The Missing Middle with Mike Moffatt and Cara Stern

In this episode, Cara and Mike discuss the ongoing housing crisis and its political implications, emphasizing the need for effective solutions to enhance affordability. They unpack the four key pathways to housing affordability, including the integration of transportation costs, the impact of utility bills, and the challenges of homeowners insurance. The conversation highlights the importance of deregulation and innovative policies to create more affordable housing options while addressing the political landscape surrounding these issues.

Links for further reading:
Ontario Communities Falling Behind on Homebuilding
BLUEPRINT FOR MORE AND BETTER HOUSING
Abacus Data
Example of pyramid shaped condo

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern

Produced by Meredith Martin

This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

This conversation explores the potential of mass timber as a sustainable building material, its role in the housing construction sector, and the skills needed for young people to thrive in this emerging industry. The discussion highlights the growth of mass timber, the educational requirements for entering the field, the challenges faced in its adoption, and the broader opportunities in decarbonizing industries.


Links:
Canada's Green Skills Transition

Guest: Nicholas Renzetti

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern

Produced by Meredith Martin

This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

It doesn't matter how many times politicians say the economy is doing great. If someone can't afford a home, they're not going to believe you.

Cara and Mike discuss the significant impact of the housing crisis on Donald Trump's election victory, exploring how inflation and economic concerns shifted political views. They analyze migration patterns affecting electoral college votes and suggest that building more homes could help retain political power in progressive cities.

Links:
America Hires a Strongman

The Inflation Factor: It Wasn’t Just the Economy How inflation and economic concerns drove voter sentiment.

Pocketbook and Sociotropic Economic Voting: How Does Inflation Affect Voting Decisions?

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern

Produced by Meredith Martin

This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

Many cities in North America have been adding bike lanes in the past few years, especially as demand for outdoor activities spiked during the pandemic. Those lanes have been crucial at keeping cyclists safe, but seeing the road lose a lane has upset drivers, especially those who rely on their cars.

Enter Doug Ford, in Ontario. The premier has introduced legislation that will require municipalities to obtain approval from the province for new bike lanes, as well as removing bike lanes that are already there – even ones that just finally finished construction.

Mike and Cara discuss why this is such a popular idea, even though it won't solve Toronto's real congestion issues. They highlight the need for effective solutions to traffic congestion and the role of government in addressing these challenges, while also considering the future of bike lanes and the importance of public advocacy.

Links:
Bloor Street West Bike Lane Pilot Project Evaluation
Bloor Street West Complete Street Extension
The left is losing the battle for the bike — as it should | National Post
Breaking the Bottlenecks : Congestion Solutions for Canada

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern

Produced by Meredith Martin

This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

Over and over again, we see the same problems come up when building anything physical in this country, such as a house or a train. Costs start to balloon and every project seems to end up over budget – or at least costs us more than it would cost to build in other countries.

More Neighbours Toronto’s founder Eric Lombardi attributes this largely to a system of soft corruption.

In this conversation, he highlights how convoluted processes and lack of transparency lead to inflated costs and diminished outcomes. He compares Canada's approach to infrastructure with that of European countries, emphasizing the need for standardization and in-house expertise. Lombardi proposes solutions to improve procurement processes and accountability, advocating for a more efficient and transparent system that prioritizes taxpayer value.

Links:
Canada can no longer afford to ignore its ‘soft corruption’ problem
https://thehub.ca/2024/10/03/eric-lombardi-canada-can-no-longer-afford-to-ignore-its-soft-corruption-problem/

Altus Group
https://www.altusgroup.com/
https://www.bildgta.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2024-GTA-Municipal-Benchmarking-Study-Our-number-7147-Final.pdf
More Neighbours

Guest: Eric Lombardi, https://x.com/EricDLombardi

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern

Produced by Meredith Martin

This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

A lot of people get into advocacy for better cities and urbanism by watching what’s perhaps YouTube’s biggest urbanism channel,  @NotJustBikes . But that leads many to think that with enough advocacy, their hometowns could one day also look like a city in the Netherlands. Not Just Bikes’ Jason Slaughter says it’s not that simple.

