Shows / The Missing Middle Podcast
The Missing Middle Podcast
Welcome to the Missing Middle, a podcast about why the middle class in Canada is disappearing. We hope to help you understand why life is becoming unaffordable for so many in this country, and what can be done to reverse course.
Episodes
The Missing Middle PodcastStealing From the Future: The High Cost of Senior Benefits
In this episode of Classonomics, Sabrina Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt break down why political promises to give "more money to seniors" actually enrich Canada's…
The Missing Middle PodcastThe "Empty Land" Myth: Why Canada Can’t Just Sprout New Cities
In this episode of Classonomics, Sabrina Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt break down whether creating brand-new cities can actually solve Canada’s housing…
The Missing Middle PodcastWhat Happens When an Outsider Runs for Party Leader? | Eric Lombardi
We often talk about how politics caters to seniors at the expense of young people, and that part of the cure is to get more young voices into politics.But what…
The Missing Middle PodcastIs the Housing Crisis Radicalizing Young Voters?
Housing affordability is increasingly shaping how young people think about politics, political parties, and the future of democracy.On this episode of…
The Missing Middle PodcastBank of Canada’s Carolyn Rogers on Productivity, Trade-offs, and Housing
Join us for an exclusive post-speech interview with Bank of Canada Senior Deputy Governor Carolyn Rogers following her address to the Greater Victoria Chamber…
The Missing Middle PodcastPaying In, Locked Out: Why EI Fails Young People
In this episode of Classonomics, Sabrina Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt examine how Canada’s outdated Employment Insurance model leaves young professionals and gig…
The Missing Middle PodcastCan Egg Freezing Really Delay Your Biological Clock?
As life milestones like finishing school, buying a house, and getting married get pushed further into our 30s, biology remains the one deadline that refuses to…
The Missing Middle PodcastDragon’s Den Legend Reacts To Today’s Squeezed Economy: Interview with David Chilton
In this episode of Classonomics, host Mike Moffatt sits down with financial advice guru David Chilton, author of the Canadian classic The Wealthy Barber and…
The Missing Middle PodcastWhy Everyone Is Fighting Over Bike Lanes
How did bike lanes become the ultimate political wedge issue?In this episode of DemograFix, Cara Stern sits down with Tom Babin, urban cycling advocate and…
The Missing Middle PodcastCanada Joins the EU?
This week, Prime Minister Mark Carney will address the European Parliament in an effort to "create greater certainty, security, and prosperity for our…
The Missing Middle PodcastCanada Could Build Better Homes AND Make Them Cheaper
Why is Canadian housing so expensive and why are we getting so little for our money? In this episode of the Missing Middle Podcast, Mike Moffatt talks with…
The Missing Middle PodcastShould Parents Get the Right to Vote for Their Kids?
Are Canadian elections actually fair if 7 million citizens are completely excluded from the process?In this episode of The Missing Middle, Cara Stern and Mike…
The Missing Middle PodcastWe Want 1.5 Million New Homes. But Can We Power Them?
Ontario has pledged to build 1.5 million new homes by 2031, but can our power grid actually handle the demand? In this episode of Classonomics, Sabrina…
The Missing Middle PodcastTrump, Tariffs and Canada’s Next Move
Canada’s trade relationship with the United States is facing major challenges. In this replay of a live episode recorded on Friday August 28, Mike Moffatt and…
The Missing Middle PodcastWhy Developers Only Seem to Build McMansions
Ever wonder why it's nearly impossible to find a brand-new, modest starter home? In this episode of Classonomics, Sabrina Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt break down…
The Missing Middle PodcastWhy Fertility Treatment Usage Is Exploding in Canada
Fertility treatment is becoming increasingly common in Canada. But why?On this episode of DemograFix, Cara Stern and Mike Moffatt dig into the dramatic rise of…
The Missing Middle PodcastAre Young and Old People Voting for Different Futures?
Are Canada’s politics becoming less about left versus right and more about young versus old?In this episode of Classonomics, Mike Moffatt and Sabrina Maddeaux…
The Missing Middle PodcastThe Secret to Building Family-Friendly Housing in Existing Neighbourhoods
Canada needs more housing, but building in existing neighbourhoods often faces strong local opposition. Could gentle density be a solution?In this episode of…
The Missing Middle PodcastWhy Are Young People Paying for Wealthy Seniors?
Canada’s growing debt isn’t just a problem for governments; it could shape the future for younger generations.Sabrina Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt explore how…
The Missing Middle PodcastIs Outdated Parental Leave to Blame for Canada's Fertility Crisis?
