-hortons-temporary-foreign-workers/ Tim Hortons is Committed to Local Hiring Launching National Campaign to Hire 10,000 Local Team Members  https://www.news.timhortons.ca/en/articles/tim-hortons-is-committed-to-local-hiring-launching-national-camp Youth unemployment in Canada jumped 57% in 3 years, hitting levels previously unseen outside a recession https://thehub.ca/2026/05/07/canadas-youth-unemployment-jumped-57-in-3-years-hit-unprecedented-jobless-levels-outside-recession-by-2025/ Youth unemployment in Canada near record highs since 2022; unprecedented levels outside of a recession https://www.fraserinstitute.org/studies/extraordinary-increase-youth-unemployment-canada https://www.fraserinstitute.org/sites/default/files/2026-04/extraordinary-increase-of-youth-unemployment-in-canada.pdf Temporary ForeignWorkers in Canada:Are They Really Filling Labour Shortages? https://cdhowe.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/commentary_407.pdf StatsCan: Drayton Valley statistical area sees lowest unemployment in Alberta at 4.9 per cent https://www.bigwestcountry.ca/2026/06/05/statscan-drayton-valley-statistical-area-sees-lowest-unemployment-in-alberta-at-4-9-per-cent/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20latest%20Labour,5.3%20per%20cent%20in%20April Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Programs - The Canadian Encyclopedia https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/canadas-temporary-foreign-worker-programs Businesses face new limits on temporary foreign worker program https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/tfw-program-new-limits-1.7333777 3 problems with the temporary foreign worker program and 3 possible fixes, according to experts https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/temporary-foreign-worker-program-fixes-1.7633045 Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

    Is the Temporary Foreign Worker Program Hurting Young People?

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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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