The Missing Middle Podcast

Cara Stern, Mike Moffatt, and Meredith Martin
  • 5.0 (1)
  • News Commentary
  • Updated weekly

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. 17 hr ago

    Why Developers Only Seem to Build McMansions

    Ever wonder why it's nearly impossible to find a brand-new, modest starter home? In this episode of Classonomics, Sabrina Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt break down the real-world housing economics driving the extinction of small detached homes across Canada and why developers are practically forced to build McMansions instead. From flat municipal fees to setback regulations and astronomical land costs, we run through the numbers we explain why smaller homes no longer make financial sense for builders, and what policy changes could actually fix it. The disappearance of homes under 1,500 square feetServiced land pricing and lot width economicsHow flat municipal development fees penalize small buildsSetback rules and wasted building spaceConstruction economies of scaleFixed overhead and pre-construction costsPolicy solutions to bring back missing middle housing Chapters: 00:00 Small Detached Homes Are Disappearing 02:02 Why Developers Don’t Build Smaller Homes 03:01 The Real Cost of Building a Small Home 05:27 Why Land Costs Favour Bigger Houses 07:43 How Lot Rules Make Small Homes Harder to Build 09:33 How to Bring Down the Cost of Land 10:12 Development Charges Favour Bigger Homes 13:39 Why Bigger Homes Have Lower Construction Costs 16:15 The Costs That Don’t Shrink With the House 17:47 Why a $600K Home Costs So Much Research: https://pub-ottawa.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=311483  Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

    Why Developers Only Seem to Build McMansions

  2. 5 days ago

    Why Fertility Treatment Usage Is Exploding in Canada

    Fertility treatment is becoming increasingly common in Canada. But why? On this episode of DemograFix, Cara Stern and Mike Moffatt dig into the dramatic rise of IVF and fertility treatment in Canada, and what it tells us about how Canadians are building families. IVF births in Ontario have nearly doubled as a share of all live births since 2014, while the average age of patients starting IVF has climbed past 35. As Canadians spend longer in school, establish careers later, face higher housing and living costs, and delay parenthood, more people are turning to fertility treatment to help build the families they want. But access to fertility care can depend heavily on where you live. Cara and Mike look at the geographic lottery of fertility treatment, differences in provincial funding, long waitlists, workplace benefits, and the often-overlooked costs of IVF, including time away from work and travel for treatment. The bigger question is what happens when more Canadians are trying to have children later in life. Is Canada's fertility system prepared for growing demand? And should policymakers be looking beyond IVF to the housing, career and economic pressures that are pushing parenthood later? #IVF #Fertility #Canada #Demographics #FertilityTreatment #Ontario Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:42 The Economic Reality of Delayed Parenthood 01:28 Why is Fertility Treatment Usage Up? 02:44 Biology and Success Rates 03:08 Analyzing the Data Surge 04:16 The Geographic Lottery of Fertility Access 05:22 The Biological Realities 06:41 The Myth of Fertility Control 07:44 Rising Complications in Younger Patients 08:27 Male Factor Infertility 08:42 The High Cost of Treatment and Waitlists 10:03 The Hidden Costs (Time & Travel) 11:34 Workplace Benefits and Trends 12:01 Recap and Future Outlook 13:01 Policy Responses and Root Causes Research/links: Publicly funded in-vitro fertilization (IVF) program - Province of British Columbia  Canadian assisted reproductive technologies registry CARTR PLUs annual report  CARTR Reports - Canadian Fertility & Andrology Society  Provincial coverage | Fertility Matters Canada  https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1007375/ontario-connecting-more-families-to-fertility-supports https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/in-vitro-fertilization-market Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

    Why Fertility Treatment Usage Is Exploding in Canada

  3. 19 Aug

    Are Young and Old People Voting for Different Futures?

    Are Canada’s politics becoming less about left versus right and more about young versus old? In this episode of Classonomics, Mike Moffatt and Sabrina Maddeaux explore the growing generational divide in Canadian politics and what it means for the economy, housing, and the future of democracy. They examine why older voters may prioritize inflation, pensions, and asset prices, while younger Canadians increasingly feel shut out of homeownership, economic growth, and traditional institutions. Topics covered: The growing age divide in Canadian politicsWhy seniors and younger voters have different economic priorities“Pocketbook” versus “sociotropic” votingEconomic growth and the distribution of wealthOld Age Security and the politics of an aging populationHousing prices, homeownership, and generational inequalityWhy young Canadians feel increasingly disconnected from the economyPopulism, political radicalization, and distrust in institutionsBrexit and the backlash against economic elitesWhy making the economy work for younger Canadians matters for the future#Canada #CanadianPolitics #HousingCrisis #GenerationalDivide #Economy #Politics #HousingAffordability #Millennials #GenZ #MissingMiddle Chapters: 00:00 — Is Age Breaking Our Politics? 03:26 — The Generational Divide Is Reshaping Politics 06:22 — Why Voters Are Choosing Their Own Wallets Over Growth 10:14 — Why Older and Younger Voters Want Different Things 13:17 — Why Politicians Want to Keep Home Prices High 16:08 — Why Young People Are Losing Faith in the System 17:26 — How Economic Frustration Fuels Populism 20:33 — Why Young Voters Are Turning to Extremes 21:03 — How to Make the Economy Work for Young People Research: Beer question: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer_question  Vlandas study: https://muse.jhu.edu/article/980470  German research: https://www.kielinstitut.de/publications/kiel-focus/the-economic-consequences-of-populism/  Tobi Lutke’s idea that pensioners be excluded from voting is offensive. The concern behind it isn’t https://www.theglobeandmail.com/authors/mike-moffatt/  Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

    Are Young and Old People Voting for Different Futures?

  4. 14 Aug

    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

  5. 12 Aug

    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?

  6. 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?

  7. 31 Jul

    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

  8. 29 Jul

    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
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About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Cara Stern, Mike Moffatt, and Meredith Martin
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    204
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Missing Middle Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Missing Middle Podcast

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