Canada’s parental leave system was built for a workforce that no longer exists. As work and family life have changed, the policy hasn’t, leaving more parents…
The Missing Middle PodcastWhy Suburbs Will Stay in High Demand for Decades
Many people assume Canada’s suburbs are destined to decline as Baby Boomers age and younger generations embrace urban living. But does the data actually…
The Missing Middle PodcastThe Surprising Way Greenbelts Can Increase Urban Sprawl
Canada has spent decades trying to curb urban sprawl through policies like greenbelts, urban growth boundaries, and higher development charges, but what if…
The Missing Middle PodcastThree Kids Are the New Status Symbol
Has having three kids become a status symbol in Canada?In this episode of DemograFix, Cara Stern and Mike Moffatt explore why having three children has become…
The Missing Middle PodcastIs Chasing Too Many New Homes Canada’s Next Big Failure?
Is 500,000 new homes a year really what Canada needs to solve the housing crisis?In this episode of the Missing Middle’s Classonomics Podcast, Mike Moffatt and…
The Missing Middle PodcastIs the Temporary Foreign Worker Program Hurting Young People?
When a business faces a labour shortage, the free market says they should raise wages. So why is Canada’s government stepping in to make labour cheaper…
The Missing Middle PodcastWhy Return-to-Office Didn't Bring Canadians Back to Big Cities
Why are so many young Canadian families leaving Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal? Even after return-to-office mandates, the exodus from Canada's largest cities…
The Missing Middle PodcastFrom EI to Daycare: Navigating Parental Leave in Canada
Thinking about taking parental leave in Canada?In this episode of DemograFix Cara Stern talks with Jasmine Steffler (from Walkable Parenthood and Oh The…
The Missing Middle PodcastWhat We Love About Canada | Canada Day Special 2026
Happy Canada Day!In this special Canada Day episode of The Missing Middle Podcast, the team takes a break from focusing on Canada's challenges to share what…
The Missing Middle PodcastWhy Canada Stopped Building Homes for Families
For years, Canada's housing strategy focused on increasing the number of housing units built. But even during periods of record apartment construction…
The Missing Middle PodcastFIFA Gets the Profits. Canadians Get the Bill.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is finally here and Canada is on a roll! But as the excitement builds on the pitch, we're asking the tough questions: will this massive…
The Missing Middle Podcast"Wait Until 2060": Canada's Housing Plan for Young People
Canada's Federal Housing Advocate says it could take until 2060 for all Canadians to have access to an affordable home. Is that just a realistic target? And is…
The Missing Middle PodcastThis Court Ruling Could Change Property Ownership in Canada: Steve Saretsky
Canada’s housing market is entering a major shift. In this episode, Mike Moffatt sits down with Vancouver realtor and Loonie Hour host Steve Saretsky to break…
The Missing Middle PodcastWill Baby Boomers Leave Behind a Housing Glut?
Many Canadians believe that when Baby Boomers leave their homes, a flood of houses will hit the market and solve the housing crisis. In this episode, Mike…
The Missing Middle PodcastToronto’s Housing Crisis Explained with Ron Butler | Live Event
Toronto’s housing crisis is no longer just about buying a home, it’s reshaping who can afford to build a future in the city at all. In this special live taping…
The Missing Middle PodcastWhy Strong Communities Don’t Happen by Accident
Why does modern life feel so disconnected? In this episode, Cara Stern sits down with journalist and Scout leader Harrison Lowman to talk about the decline of…
The Missing Middle PodcastAnswering Your Biggest Questions About Canada’s Housing Crisis
Why are young Canadians leaving cities? Why are seniors staying in homes that are too big for them? And can Canada lower housing costs without cutting quality…
The Missing Middle PodcastThe Story Behind Canada’s Collapsing Fertility Rate
Canada’s fertility rate has fallen to just 1.25 children per woman, one of the lowest in the developed world. But what’s actually driving the decline? Are…
The Missing Middle PodcastWhy Canada Will NEVER Tax Your Home Profits
Why are Canadians allowed to sell their homes tax-free while profits from stocks and investments get taxed? And is that policy making Canada’s housing crisis…
The Missing Middle PodcastThe Hidden Algorithm Deciding What You Pay
What if companies could figure out the exact maximum you’re willing to pay, and charge you exactly that?That’s the promise of surveillance pricing: using your…
The Missing Middle PodcastWhy Mark Carney Wants Canada’s Own “Norway Fund”
Canada is launching a new sovereign wealth fund, but what exactly is it, and why is Prime Minister Mark Carney betting big on it?In this episode of…
The Missing Middle PodcastDevelopment Charges Are Finally Being Cut. What Happens Next?
