The Missing Middle Podcast

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 appeals, the exemption for universities from the Planning Act, the use it or lose it policy for subdivision and condominium approvals, and the potential for single staircases in multi-unit homes. The conversation highlights the lack of boldness in the bill and the Ontario Progressive Conservative government's shift in tone regarding housing supply.Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina MaddeauxProduced by Meredith MartinThis podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

In this conversation, economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern discuss the federal government's new plan to help first-time homebuyers by extending amortization periods on new homes. The conversation explores the reasons behind this decision and the potential impact on housing starts and prices, as well as why this is similar to a policy Mike and Cara suggested in an article in the Hub. The hosts also discuss the importance of helping the middle class achieve homeownership and the need for a balanced approach that addresses both demand and supply.Read the article with their suggestions: https://thehub.ca/2024-03-19/mike-moffatt-and-cara-stern-the-dream-of-homeownership-is-dying/Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina MaddeauxProduced by Meredith MartinThis podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

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 MaddeauxProduced by Meredith MartinThis podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

Globe and Mail's architecture critic, Alex Bozikovic, joins Mike Moffatt and Cara Stern to discuss the impact of heritage rules on housing supply in Toronto. They explore the history of urban planning, differences between listed and designated heritage buildings, and the effects of heritage preservation on density and climate action. Specific neighborhoods like the Danforth, Yonge and Eglinton, Rosedale, and Little Jamaica are examined, highlighting the complexities of balancing preservation with modern urban design.

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 MaddeauxProduced by Meredith MartinThis podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

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 MaddeauxProduced by Meredith MartinThis podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

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-canadianhttps://abacusdata.ca/https://abacusdata.ca/building-a-better-future-for-canadians-policy-imperatives/Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina MaddeauxProduced by Meredith MartinThis podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

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 MaddeauxProduced by Meredith MartinThis podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

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 MaddeauxProduced by Meredith MartinThis podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

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 MaddeauxProduced by Meredith MartinThis podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.