The Missing Middle Podcast

Cara Stern, Mike Moffatt, and Meredith Martin
  • 4.2 (5)
  • 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. 1d ago

    Did Ontario Turn a Blind Eye to Career College Fraud? | Alex Usher

    How did hundreds of millions of dollars in Ontario student aid end up at the centre of a major funding scandal, and why did it take so long for the government to act? In this episode of DemograFix, Cara Stern sits down with Alex Usher, president of Higher Education Strategy Associates and author of the annual State of Post-Secondary Education in Canada report, to investigate the OSAP funding scandal and the Ontario Provincial Police’s criminal probe into alleged fraud at private career colleges. They unpack how Ontario’s student aid system went wrong, what the investigation means for students and taxpayers, and what this scandal reveals about the flaws in Canada’s post-secondary funding system.  They also explore the growing generational divide: why Gen Z is facing more debt, fewer opportunities, and a tougher path to financial security than previous generations. Subscribe for more conversations about Canada’s economy, demographics, and the policies shaping our future. Chapters: 00:00 – "I Did Everything Right" (Why Gen Z is Struggling) 01:51 – What is a Career College? 02:38 – The $1 Billion OSAP Fraud Scandal Exposed 05:13 – Why Ontario Cut Student Grants Instead of Stopping Fraud 06:25 – Hundreds of Colleges Are About to Go Under 10:32 – Cover-ups, Lawsuits & Freedom of Information 11:05 – Is a College Degree Still Worth It in 2026? 12:16 – The Truth About "Credential Inflation" 14:51 – Do We Really Need 4-Year Degrees Anymore? 18:47 – Net-Zero Tuition: How Student Aid Actually Works Research: The Contemptible OSAP Cover-Up https://higheredstrategy.com/the-contemptible-osap-cover-up/ How Doug Ford’s OSAP changes are forcing Ontario students to make a choice: Go deep into debt or drop out https://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/how-doug-fords-osap-changes-are-forcing-ontario-students-to-make-a-choice-go-deep-into-debt-or-drop-out/article_3cdce5f9-fec7-4faf-95f9-a79592f487a0.html Court records show Ontario's 'serious concerns' about three career colleges https://www.thetrillium.ca/news/education-and-training/court-records-show-ontarios-serious-concerns-about-three-career-colleges-12851478 This Ontario career college has suspended classes. Here’s why https://www.cp24.com/politics/queens-park/2026/10/18/this-ontario-career-college-has-suspended-classes-heres-why/ $385M in OSAP grants sent to students at 7 career colleges last year, documents show https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/article/385m-in-osap-grants-sent-to-students-at-7-career-colleges-last-year-documents-show/ The State of Post-Secondary Education in Canada, 2026 https://higheredstrategy.com/the-state-of-post-secondary-education-in-canada-2026/ Credits: 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 Paige Saunders https://site.canadiancivil.com/profiles/ Sean Foreman @seanegertonforeman https://bsky.app/profile/seanforeman.bsky.social Mike Moffatt https://twitter.com/MikePMoffatt https://bsky.app/profile/mikepmoffatt.bsky.social University Of Ottawa Co-op Student Francis Gabriel Carmona Brought to you by the Missing Middle Initiative https://www.missingmiddleinitiative.ca/ Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