Ontario has started cutting development charges. But is this the breakthrough Ontario’s housing market needs, or just the first step?In this episode of The…
The Missing Middle PodcastCanada vs. U.S.: Why Young Workers Are Choosing to Leave
Why are so many young Canadians leaving and why are some people suggesting they should be punished for it?In this episode of The Missing Middle, Mike Moffatt…
The Missing Middle PodcastThe Hidden Wealth Transfer from Young to Old - Explained
Why does it feel like young Canadians can’t get ahead anymore?In this episode, Cara Stern and Mike Moffatt break down the growing generational divide in…
The Missing Middle PodcastDid Canada Ignore Immigration Fraud on Purpose?
Canada’s international student program is under fire and the numbers are hard to ignore.In this episode, Sabrina Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt break down a…
The Missing Middle PodcastThe War Over Upzoning Just Escalated
Cities across Canada are backing away from upzoning. After agreeing to allow fourplexes and other missing middle housing, municipalities like Calgary, Toronto…
The Missing Middle PodcastCarney’s Canada After 1 Year: What’s Working (and What’s Not)
One year after Mark Carney’s stunning rise to power, how is his government actually performing?In this episode, we break down the biggest political upset in…
The Missing Middle PodcastDid Housing Affordability Kill Climate Action?
Climate change isn’t topping Canadians’ priority lists anymore, but that doesn’t mean people have stopped caring.New polling shows only 13% of Canadians now…
The Missing Middle PodcastRents Are Dropping… So Why Expand Rent Control?
Rents are finally falling across Canada. But will it last? In this episode of Classonomics, Sabrina Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt break down new data from the CMHC…
The Missing Middle PodcastWhat’s Making Young Canadians So Unhappy? The Data Is Brutal
Young Canadians are now less happy than seniors, and the gap is getting worse.The latest World Happiness Report shows Canadians under 30 have fallen to 71st in…
The Missing Middle PodcastGreed Vs. Fear: The Economic Policy Killing Canadian Innovation
Canada has a massive problem: our national productivity is near the bottom of the G7. Decades of government policies, from free trade to tax cuts, haven't…
The Missing Middle PodcastThe "Zombie Myth" About Why Birth Rates Are Dropping
If birth rates are falling, is it really because people want fewer kids—or because they feel like they can’t afford them?In this episode, Cara Stern and Mike…
The Missing Middle PodcastThe Sneaky Tax Hike Nobody Voted For
Are provincial governments raising your taxes in secret? Economist Mike Moffatt and columnist Sabrina Maddeaux expose the hidden mechanism of bracket creep, a…
The Missing Middle PodcastHow to Save $130,000 on Your New Home in Ontario
For years, the Missing Middle team has advocated for reducing the tax burden on new construction. With pre-construction sales down 95% in some GTA markets, the…
The Missing Middle PodcastThe Inflation Number You Hear vs. The One You Feel
If inflation is only around 2–3%, why does everything feel so much more expensive?In this episode, we break down how inflation is actually measured, and why…
The Missing Middle PodcastPaige Saunders: Why the US and Canada are Trapped (and how New Zealand escaped)
In this episode of The Missing Middle, Cara Stern sits down with YouTuber Paige Saunders to discuss the one structural glitch that is sabotaging Canada’s…
The Missing Middle PodcastSecond-Time Buyers Are Screwed (And Ignored)
You built equity, planned ahead, and did everything right, so why is the next step on the housing ladder completely out of reach?Canada’s housing crisis is…
The Missing Middle PodcastThe Meritocracy Myth: Is Canada Still the Land of Opportunity?
Is Canada still a “land of opportunity,” or has your success become a function of who your parents are?In this segment, Cara Stern and Mike Moffatt dive into…
The Missing Middle PodcastThe Statistical Illusion Inside Canada’s Housing Data
In 2025, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) reported nearly 260,000 housing starts, a figure that suggests real progress on the housing crisis. But…
The Missing Middle PodcastWhy You Can’t Find a Rental for Your Family (It’s Not Just the Price)
Looking for a family-sized apartment in Canada feels almost impossible. In this episode, Cara Stern and Mike Moffatt explore why they’re so rare in Canadian…
The Missing Middle PodcastOut of Nowhere: How Canada Fell Behind Alabama
Is the Canadian dream officially broken? A recent headline claiming Canada is now poorer than Alabama sparked outrage and pearl-clutching from coast to coast…