The Missing Middle with Mike Moffatt and Cara Stern

Recently, economist Mike Moffatt got into a bit of a Twitter argument with housing advocates who think a land value tax can solve the housing crisis. He doesn’t think so. 

This conversation explores the idea of a land value tax as a solution to the housing crisis. The hosts discuss the concept of a land value tax, which involves increasing the tax on the land portion of property and using the revenue for other purposes. Th...

On May 23, professionals who work in the industry to develop missing middle housing, as well as those interested in building them, gathered at the Toronto Reference Library for a one-day conference.

The Missing Middle podcast team spoke to the presenters and will be sharing those interviews with you each week on Fridays.

Evan Saskin, an architect and builder, discusses his company Blue Lion Building and their focu...

A recent Leger poll examined how young Canadians feel about their economic situation, and whether they're getting enough support from the government.

Mike Moffatt and Cara Stern discuss the results, which found that millennials and Gen Z feel they are worse off than their parents. They also touch on the perception that politicians prioritize the interests of older generations over younger ones. The conversation highli...

Part of the Missing Middle Summit Series

On May 23, professionals who work in the industry to develop missing middle housing, as well as those interested in building them, gathered at the Toronto Reference Library for a one-day conference.

The Missing Middle podcast team spoke to the presenters and will be sharing those interviews with you each week on Fridays for the next eight weeks.

First up is Eric Lo...

The number of temporary foreign workers in Canada has been increasing, and that has led to all sorts of concerns. There’s low youth employment levels, stagnant wages, and industries that rely entirely on low-wage temporary workers to keep prices low.

In this discussion, economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern talk about the different types of temporary residents, the support they receive from the government, and the impact ...

If you get deep enough into the conversation about the housing crisis, you're inevitably going to hear the words "single egress". A lot of people, especially in Canada, think that the country is too strict with its stairwell rules, which require multiple exits for almost every multi-storey apartment building.

Conrad Speckert, intern architect at LGA Architectural Partners, thinks this needs to change, and te...

In this discussion, Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern discuss return-to-office plans and the role of politicians in helping local business districts survive. It explores the controversy surrounding the mayor of Toronto's push to get workers back to the office and the potential negative impacts on workers, the environment, and affordability. The idea of converting unused office space in...

In this discussion, Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern discuss the idea of a tax break for landlords in the UK who sell their homes to their tenants. They explore the potential impact of this policy and whether it could be applicable in Canada. They also discuss the broader housing crisis and the importance of choice between renting and owning a home. 

More reading:

Tories’ capital g...

In this discussion, Mike and Cara talk to Stephen Smith, executive director of the non-profit Center for Building in North America about how elevators and building codes have contributed to the housing crisis. 

Stephen describes how elevators in North America are much more expensive than in Europe due to size requirements, technical codes and standards, and labour issues. He suggests adopting a global standard for elevator...

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, a...

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 balanc...

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, a...

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 in...

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.
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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 explor...

The federal government of Canada is exploring ways to help renters, such as through the introduction of a Renter’s Bill of Rights. This conversation examines the government’s promises, and covers what impact they might have on renters and rental prices. It explores how price transparency affects the rental market and whether the government is doing enough. The rental market in Ontario is broken, but what are the limitations of the ...

In this discussion, Mike and Cara are joined by the executive director of Canadians for Tax Fairness Katrina Miller to discuss the benefits of automatic tax filing and how it can save people money. The conversation explores the concept of automatic tax filing, the groups that would benefit from it, the current status of its implementation in Canada, and the opposition it faces from tax accountants and software firms. 

The conversati...

In this discussion, Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern discuss the federal budget and its impact on housing. They cover new initiatives, such as opening up federal land for development and the deductibility of interest for tax reasons. They also discuss the government's commitment to building 2 million homes and the challenges of labor shortages and productivity in the housing sector. T...

Guest:  Alex Beheshti, Senior Consultant with Altus Group Economic Consulting specializing in urban planning policy analysis, municipal fee reviews, and fiscal impacts of development.

In this conversation, Cara, Mike, and Alex discuss the latest housing bill from the Ontario PC government. They grade the bill and discuss its impact on housing supply and affordability. They also delve into the streamlining of third-party ap...