The Missing Middle Podcast

Cara Stern, Mike Moffatt, and Meredith Martin
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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.

  1. 2 天前

    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

  2. 4 天前

    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?

  3. 7月10日

    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?

  4. 7月8日

    Why Return-to-Office Didn't Bring Canadians Back to Big Cities

    Why are so many young Canadian families leaving Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal? Even after return-to-office mandates, the exodus from Canada's largest cities continues. In this episode of Classonomics, Mike Moffatt and Sabrina Maddeaux explore the data behind Canada's urban migration trends and debate why affordability isn't the only factor driving people away. They discuss housing costs, crime and public safety, mental health, community, urban planning, and whether government policies are making sprawl even worse. Topics covered: Why Canadians are leaving the GTA, Metro Vancouver, and MontrealWhy return-to-office hasn't reversed the trendHousing affordability and the shortage of family-sized homesCrime, public safety, and quality of life in big citiesMental health, community, and life satisfactionUrban growth boundaries, the Greenbelt, and sprawlWhy smaller cities are attracting young familiesWhat policymakers are getting wrong about housing and urban planning Subscribe for more conversations on housing, economics, public policy, and the future of Canada. Chapters:  00:00 The Great Canadian Family Exodus 01:05 Mike's Biggest Prediction Miss 03:05 Why Millennials Are Leaving Cities 04:17 Is Toronto Becoming Too Chaotic? 06:22 Does Crime Make Families Move? 09:44 Are Small Towns Better for Mental Health? 11:57 Why Community Matters More Than Ever 14:32 It All Comes Back to Housing 15:35 The Greenbelt's Unintended Consequences 17:29 When Good Environmental Policy Goes Wrong 18:40 The Case for Evidence-Based Policy Research/links: Housing is a large part of the story. The OECD has examined this: https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/2025/05/oecd-economic-surveys-canada-2025_ee18a269/full-report/improving-housing-affordability_3d430d2e.html As has Statistics Canada: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/241119/dq241119b-eng.htm  Remote Work and Employment Dynamics under COVID-19: Evidence from Canada  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7971424/ Upjohn Institute: https://www.upjohn.org/remote-works-quiet-impact-rural-communities C.D. Howe: https://cdhowe.org/publication/settling-new-normal-working-home-across-canada/  Social ties and quality of life, including lower rates of depression: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/75-006-x/2025002/article/00003-eng.htm  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20376426/  https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/home-and-design/article-why-some-people-are-choosing-country-life-over-the-city/  Though evidence is nuanced: https://www.cmaj.ca/content/184/17/E889  Crime and disorder: https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/urban-violent-crime-report-comparing-crime-across-canadian-cities-volume-2/ https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2025001/article/00005-eng.htm  McDonald-Laurier Report: https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Urban-Violent-Crime-Report_Final.pdf  Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

    Why Return-to-Office Didn't Bring Canadians Back to Big Cities

  5. 7月3日

    From EI to Daycare: Navigating Parental Leave in Canada

    Thinking about taking parental leave in Canada? In this episode of DemograFix Cara Stern talks with Jasmine Steffler (from Walkable Parenthood and Oh The Urbanity!) about her experience navigating parental leave. From understanding benefits and income replacement to finding childcare, building community, and adjusting to life with a new baby, Cara and Jasmine know what it takes to grow a family in Canada. If you're expecting a child or planning a family, this conversation covers many of the practical questions parents have before taking leave: ✅ How parental leave and EI benefits work in Canada ✅ The difference between 12- and 18-month leave options ✅ Why Quebec's parental leave system is different ✅ How much income you can expect while on leave ✅ Finding daycare and understanding childcare costs ✅ Building community and avoiding isolation during leave ✅ Life with a baby in a walkable city without owning a car ✅ What we wish we knew before taking leave Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Canadian Parental Leave 00:48 Understanding Parental Leave Policies 02:29 Choosing the Length of Leave 02:51 The Quebec Parental Insurance Plan vs. Other Provinces 05:08 Navigating the Childcare System 06:15 Financial Challenges and Income Replacement 07:50 Walking and Cycling Without a Car 10:19 Finding Community During Parental Leave 12:50 Lessons Learned and Future Considerations 15:55 Traveling with a Young Child 16:49 Conclusion and Outro Research/links: The effect of leave policies on increasing fertility: a systematic review | Humanities and Social Sciences Communications  https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-022-01270-w (PDF) Does Parental Leave Affect Fertility and Return-to-Work? Evidence from a "True Natural Experiment"  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5135837_Does_Parental_Leave_Affect_Fertility_and_Return-to-Work_Evidence_from_a_True_Natural_Experiment The Daily — Fertility and baby names, 2024  https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/250924/dq250924d-eng.htm Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