    Did Ontario Turn a Blind Eye to Career College Fraud? | Alex Usher

  2. 3d ago

    Why Nobody Can Afford to Have Fun Anymore

    Why is it getting so hard to afford a night out? From $200 dinners and sky-high concert tickets to the disappearance of cheap bowling alleys and dinner parties, having fun is becoming a luxury. In this episode of Classonomics, Sabrina Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt break down how soaring housing costs, stagnant wage growth and rising entertainment prices are changing the way we socialize. As affordable third spaces disappear and young Canadians spend more time alone, are we facing a loneliness crisis fuelled by the cost of living? And what happens when we can no longer afford the everyday experiences that bring us together? Chapters: 00:00 - Why Having Fun Got So Expensive 00:49 - The Data Behind the Loneliness Epidemic 03:10 - Rent, Wages & Skyrocketing Ticket Prices 07:16 - Splurge Culture: Concerts vs. Real Life 10:34 - What Happened to Cheap Hangout Spots? 13:55 - How the Housing Crisis Killed Dinner Parties 22:15 - The Rise of the "Alone Economy" 25:17 - The Hidden Cost of Living Alone Research: NetNewsLedger - Funflation is raising concert, sports and streaming costs for Canadians: https://www.netnewsledger.com/2026/07/16/funflation-is-raising-concert-sports-and-streaming-costs-for-canadians/ Bloomberg Opinion (Allison Schrager) - Why Bowl Together When You Can Scroll Alone? (Lucky Strike, league decline, third places): https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2026-10-04/why-bowl-together-when-you-can-scroll-alone The Atlantic (Derek Thompson) - Why Americans Stopped Throwing Dinner Parties (42% to 12% hosting monthly): https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/10/americans-socialization-dinner-decline-hosting/688846/ Pollstar - 2025 Year-End Business Analysis (average ticket $96.17 in 2019, $132.62 in 2025; stadium average $216.13, up 18.3%): https://news.pollstar.com/?p=1214179 City of Toronto staff report (July 2026) - grassroots music venues: ~5% own their buildings, ~30 lost 2014 to pandemic, 50% property tax cut: https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2026/ec/bgrd/backgroundfile-289602.pdf Statistics Canada - Survey of Household Spending, 2023 (recreation $5,231; one-person households and shelter share): https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/250521/dq250521a-eng.htm Statistics Canada - Time pressure and time spent with friends over the last 30 years: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/250617/dq250617d-eng.htm Canadian Press - Canadians spending less time with friends: https://www.ctvnews.ca/lifestyle/article/canadians-spending-less-time-with-friends-especially-those-of-working-age-statcan/ Statistics Canada - Canadian Social Survey: Loneliness in Canada (2021): https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/211124/dq211124e-eng.htm https://asiatimes.com/2026/09/asias-lonely-economy-of-one/ Statistics Canada - Loneliness as a Quality of Life Framework indicator: https://www160.statcan.gc.ca/society-societe/loneliness-solitude-eng.htm Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

    Why Nobody Can Afford to Have Fun Anymore

  3. Oct 16

    Housing Promises: What Works, What Doesn’t, and What’s Missing

    With election day approaching across Ontario, are mayoral candidates offering real solutions to the housing crisis, or just slogans? Cara Stern and Mike Moffatt examine housing platforms from candidates in nine Ontario cities to see which proposals could actually make homes more affordable for middle-class families, renters, and first-time homebuyers. They break down the policies that could make a difference, the promises that need more scrutiny, and the municipal decisions that are shaping the future of housing in Ontario. In this episode: What's missing from candidates' housing plans? Why concrete targets, timelines, and realistic funding matter.Mississauga's property tax proposal: Would allowing seniors to defer property taxes help homeowners, or create new costs for taxpayers?Toronto's land transfer tax: Could cutting the tax help families move into homes that better suit their needs, and how would the city replace the lost revenue?Windsor's fourplex debate: What happens when municipal leaders oppose policies that could allow more homes to be built?Oshawa and Guelph's housing plans: Can faster approvals, lower development charges, and more flexible zoning improve affordability?The case for family-sized homes: Why building more housing means more than hitting unit targets, and why young families need more options.What good housing policy looks like: Mike shares the municipal reforms he would prioritize, from streamlining approvals to making starter homes cheaper to build.The big question: Can good housing policy win elections, and are municipal politicians willing to make the changes needed to help the next generation afford a home? Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction: Analyzing Ontario’s Municipal Housing Platforms 00:50 - What to Look For in a Middle-Class Housing Plan 02:23 - Initial Reactions & "Where’s the Beef?" 03:04 - Property Tax Deferrals for Seniors: Good or Bad Policy? 06:30 - Land Transfer Taxes: Removing Barriers to Moving 08:46 - Strong Mayor Powers & The Fourplex Veto Debate 10:34 - Development Charges & Streamlining Approvals in Oshawa 12:31 - Density on Arterials vs. Neighbourhood Infill 14:59 - The Student Housing Crisis in Southwestern Ontario 16:35 - Core Principles for a Real Municipal Housing Vision 18:50 - Key Policies: Form-Based Zoning, AI Approvals, & Tax Reform 21:37 - Does Good Housing Policy Actually Win Elections? Research/links: https://www.thestar.com/real-estate/why-toronto-s-next-council-could-be-decided-by-renters/article_24997d4c-28a5-4250-ab38-e5c7203c8252.html https://www.alvintedjo.ca/affordability https://chewforguelph.ca/priorities/ https://bradford26.ca/news/brad-bradford-toronto-mayor-will-eliminate-torontos-land-transfer-tax-for-the-average-homebuyer https://www.ctvnews.ca/windsor/article/dilkens-vows-to-use-strong-mayor-powers-to-block-fourplex-changes-if-re-elected-francis-calls-it-fear-mongering/#:~:text=Dilkens%20vows%20to%20use%20strong%20mayor%20powers,Dilkens%20(right).%20(%20Sanjay%20Maru%2FCTV%20News%20Windsor) 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 Canadian Civil youtube.com/CanadianCivil Co-op Student Francis Gabriel Carmona Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

