Advertise on podcast: The Decibel

The latest federal budget had a line item that was intriguing and ambitious: $30-billion in spending over the next decade to put a roof over every Canadian’s head. The plan is a mix of new supportive and transitional housing developments, low-income rental assistance and a $7-billion commitment to facilities that provide mental health, addictions treatment and other support services. But how will this work? Can the Carney government succeed where other governments have largely failed? Patrick White, The Globe’s cities reporter, joins The Decibel to break down the federal government’s strategy, why provincial and municipal governments play a big role in this plan and why some housing advocates are cautiously optimistic about how this could make a difference in eradicating homelessness. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After years of delays, Canada is launching its national instant payment system. The first phase was initiated on Monday as part of a suite of new financial services aimed at both growing the economy and decreasing reliance on the United States. Workers, companies, retailers and restaurants will be able to receive funds immediately under the new system. The Globe’s banking reporter, Stefanie Marotta, is on the show to explain how this all works, how Canada compares to other countries, and how it’s ultimately all about sovereignty. Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The federal government is making a big bet on AI by promising to invest up to $1.6 billion in the Canadian AI company Cohere. This is unprecedented for a private tech company in Canada – and it’s sparked a debate among experts about how the government should support the AI sector. The Globe’s AI and technology reporter, Murad Hemmadi, explains why some experts are worried about this investment, why others say it’s essential, and why the government is putting so much money into one company. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The federal government has released the 2026 budget. And this year the focus is on new net spending. It looks to put money toward boosting the housing supply, investing in Canadian businesses and bulking up the cultural sector. How do those ambitions balance against fiscal constraints and a deficit? Matt Lundy, The Globe’s economics editor, breaks down the big takeaways from the budget and explains what story the Carney government is telling to Canadians. Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The U.S. midterm results have seemingly delivered a new era in American politics. On Tuesday, voters helped the Democratic Party take control of the U.S. House and Senate, flipping traditional Republican strongholds and sending a strong message to President Donald Trump. But what does this political shift mean for Canada? Does this impact the trade war? Will this reset U.S.-Canada relations in the next two years? Doug Saunders, The Globe’s international affairs columnist, joins the show to talk about the ripple effects of the midterms, what it will mean for Carney-Trump relations, and reflects on the power of the U.S. Congress versus presidential powers. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the last several years, the village of Elora, Ont. has undergone a renaissance. Its picturesque downtown has welcomed more than 750,000 visitors annually which is up from 500,000 visitors just a few years prior. A number of Elora’s 19th century buildings have undergone restoration. Many of Elora’s recent real estate developments have been led by Kat Florence, a hotel company that has bought up historic properties and is now one of the village’s largest landlords. But not everyone in Elora is happy. Some residents have criticized Kat Florence and say the company wields too much power in the village. Kat Florence has pushed back issuing defamation lawsuits and cease-and-desist letters against its loudest critics. Greg Mercer, investigative journalist with the Globe, reported from Elora. He’s on the show to explain the tensions between residents and developers over a core question: who gets to decide how a community grows and changes? Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As artificial intelligence seeps into every aspect of our lives, white-collar workers are wondering what that means for job security. And some are pre-emptively making the shift to work that they see as AI-proof in fields like skilled trades. And while there’s not a lot of clear evidence that AI is actively eliminating white-collar jobs, there are trends in the job market to pay attention to. The Globe’s future of work reporter, Vanmala Subramaniam, tells us about the people switching careers and what white-collar workers should be thinking about in this moment. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

GLP-1 medications revolutionized the way we treat chronic weight management and diabetes by helping to quiet “food noise”. Researchers are now looking into whether these medications can also be used to dampen “drug noise” and help treat people with substance use disorders. Alanna Smith is a health reporter for The Globe and she’s been looking into what’s going on with the research around GLP-1s being used to tread opioid addiction. She’s on the show to talk about the excitement and the reluctance on this potential treatment. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In early August, OpenAI hosted dozens of lifestyle creators at an upstate New York resort for a weekend they called Summer Club. There was beekeeping. There were farm-to-table dinners. And in between, there were sessions on how to use ChatGPT. The ensuing backlash was swift, especially against the female influencers. This episode of Machines Like Us delves into the money pouring into AI marketing that goes far beyond a luxury brand trip. Tech billionaires and super PACs are spending millions to quietly flood your social media feeds. Some have paid influencers for undisclosed deals pushing AI-positive and anti-China messaging. Others have gone so far as to fund radical anti-AI meme accounts that threaten their own CEOs – all to make their critics look unhinged. Tech and culture journalist Taylor Lorenz has spent more than a decade reporting on online creators. She’s been following the dark money behind these co-ordinated campaigns to buy up digital influence and shift the public debate around AI. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The European Union has dropped its offer to give Canada the status of ‘associate member.’ This comes after pushback from some member states and reluctance from Canadian politicians to use the term. But both sides insist they are not abandoning their new efforts at forging a closer partnership. Today, EU and Canadian officials are meeting in Montreal to try to hammer out details around strengthening ties in trade, security and finances. Steven Chase is in Montreal to cover this summit and explains how both governments are trying to build an alliance that makes them less dependent on the U.S. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Americans will vote for members of the U.S. Congress in the midterm elections on Nov. 3. But in a number of states, this year’s election will have a major factor: Canada. A combination of President Donald Trump’s tariffs on a range of industries, to threats of annexation and a loss of revenue from tourism – has made Canada and its relations with the U.S. prime voting issues. Nathan VanderKlippe, international correspondent for The Globe, has been covering the U.S. midterms in the lead-up to voting day. He’ll explain why Canada matters in some key races and how the midterms are being seen by observers as a referendum on Trump 2.0 Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Canadians reported over $700-million lost to scams in 2025, up from $645-million the year before; that figure is recognized to be a massive undercount because most scams go unreported. Scams are only getting more sophisticated and convincing. Today, we’re talking about the most common types of scams: investment, authority and romance. Alexandra Posadzki is The Globe’s financial crime and cybercrime reporter. She’ll walk us through the main scams Canadians face, and why they’re so hard to stop. We also speak with a man who lost thousands of dollars to a scam himself. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Canadian government has invested billions in critical mineral companies in an effort to boost the sector so it can compete against China. But mining projects always come with a lot of risk for investors. So is this a smart strategy for a government to adopt? Niall McGee is the mining reporter for The Globe. He looked into which projects the federal government is investing in, what they hope will come of their investments and whether this bet is worth taking. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On Saturday, B.C. voters head to the polls in a snap provincial election. BC NDP Leader David Eby’s rationale for the election, held two years ahead of schedule, was to get a stronger mandate amidst a trade war. His critics called it a gamble that could threaten Eby’s government. Now, the BC Conservative party is neck in neck with the NDP and a new, young challenger could come out of the election holding the balance of power. Mike Hager, Globe reporter in Vancouver, has been covering the election campaign. He’ll take us through the controversial election call, why the Conservatives have made a comeback in the polls and what the biggest voting issues are on the ballot. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Four people were killed and dozens injured in a fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta on Saturday. Prime Minister Mark Carney called it one of the worst tragedies for the Armed Forces on Canadian soil in peacetime. Today, Globe feature writer Jana G. Pruden is on the show. She was in Wainwright this week and she’ll tell us what we know, and what’s still unknown, about the tragedy. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.