    From EI to Daycare: Navigating Parental Leave in Canada

  6. 7月1日

    What We Love About Canada | Canada Day Special 2026

    Happy Canada Day! In this special Canada Day episode of The Missing Middle Podcast, the team takes a break from focusing on Canada's challenges to share what makes them optimistic about the country's future. From housing reforms and immigration to education, community, nature, and Canadian values, each member reflects on what they love most about Canada and why they remain hopeful. Topics covered: Housing reform and recent progress on zoning and development chargesCanada's sense of community and belongingEducation affordability and student experiencesImmigration and Canada's multicultural identityNature, cities, and public spacesCanadian humour, humility, and cultureCanadian values, civic engagement, and democracyWhy constructive criticism is a form of patriotismWhat gives Canadians reason for optimism heading into the futureWhat makes you optimistic about Canada? Let us know in the comments below.  #CanadaDay #Canada #TheMissingMiddle #CanadaHousing #CanadianEconomy #CanadianValues Chapters: YouTube Chapters (8:52) 00:00 Why We're Talking About Optimism This Canada Day 00:40 Cara Stern: Summers, Housing & Reasons for Optimism 01:43 Sean Foreman: Canada's Secret Weapon is Humour 02:57 Kelly Hoban: An American's Perspective on Canada 03:52 Meredith Martin: Nature, Immigration & Hope 05:36 Sabrina Maddeaux: Canadian Values, Kindness & Common Sense 07:48 Mike Moffatt: Why Criticism Is Patriotism Research/Links: A History of Tommy Thompson Park https://trca.ca/news/tommy-thompson-park-history/ Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

    What We Love About Canada | Canada Day Special 2026

  7. 6月26日

    Why Canada Stopped Building Homes for Families

    For years, Canada's housing strategy focused on increasing the number of housing units built. But even during periods of record apartment construction, family-sized homes became increasingly scarce. In this episode of the Demografix, Mike Moffatt and Cara Stern unpack a major problem hidden inside Canada's housing statistics: the country is building fewer family-sized homes than it did 20 years ago. Why are three-bedroom homes becoming so difficult to find? Why are developers building more small condos instead of homes for families? And how do zoning rules, development charges, land shortages, and housing policies shape what gets built? The conversation explores: • Why housing "units" and housing "homes" are not the same thing • The dramatic decline in single-detached homes, semis, and townhouses • Why family-sized condos remain rare and expensive • How rising land costs and government policies affect housing supply • The connection between housing affordability and Canada's falling birth rate • Why many young families are leaving major cities • Policy solutions that could help create more family-friendly housing If Canada wants cities that work for young families, workers, and future generations, we need to start measuring success by more than just the number of housing units built. Chapters: 00:55 What Families Actually Need In A Home 02:00 Why Three-Bedroom Apartments Are So Rare 04:09 Why Condos Stop Making Sense For Families 05:00 Canada Is Building Fewer Family-Sized Homes 07:06 The Problem With Counting “Units” Instead Of Homes 09:03 Who Shoebox Condos Actually Work For 10:07 If Demand Is Strong, Why Aren’t Builders Responding? 12:14 Why The GTA Builds Fewer Family Homes 14:02 Urban Boundaries, Sprawl, And Long Commutes 15:16 Taxes And Fees That Favor McMansions 16:52 Why Developers Don’t Build Family-Sized Apartments 18:28 Housing Costs, Birth Rates, And Families Leaving Cities 22:05 How Canada Could Fix Family Housing Research/links: From Policy Gridlock to Housing Growth: A Roadmap for Gentle Density https://www.missingmiddleinitiative.ca/p/from-policy-gridlock-to-housing-growth  Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

    Why Canada Stopped Building Homes for Families

  8. 6月24日

    FIFA Gets the Profits. Canadians Get the Bill.