    Housing Promises: What Works, What Doesn’t, and What’s Missing

  4. Oct 14

    Stealing From the Future: The High Cost of Senior Benefits

    In this episode of Classonomics, Sabrina Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt break down why political promises to give "more money to seniors" actually enrich Canada's wealthiest demographic, the myth that retirees "paid into" Old Age Security, how brutal child benefit clawbacks contrast with generous senior write-offs, and how taking money from young workers is quietly hurting the economy.  Chapters: 00:00:00 The Problem with “More Money for Seniors” 00:02:53 How OAS Works & Why Income Thresholds Matter  00:04:36 The Conservative Payout Plan 00:05:41 Seniors vs. Struggling Young Families 00:08:32 Generational Theft & Economic Drag 00:10:03 Why Politicians Pandering to Boomers Always Win 00:13:23 We’ll Be $3 Trillion in Debt and Still Giving Discretionary Handouts 00:14:37 Stop Giving Wealthy Retirees Welfare RESEARCH LINKS: Sabrina Maddeaux column (National Post) — https://nationalpost.com/opinion/sabrina-maddeaux-conservatives-lose-the-plot-with-pitch-for-higher-old-age-security Old Age Security — overview, amounts, and clawback thresholds (Government of Canada): https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/publicpensions/cpp/old-age-security.html Canada Child Benefit — income thresholds and calculation: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/canada-child-benefit-overview.html Parliamentary Budget Officer — fiscal analysis of seniors benefits and OAS projections: https://www.pbo-dpb.ca Generation Squeeze — generational fairness and intergenerational transfers: https://www.gensqueeze.ca Net wealth data: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/241029/t001a-eng.htm  Poverty data: https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/topics-start/poverty  Parliamentary Budget Office costing: https://www.pbo-dpb.ca/en/epc-estimates--estimations-cpe/45/EL-45-1031563-P  Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

    Stealing From the Future: The High Cost of Senior Benefits

  5. Oct 7

    The "Empty Land" Myth: Why Canada Can’t Just Sprout New Cities

    In this episode of Classonomics, Sabrina Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt break down whether creating brand-new cities can actually solve Canada’s housing affordability crisis, how our metropolitan numbers compare globally, the failed history of planned-city experiments like Ontario's Townsend and Australia's Monarto, and why central planning can't replace the organic economic realities that make cities thrive. Chapters: 00:00 Why Doesn’t Canada Build New Cities? 01:23 Canada Is Already Creating New Cities 03:10 Why Smaller Canadian Cities Are Growing Faster 04:37 Does Canada Actually Need More Cities? 09:20 Why Canada’s New City Plans Keep Failing 14:20 Can the Free Market Create New Cities? 16:20 Why Moving People Won’t Solve the Housing Crisis Research: UK New towns: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_towns_in_the_United_Kingdom Townsend: https://haldimandpress.com/townsend-the-metropolitan-city-that-never-was/ Monarto: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarto,_South_Australia Credits: Mike Moffatt https://twitter.com/MikePMoffatt https://bsky.app/profile/mikepmoffatt.bsky.social Sabrina Maddeaux https://x.com/SabrinaMaddeaux Meredith Martin  https://twitter.com/meredithmartin https://bsky.app/profile/meredithmartin.bsky.social Sean Foreman @seanegertonforeman https://bsky.app/profile/seanforeman.bsky.social Cara Stern https://x.com/carastern https://bsky.app/profile/carastern.bsky.social University Of Ottawa Co-op Student Francis Gabriel Carmona Funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/ Brought to you by the Missing Middle Initiative https://www.missingmiddleinitiative.ca/ Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

