Cost of Living

Cost of Living

Money talks. We translate. Every Friday, Paul Haavardsrud looks at the way money shapes our lives in ways big, small, obvious, and unseen. From Big Macs to Big Banks, the Cost of Living connects the dots between the economy and everyday life.

Episodes

March 28, 2025 27 mins

Toronto and Vancouver can't build housing fast enough to keep up with demand. So what if Canada invested billions to turn a smaller city into their superstar rival? Could it create balance in the housing universe?

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When people are nervous about the future of the economy, they often hold back. Maybe they don’t buy that new fridge or take that new job in a different province. It all adds up to a potential stall in our economy. And that just makes people even more uncertain. But is there a way to break the cycle?

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Back when North American free trade was still just an idea, Liberal leader John Turner opposed it. He warned that handing over the "economic levers" could lead to a loss of Canada's political independence. Brian Mulroney won the election and free trade brought Canada all kinds of prosperity. But now? Well, we explore why Turner's ideas are having an "I told you so" moment. 

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March 7, 2025 27 mins

Some believe there's a silver lining to our neighbour to the south suddenly turning hostile. Paul Haavardsrud talks to a couple of experts who say it's time to put the pedal to the metal — and get the economy back on track.

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February 28, 2025 26 mins

The U.S. wants to eat our economic lunch — to lure jobs, companies and head offices to America. The thing is, Canadian capital has been moving south for years. Can we stem the tide?

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February 21, 2025 26 mins

If U.S President Donald Trump goes ahead with his plan to impose 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian exports, Canada will retaliate with its own tariffs. Trouble is, the U.S. isn't nearly as dependent on exports as we are. 

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February 14, 2025 27 mins

The former governor of the Bank of Canada Stephen Poloz has helped guide Canada through some uncertain times. But right now, he says his worry meter is "pretty far up there."

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February 7, 2025 28 mins

We’ve known for a long time that being too dependent on the U.S. makes us vulnerable. They are our largest trading partner, but they aren't the only country in the world. Is it finally time for Canada to make more friends?

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Both countries have just been given a 30-day reprieve from Trump's tariffs. So, can we work together to fend off the looming trade war with the U.S.? Paul Haavardsrud speaks with the former vice minister of trade for Mexico, Juan Carlos Baker, about what happens now. 


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February 2, 2025 27 mins

In a historic act of economic aggression, President Trump has made good on his promise and imposed across-the-board tariffs. And Canada has hit back.

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Some of us might forget a $20 in a pocket, but what about thousands of dollars? Believe it or not, it happens! Canadians contribute to a pension then, maybe switch jobs and just forget about it. We'll explain why it's so hard to track people down and what they're missing out on. 

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A U.S. economics podcast called us wanting to know how Trump's tariff threats are playing out in Canada. Paul Haavardsrud chats with NPR's The Indicator about how we're feeling, what's at stake, and how Canada could respond if tariffs happen. 

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January 24, 2025 27 mins

The question of "will he or won't he" hit us with tariffs is already getting old. But, if they do come, does Canada actually have a Trump card? Four million barrels a day of oil says — we just might.

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January 17, 2025 26 mins

After the surging population put pressure on housing and healthcare, the feds are drastically reducing immigration targets. But millions of new people have also been pouring money into the economy and, by some accounts, keeping us out of a recession. Does a plan for negative population growth risk steering us into the economic ditch? 

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January 10, 2025 27 mins

A couple of business insiders debate the seriousness of Trump's tariff threats and how political uncertainty in Ottawa could hurt Canada's economy. Oh, and they even give us some reasons to hope.

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January 3, 2025 27 mins

Are duty free shops really a bargain? Why do we have crown corporations anyway? You had questions and we take a crack at answering them!

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From the hard sell to the limited time offer, companies have turned the art of the sale into a science. We look at four different marketing tactics, and explain how they encourage us to turn off our brains and open our wallets. (Originally aired October 13, 2024)

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December 20, 2024 27 mins

Need to buy a gift for your mom or your dog? What about your esoteric boyfriend? There's a gift guide for that! But, why? It's holiday baking season and some Canadians are paying big bucks to get their hands on French butter. Plus — we'll tell you why some economists think — if you really love someone, you'll give the gift of cold, hard cash this Christmas.

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December 13, 2024 27 mins

TD just pled guilty to money laundering $670-million in the US. So why were so many bank employees LOL-ing it up while it was happening under their noses? Also, why it's never a straight line to the checkout aisle and why it's so hard for young people to land a job these days. 

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December 6, 2024 27 mins

The makers of chat gpt call it scraping. Canadian media companies call it copying. Now, some are suing OpenAI, alleging it uses their work to train its AI models. But is it too late? Find out who's turning the Canada Post strike into a lucrative side hustle. Plus — why wait to retire when you can take mini-retirements along the way? 

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