    The 2026 FIFA World Cup is finally here and Canada is on a roll! But as the excitement builds on the pitch, we're asking the tough questions: will this massive event actually deliver the economic win that was promised? In this episode, Mike Moffatt and Sabrina Maddeaux dive into the real costs of hosting the world's biggest party. They break down the billion-dollar price tags, FIFA's business model, and whether taxpayers are getting stuck with the bill while others reap the rewards. (Producer note: This episode was recorded on June 5th, 2026.) Topics covered: The economics of hosting the FIFA World CupWhy economists question projected economic benefitsPublic spending on stadiums, security, and infrastructureTourism displacement and local business impactsHousing, short-term rentals, and affordability concernsFIFA's revenue model and tax treatmentTransit, traffic, and quality-of-life effects for residentsLessons from previous World Cup host countriesDynamic ticket pricing and the changing fan experienceIf you enjoy thoughtful discussions on housing, infrastructure, public policy, and the economic issues affecting Canada's middle class, subscribe for more episodes from The Missing Middle. Chapters: 00:00 The World Cup's Economic Myth 00:49 The Benefits Nobody Talks About 03:32 Can Hosting the World Cup Actually Lose Money? 05:11 Why More Tourists Doesn't Mean More Growth 07:00 Who's Really Paying the $1 Billion Bill? 08:23 FIFA's Billion-Dollar Business Model 09:19 Cities Pay, FIFA Profits 10:39 The Tax Breaks You Didn't Know About 12:27 The Hidden Costs for Residents 15:21 What Past World Cups Teach Us 17:07 Are These Games Worth the Price? 17:49 Why World Cup Tickets Are Exploding in Cost 19:22 The People's Game or a VIP Experience? Research: BMO Capital Markets -- Canada World Cup GDP boost (up to $6.5B): https://www.wealthprofessional.ca/news/industry-news/bmo-world-cup-2026-set-to-deliver-up-to-c65-billion-economic-boost-for-canada/392593 The World Cup is expensive, but it’s our turn to pick up the tab https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/soccer/article-the-world-cup-is-expensive-but-its-our-turn-to-pick-up-the-tab/ ProPublica -- 'You do, you pay, we take': how FIFA's host city deals work: https://www.propublica.org/article/world-cup-2026-host-cities-revenue-houston CBC -- FIFA/Deloitte economic impact assessment for Canada ($3.8B figure): https://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/world-cup-2026-canada-fifa-economic-benefits-1.7406435  BNN Bloomberg -- Why economic impact on Vancouver and Toronto may never be known: https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/economics/2026/05/11/blind-side-why-world-cup-economic-impact-on-vancouver-and-toronto-may-never-be-known/ Bloomberg Tax -- FIFA 2026 World Cup tax demands on host countries: https://news.bloombergtax.com/tax-management-international/fifa-2026-world-cup-blows-the-whistle-on-complex-tax-risks CP24 -- Toronto holds transit fares steady; NJ Transit $48M bill; Boston $80 game-day fare: https://www.cp24.com/local/toronto/2026/04/16/toronto-will-not-hike-cost-of-transit-during-world-cup-as-other-host-cities-announce-big-fare-increases-to-venues/ ESPN -- World Cup ticket sticker shock and dynamic pricing: https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/48947095/2026-fifa-world-cup-sticker-shock-ugly-cost-beautiful-game-grand-event Victor Matheson / Holy Cross -- The Economics of the World Cup (academic; stadium white elephants, tourism overestimates): https://hcapps.holycross.edu/hcs/RePEc/hcx/HC1805-Matheson_WorldCup.pdf Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

    FIFA Gets the Profits. Canadians Get the Bill.
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主持人與來賓

簡介

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.

資訊

  • 創作者
    Cara Stern, Mike Moffatt, and Meredith Martin
  • 活躍年代
    2023年 - 2026年
  • 集數
    196
  • 年齡分級
    兒少不宜
  • 版權
    © 2026 The Missing Middle Podcast
  • 節目網站
    The Missing Middle Podcast

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