    The "Empty Land" Myth: Why Canada Can’t Just Sprout New Cities

  6. Oct 6

    What Happens When an Outsider Runs for Party Leader? | Eric Lombardi

    We often talk about how politics caters to seniors at the expense of young people, and that part of the cure is to get more young voices into politics. But what actually happens when a young outsider puts their name on the ballot for a major party leadership position? In this episode of Answer Period, former Ontario Liberal leadership candidate Eric Lombardi joins us for a candid conversation about his outsider campaign, navigating the tension between sound-bite politics and deep policy, and the double-edged sword of social media in modern campaigns. We'll dive into the harsh realities facing young political outsiders, what it truly takes to challenge the establishment, and key takeaways for the next generation of leaders looking to make a real impact. 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 Canadian Civil youtube.com/CanadianCivil Co-op Student Francis Gabriel Carmona Brought to you by the Missing Middle Initiative https://www.missingmiddleinitiative.ca/ Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

    What Happens When an Outsider Runs for Party Leader? | Eric Lombardi

  7. Oct 2

    Is the Housing Crisis Radicalizing Young Voters?

    Housing affordability is increasingly shaping how young people think about politics, political parties, and the future of democracy. On this episode of DemograFix, Mike Moffatt and Cara Stern explore what research tells us about the relationship between the housing crisis and young people's political views across North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Does declining housing affordability deepen the divide between younger and older voters? Is it pushing young people away from centrist parties, or toward the left or right? And what happens when an entire generation starts to lose faith in its ability to ever own a home? Mike puts six statements about housing and politics to Cara, drawing on academic research and polling data to explore how housing affordability is reshaping political priorities, polarization, voter engagement, and the desire for homeownership. Chapters: 00:00 Housing Affordability Is a Global Crisis 01:26 Could the Housing Crisis Radicalize Young Voters? 03:45 Is Housing Widening the Generational Political Divide? 06:24 Is the Housing Crisis Polarizing Young Voters? 10:12 Is Housing Pushing Young People Left or Right? 13:11 How Housing Is Creating a New Class Divide 17:12 Is the Housing Crisis Driving Political Disengagement? 19:38 Do Young People Still Want to Own a Home? Research/links: The Dangerous Disillusionment of Young Canadians https://macleans.ca/politics/the-dangerous-disillusionment-of-young-canadians/ How to lose friends and alienate people: The social and political consequences of Europe’s housing crisis: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/17816858241274918  Three inconvenient truths:How to stop housing radicalising the young and killing the political centre https://www.martenscentre.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/5.pdf  Economy and Space piece https://pureadmin.qub.ac.uk/ws/files/241804034/0308518x211022363.pdf What drives support for large-scale housing reform? https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19491247.2026.2630075 Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

    Is the Housing Crisis Radicalizing Young Voters?

  8. Oct 1

    Bank of Canada’s Carolyn Rogers on Productivity, Trade-offs, and Housing

    Join us for an exclusive post-speech interview with Bank of Canada Senior Deputy Governor Carolyn Rogers following her address to the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce and CFA Society Victoria. In this conversation, Rogers sits down to unpack her frank speech on Canada's housing affordability dilemma. We discuss why interest rates are too blunt of a tool to fix housing, how Canada's heavy reliance on residential real estate impacts our national productivity, and what regulatory stress tests actually achieved versus what they couldn't fix. Plus, we dive into the trade-offs of measuring shelter costs in the CPI and what it will genuinely take to untangle the Canadian economy from the housing trap. Research: Canada’s housing market / Le marché canadien du logement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C9jD5xQJdM Canada’s mortgage market—A question of balance Remarksby Carolyn Rogers at the Economic Club of Canada, November 6, 2024 https://www.bankofcanada.ca/2024/11/canadas-mortgage-market-a-question-of-balance/ Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

    Bank of Canada’s Carolyn Rogers on Productivity, Trade-offs, and Housing
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Hosts & Guests

Ratings & Reviews

4.2
out of 5
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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
    221
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Missing Middle Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Missing Middle Podcast

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