The Missing Middle with Mike Moffatt and Cara Stern Cara Stern, Mike Moffatt, and Meredith Martin

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...

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...

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. Most survey respondents, all of whom are 50 or older, do not feel that they are financially s...

In this discussion, Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern read a viewer email from Atanas Georgiev of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, who is wondering about potential negative side effects of a deflationary housing market if there is a drastic increase in housing supply. They explore the definition of affordability and the various pathways to achieving it, including reducing expenses, lowering interest rates, and increasing wages. They also discuss the poss...

Housing starts in Canada are falling, particularly in Ontario, and the situation is even worse than predicted. The non-condo ownership market has seen a massive decline over the last 20 years, with high land prices and development charges making it unaffordable for buyers. Yet prices aren’t coming down. Mike Moffatt and Cara Stern discuss this challenge and its effect on getting supply in both the rental and ownership markets.More reading:We need more than big promises to solve our housing cr...

In this discussion, Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern are joined by tax lawyer Bhuvana Rai with Mors Tribute and estate lawyer Birute Luksenaite with Portfolio Estate Law. They talk about the increase to the capital gains tax introduced by the government in the federal budget on April 16, 2024. They explain what capital gains are and how they are currently taxed. They also explore the arguments for and against the increase in the inclusion ...