In this conversation, journalist Cara Stern and economist Mike Moffatt talk to Jason about what North American cities can learn from the Netherlands. They explore the principles of Dutch urban design, the importance of context in urban planning, and the need for holistic approaches that go beyond just implementing bike lanes. 

Links:
Why Canadians Can't Bike in the Winter (but Finnish people can):
https://youtu.be/Uhx-26GfCBU?si=uB-fSJYD0ouxDHiv
Strong Towns:
https://www.strongtowns.org/

Guest: Jason Slaughter, Not Just Bikes https://www.youtube.com/c/notjustbikes

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern

Produced by Meredith Martin

This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

In this episode of the Missing Middle, Cara Stern is mad. A majority of MPs recently voted to increase Old Age Security for seniors aged 65-74, regardless of whether they actually need more money.

She and Mike Moffatt explore the structure of Canada's pension programs, the purpose of OAS, and the financial burden it places on the federal budget – and younger workers, many of whom are struggling to pay their housing bills.

They cover the disparities in income among seniors, the challenges of targeting benefits, and the political dynamics surrounding OAS proposals.

Also, we need a co-host to fill in while Cara is on mat leave! If you're interested, send us a resume with one-minute video of why you'd be good for this role to [email protected]  

Links:
Canadian Museum of History
Old Age Security pension recovery tax
Disaggregated trends in poverty from the 2021 Census of Population
Jennifer Robson
https://carleton.ca/politicalmanagement/people/jennifer-robson/
Shooting a fly with an elephant gun: The Bloc’s ultimatum on seniors’ benefits
Most Canadians support or somewhat support extending Old Age Security benefits increase to seniors 65 to 74.

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern

Produced by Meredith Martin

This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

In this episode of Missing Middle, journalist Cara Stern is mad. A street in her neighbourhood in Toronto is trying to get an exemption to the city-wide garden suites rules.

Cara and economist Mike Moffatt discuss the ongoing challenges of NIMBYism in Toronto, still supported by local city councillors, even when it's about the gentlest of gentle density.


Links:

How garden suites are dividing these Toronto neighbours (thestar.com)
East-end residents worry they may lose garden suite zoning | CBC News
Craven Road I – Leslieville Historical Society (leslievillehistory.com)
Latest update from the City

Craven Road Map


If you want to let Toronto City council know you support more housing and that garden suites everywhere are part of that you can email:

City Planner Alexa Legge:
[email protected]

Ward 14 City Councillor, Paula Fletcher:
[email protected]

Mayor Olivia Chow:
[email protected]

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern

Produced by Meredith Martin

This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

When Mike bought his first home, it cost him $168,000. That number barely covers a downpayment in much of Ontario these days – and even if a developer wanted to, it could not offer that price (even indexed to inflation) because the costs to build are just so high.

Mike and Cara break down the costs associated with home-building, including land prices, development charges, construction costs, and taxes, while also examining the impact of these factors on housing affordability. 

Links:

Eric Lombardi

Greater Toronto Area Municipal Benchmarking Study

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern

Produced by Meredith Martin

This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

 @NotJustBikes is many people's gateway into urbanism, and an understanding into how much better our cities and towns can be, if we just make some policy changes.

In this conversation, journalist Cara Stern, economist Mike Moffatt, Not Just Bikes creator Jason Slaughter discuss the challenges and implications of car-dependent suburbs in North America. They explore personal experiences, historical context, and the impact of legislation on urban design. The discussion also delves into economic factors influencing suburban living, the potential for transformation, and cultural attitudes towards housing.

Links:
Not Just Bikes
https://www.youtube.com/c/notjustbikes

Suburbs that don’t suck:
Suburbs that don't Suck - Streetcar Suburbs (Riverdale, Toronto) (youtube.com)

Wortley Village
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wortley_Village

Strong Towns:
https://www.strongtowns.org/

The Sprawl Repair Manual 
https://sprawlrepair.com/home/

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern

Produced by Meredith Martin

This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.