The Missing Middle Podcast

In this discussion, economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern about the great housing paradox: everyone wants landlords but no one wants landlords.

Cara and Mike also discuss the different perspectives on who should own rental properties, including small-time landlords, big corporations, and government housing. The conversation also touches on the role of conflict of interest rules for politicians who own properties and the need for affordable ownership and rental options for all. The ultimate goal is to create a housing system with enough supply that is affordable and accessible to everyone.

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux

Produced by Meredith Martin

Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

In this discussion, Mike Moffatt and Cara Stern discuss how heritage designation negatively impacts housing supply in Toronto. During this wide ranging conversation  with Globe and Mail's architecture critic, Alex Bozikovic, they touch on the history of urban planning and how it intersects with heritage planning and urban design in unexpected ways. They explore the difference between listed and designated heritage buildings, the growing number of heritage properties in Toronto, and its effect of heritage preservation on density and climate action. Various neighborhoods in Toronto are discussed including the Danforth, Yonge and Eglinton, Rosedale and Little Jamaica. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the role of local and provincial governments in shaping heritage policies.

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux

Produced by Meredith Martin

Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

In this discussion, Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern discuss the recent revelation by Ontario Premier Doug Ford that he will be caving to NIMBY objections, and won’t be forcing municipalities to legalize fourplexes across the province.

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux

Produced by Meredith Martin

Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

In this discussion, Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern talk to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada, Marc Miller. Included in this wide ranging conversation is the recent announcement of new targets for temporary immigration, the need for a decrease in temporary residents, the reasons behind the delay in taking action and the impact of temporary residents on housing affordability. 

The discussion also covers the financial insecurity faced by universities and colleges due to the two-year cap on international student visas. 

The Minister addresses the increase in use of the temporary foreign workers program under his government and admits there is a problem with some fraud in the labor market impact assessment system. 

The conversation concludes with a discussion about the Canadian consensus on immigration and the Minister is asked if his government is responsible for breaking that consensus.

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux

Produced by Meredith Martin

Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

In this discussion, Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern talk to Pollster David Coletto about  the shifting priorities of millennials and the generational divides in financial stability and housing. He explains that younger Canadians are less likely to prioritize climate change compared to older Canadians. The conversation explores the factors influencing these priorities, including the cost of living crisis, housing affordability, the impact of financial insecurity and the appeal of the Conservative Party to younger Canadians. The conversation highlights the challenges faced by political parties in attracting millennial voters and the relationship between political behaviour and life stage. The discussion concludes with an examination of the blame and responsibility for the housing crisis and the consequences of perceived institutional failure.

If you stick around to the end you’ll get to witness Mike and Cara’s first recorded disagreement and the personal story of how David ended up becoming a pollster. Spoiler alert: it involves baseball.

Links:

https://thehub.ca/2024-03-19/mike-moffatt-and-cara-stern-the-dream-of-homeownership-is-dying/

https://davidcoletto.substack.com/p/the-millennial-makeover-of-canadian

https://abacusdata.ca/

https://abacusdata.ca/building-a-better-future-for-canadians-policy-imperatives/

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux

Produced by Meredith Martin

Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

In this discussion, Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern discuss why parking minimums often require developers to allocate a fixed amount of land for parking, regardless of the actual demand for parking in a particular area. This can result in inefficient land use, with valuable urban space being underutilized for parking purposes rather than for housing, commercial, or recreational activities.

Cara and Mike explore the origins of parking minimums and the concerns that led to their regulation. They also delve into the use of parking minimums as a negotiating tool for cities and the potential for scaling back these regulations. The conversation highlights the arguments for and against parking minimums, including their impact on housing affordability. They also discuss the role of the federal government in potentially banning parking minimums nationwide and the challenges associated with public perception and political dynamics.

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux

Produced by Meredith Martin

Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

In this discussion, Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern talk to Cherise Burda, Director of City Building Research and Innovation at Toronto Metropolitan University and a co-author with Mike of the Blueprint for More and Better Housing: How Federal, Provincial and Municipal Governments can Ensure We Build 5.8 Million Homes that are Affordable, Low-Carbon and Resilient. 

In this conversation, Cara, Mike, and Cherise discuss the blueprint and they highlight the importance of a full systems approach to address climate, resiliency, and housing. They also discuss the need for density and the elimination of unit maximums on residential buildings. The conversation emphasizes the importance of data collection and the adoption of the highest tiers of the national model building codes. The guests express hope that the recommendations will be implemented by governments across the country.

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux

Produced by Meredith Martin

Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

In this 22-minute discussion, Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern talk to Scott Cameron, an economist formerly with the Parliamentary Budget Officer in Ottawa and now working in government in the Channel Islands.

This conversation explores economic forecasting models and the Bank of Canada's transition to a new model. The chapters cover the purpose of economic forecasting, the current method of capturing and measuring the Canadian economy, criticism of existing models, the importance of theory and data in economic modeling, the Bank of Canada's motivation for change and addressing model gaps, a comparison of the Canadian model with other countries, the influence of the Federal Reserve on Canadian monetary policy, accountability and decision-making in monetary policy, and the alignment of Canadian and US monetary policy.

Takeaways:
Economic forecasting models are essential for conducting monetary policy and determining the appropriate policy interest rate.
The Bank of Canada currently uses two models, one focused on empirical performance and the other on theoretical rigor.
There has been criticism of the existing models, particularly regarding their ability to accurately predict real-world economic behavior.
The Bank of Canada is transitioning to a new model that aims to blend theory and empirical performance.
The new model will address gaps in the previous models, such as the representation of the financial sector and the housing market.
The Bank of Canada's monetary policy is influenced by the Federal Reserve, and the two countries tend to move in the same direction.
The ultimate decision-making in monetary policy lies with the governing council, who consider a range of factors beyond the models.

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux

Produced by Meredith Martin

Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

In this conversation, Mike Moffatt and Cara Stern discuss inflation and the Bank of Canada's approach to managing it. They explore the factors that contribute to inflation, such as supply-side disruptions and demand-side spending. They also discuss the challenges of predicting and controlling inflation, as well as the potential impact of inflation on different sectors of the economy. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the Bank of Canada's upcoming decision on interest rates and its influence on the markets.

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux

Produced by Meredith Martin

Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern talk to transit expert Reece Martin about the challenges and issues surrounding transit development in Canada. He highlights the decline in the ability to deliver transit projects effectively, the high costs of building subways in Toronto and the impact of NIMBYism on transit development are also discussed. Reece emphasizes the need for transparency, accountability, and integration between transit and land use. He expresses optimism for the future of transit in Canada and the potential for building high-speed rail. Overall, the conversation sheds light on the importance of improving transit project delivery and creating a more efficient and affordable transit system in Canada.

Smart Prosperity Institute: https://institute.smartprosperity.ca/

Reece Martin: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf4iKXL_SJQ5d0qsKkboRRQ

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux

Produced by Meredith Martin

Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil