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Why is it getting so hard to afford a night out? From $200 dinners and sky-high concert tickets to the disappearance of cheap bowling alleys and dinner parties, having fun is becoming a luxury. In this episode of Classonomics, Sabrina Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt break down how soaring housing costs, stagnant wage growth and rising entertainment prices are changing the way we socialize. As affordable third spaces disappear and young Canadians spend more time alone, are we facing a loneliness crisis fuelled by the cost of living? And what happens when we can no longer afford the everyday experiences that bring us together? Chapters: 00:00 - Why Having Fun Got So Expensive 00:49 - The Data Behind the Loneliness Epidemic 03:10 - Rent, Wages & Skyrocketing Ticket Prices 07:16 - Splurge Culture: Concerts vs. Real Life 10:34 - What Happened to Cheap Hangout Spots? 13:55 - How the Housing Crisis Killed Dinner Parties 22:15 - The Rise of the "Alone Economy" 25:17 - The Hidden Cost of Living Alone Research: NetNewsLedger - Funflation is raising concert, sports and streaming costs for Canadians: https://www.netnewsledger.com/2026/07/16/funflation-is-raising-concert-sports-and-streaming-costs-for-canadians/ Bloomberg Opinion (Allison Schrager) - Why Bowl Together When You Can Scroll Alone? (Lucky Strike, league decline, third places): https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2026-10-04/why-bowl-together-when-you-can-scroll-alone The Atlantic (Derek Thompson) - Why Americans Stopped Throwing Dinner Parties (42% to 12% hosting monthly): https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/10/americans-socialization-dinner-decline-hosting/688846/ Pollstar - 2025 Year-End Business Analysis (average ticket $96.17 in 2019, $132.62 in 2025; stadium average $216.13, up 18.3%): https://news.pollstar.com/?p=1214179 City of Toronto staff report (July 2026) - grassroots music venues: ~5% own their buildings, ~30 lost 2014 to pandemic, 50% property tax cut: https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2026/ec/bgrd/backgroundfile-289602.pdf Statistics Canada - Survey of Household Spending, 2023 (recreation $5,231; one-person households and shelter share): https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/250521/dq250521a-eng.htm Statistics Canada - Time pressure and time spent with friends over the last 30 years: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/250617/dq250617d-eng.htm Canadian Press - Canadians spending less time with friends: https://www.ctvnews.ca/lifestyle/article/canadians-spending-less-time-with-friends-especially-those-of-working-age-statcan/ Statistics Canada - Canadian Social Survey: Loneliness in Canada (2021): https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/211124/dq211124e-eng.htm https://asiatimes.com/2026/09/asias-lonely-economy-of-one/ Statistics Canada - Loneliness as a Quality of Life Framework indicator: https://www160.statcan.gc.ca/society-societe/loneliness-solitude-eng.htm Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

With election day approaching across Ontario, are mayoral candidates offering real solutions to the housing crisis, or just slogans? Cara Stern and Mike Moffatt examine housing platforms from candidates in nine Ontario cities to see which proposals could actually make homes more affordable for middle-class families, renters, and first-time homebuyers. They break down the policies that could make a difference, the promises that need more scrutiny, and the municipal decisions that are shaping the future of housing in Ontario. In this episode: What's missing from candidates' housing plans? Why concrete targets, timelines, and realistic funding matter.Mississauga's property tax proposal: Would allowing seniors to defer property taxes help homeowners, or create new costs for taxpayers?Toronto's land transfer tax: Could cutting the tax help families move into homes that better suit their needs, and how would the city replace the lost revenue?Windsor's fourplex debate: What happens when municipal leaders oppose policies that could allow more homes to be built?Oshawa and Guelph's housing plans: Can faster approvals, lower development charges, and more flexible zoning improve affordability?The case for family-sized homes: Why building more housing means more than hitting unit targets, and why young families need more options.What good housing policy looks like: Mike shares the municipal reforms he would prioritize, from streamlining approvals to making starter homes cheaper to build.The big question: Can good housing policy win elections, and are municipal politicians willing to make the changes needed to help the next generation afford a home? Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction: Analyzing Ontario’s Municipal Housing Platforms 00:50 - What to Look For in a Middle-Class Housing Plan 02:23 - Initial Reactions & "Where’s the Beef?" 03:04 - Property Tax Deferrals for Seniors: Good or Bad Policy? 06:30 - Land Transfer Taxes: Removing Barriers to Moving 08:46 - Strong Mayor Powers & The Fourplex Veto Debate 10:34 - Development Charges & Streamlining Approvals in Oshawa 12:31 - Density on Arterials vs. Neighbourhood Infill 14:59 - The Student Housing Crisis in Southwestern Ontario 16:35 - Core Principles for a Real Municipal Housing Vision 18:50 - Key Policies: Form-Based Zoning, AI Approvals, & Tax Reform 21:37 - Does Good Housing Policy Actually Win Elections? Research/links: https://www.thestar.com/real-estate/why-toronto-s-next-council-could-be-decided-by-renters/article_24997d4c-28a5-4250-ab38-e5c7203c8252.html https://www.alvintedjo.ca/affordability https://chewforguelph.ca/priorities/ https://bradford26.ca/news/brad-bradford-toronto-mayor-will-eliminate-torontos-land-transfer-tax-for-the-average-homebuyer https://www.ctvnews.ca/windsor/article/dilkens-vows-to-use-strong-mayor-powers-to-block-fourplex-changes-if-re-elected-francis-calls-it-fear-mongering/#:~:text=Dilkens%20vows%20to%20use%20strong%20mayor%20powers,Dilkens%20(right).%20(%20Sanjay%20Maru%2FCTV%20News%20Windsor) Credits: Mike Moffatt  https://twitter.com/MikePMoffatt https://bsky.app/profile/mikepmoffatt.bsky.social Cara Stern  https://x.com/carastern https://bsky.app/profile/carastern.bsky.social Meredith Martin  https://twitter.com/meredithmartin https://bsky.app/profile/meredithmartin.bsky.social Sean Foreman @seanegertonforeman https://bsky.app/profile/seanforeman.bsky.social Canadian Civil youtube.com/CanadianCivil Co-op Student Francis Gabriel Carmona Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

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 wealthiest demographic, the myth that retirees "paid into" Old Age Security, how brutal child benefit clawbacks contrast with generous senior write-offs, and how taking money from young workers is quietly hurting the economy.  Chapters: 00:00:00 The Problem with “More Money for Seniors” 00:02:53 How OAS Works & Why Income Thresholds Matter  00:04:36 The Conservative Payout Plan 00:05:41 Seniors vs. Struggling Young Families 00:08:32 Generational Theft & Economic Drag 00:10:03 Why Politicians Pandering to Boomers Always Win 00:13:23 We’ll Be $3 Trillion in Debt and Still Giving Discretionary Handouts 00:14:37 Stop Giving Wealthy Retirees Welfare RESEARCH LINKS: Sabrina Maddeaux column (National Post) — https://nationalpost.com/opinion/sabrina-maddeaux-conservatives-lose-the-plot-with-pitch-for-higher-old-age-security Old Age Security — overview, amounts, and clawback thresholds (Government of Canada): https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/publicpensions/cpp/old-age-security.html Canada Child Benefit — income thresholds and calculation: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/canada-child-benefit-overview.html Parliamentary Budget Officer — fiscal analysis of seniors benefits and OAS projections: https://www.pbo-dpb.ca Generation Squeeze — generational fairness and intergenerational transfers: https://www.gensqueeze.ca Net wealth data: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/241029/t001a-eng.htm  Poverty data: https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/topics-start/poverty  Parliamentary Budget Office costing: https://www.pbo-dpb.ca/en/epc-estimates--estimations-cpe/45/EL-45-1031563-P  Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

In this episode of Classonomics, Sabrina Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt break down whether creating brand-new cities can actually solve Canada’s housing affordability crisis, how our metropolitan numbers compare globally, the failed history of planned-city experiments like Ontario's Townsend and Australia's Monarto, and why central planning can't replace the organic economic realities that make cities thrive. Chapters: 00:00 Why Doesn’t Canada Build New Cities? 01:23 Canada Is Already Creating New Cities 03:10 Why Smaller Canadian Cities Are Growing Faster 04:37 Does Canada Actually Need More Cities? 09:20 Why Canada’s New City Plans Keep Failing 14:20 Can the Free Market Create New Cities? 16:20 Why Moving People Won’t Solve the Housing Crisis Research: UK New towns: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_towns_in_the_United_Kingdom Townsend: https://haldimandpress.com/townsend-the-metropolitan-city-that-never-was/ Monarto: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarto,_South_Australia Credits: Mike Moffatt https://twitter.com/MikePMoffatt https://bsky.app/profile/mikepmoffatt.bsky.social Sabrina Maddeaux https://x.com/SabrinaMaddeaux Meredith Martin  https://twitter.com/meredithmartin https://bsky.app/profile/meredithmartin.bsky.social Sean Foreman @seanegertonforeman https://bsky.app/profile/seanforeman.bsky.social Cara Stern https://x.com/carastern https://bsky.app/profile/carastern.bsky.social University Of Ottawa Co-op Student Francis Gabriel Carmona Funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/ Brought to you by the Missing Middle Initiative https://www.missingmiddleinitiative.ca/ Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

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 actually happens when a young outsider puts their name on the ballot for a major party leadership position? In this episode of Answer Period, former Ontario Liberal leadership candidate Eric Lombardi joins us for a candid conversation about his outsider campaign, navigating the tension between sound-bite politics and deep policy, and the double-edged sword of social media in modern campaigns. We'll dive into the harsh realities facing young political outsiders, what it truly takes to challenge the establishment, and key takeaways for the next generation of leaders looking to make a real impact. Credits: Mike Moffatt  https://twitter.com/MikePMoffatt https://bsky.app/profile/mikepmoffatt.bsky.social Cara Stern  https://x.com/carastern https://bsky.app/profile/carastern.bsky.social Meredith Martin  https://twitter.com/meredithmartin https://bsky.app/profile/meredithmartin.bsky.social Sean Foreman @seanegertonforeman https://bsky.app/profile/seanforeman.bsky.social Canadian Civil youtube.com/CanadianCivil Co-op Student Francis Gabriel Carmona Brought to you by the Missing Middle Initiative https://www.missingmiddleinitiative.ca/ Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

Housing affordability is increasingly shaping how young people think about politics, political parties, and the future of democracy. On this episode of DemograFix, Mike Moffatt and Cara Stern explore what research tells us about the relationship between the housing crisis and young people's political views across North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Does declining housing affordability deepen the divide between younger and older voters? Is it pushing young people away from centrist parties, or toward the left or right? And what happens when an entire generation starts to lose faith in its ability to ever own a home? Mike puts six statements about housing and politics to Cara, drawing on academic research and polling data to explore how housing affordability is reshaping political priorities, polarization, voter engagement, and the desire for homeownership. Chapters: 00:00 Housing Affordability Is a Global Crisis 01:26 Could the Housing Crisis Radicalize Young Voters? 03:45 Is Housing Widening the Generational Political Divide? 06:24 Is the Housing Crisis Polarizing Young Voters? 10:12 Is Housing Pushing Young People Left or Right? 13:11 How Housing Is Creating a New Class Divide 17:12 Is the Housing Crisis Driving Political Disengagement? 19:38 Do Young People Still Want to Own a Home? Research/links: The Dangerous Disillusionment of Young Canadians https://macleans.ca/politics/the-dangerous-disillusionment-of-young-canadians/ How to lose friends and alienate people: The social and political consequences of Europe’s housing crisis: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/17816858241274918  Three inconvenient truths:How to stop housing radicalising the young and killing the political centre https://www.martenscentre.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/5.pdf  Economy and Space piece https://pureadmin.qub.ac.uk/ws/files/241804034/0308518x211022363.pdf What drives support for large-scale housing reform? https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19491247.2026.2630075 Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

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 of Commerce and CFA Society Victoria. In this conversation, Rogers sits down to unpack her frank speech on Canada's housing affordability dilemma. We discuss why interest rates are too blunt of a tool to fix housing, how Canada's heavy reliance on residential real estate impacts our national productivity, and what regulatory stress tests actually achieved versus what they couldn't fix. Plus, we dive into the trade-offs of measuring shelter costs in the CPI and what it will genuinely take to untangle the Canadian economy from the housing trap. Research: Canada’s housing market / Le marché canadien du logement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C9jD5xQJdM Canada’s mortgage market—A question of balance Remarksby Carolyn Rogers at the Economic Club of Canada, November 6, 2024 https://www.bankofcanada.ca/2024/11/canadas-mortgage-market-a-question-of-balance/ Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

In this episode of Classonomics, Sabrina Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt examine how Canada’s outdated Employment Insurance model leaves young professionals and gig workers behind during record spikes in youth unemployment. They explore why current rules penalize urban renters, how maximum benefits fall short of basic living costs, and what practical policy reforms could fix the system for the modern workforce. Chapters: 00:00 Canada’s EI System Wasn’t Built for Today’s Workers 01:02 How Employment Insurance Became Outdated 02:16 How EI Eligibility Actually Works 03:10 Why Young Workers Are Falling Through the EI Gaps 06:23 EI Doesn’t Cover Most Gig Workers 07:38 The EI Rules That Punish Short-Term Jobs 09:24 What Happens When EI Runs Out? 11:11 Why Ottawa’s EI Fixes Aren’t Helping Young Workers 15:03 EI Benefits Don’t Go Very Far in Toronto 17:42 How We Could Actually Fix Employment Insurance Research: Statistics Canada - Employment Insurance Coverage Survey, 2024 (youth eligibility 50.3%, part-time 41.6%): https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/251029/dq251029a-eng.htm Statistics Canada - Labour Force Survey, July 2026 (youth unemployment 12.6%): https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/260807/dq260807a-eng.htm Service Canada - EI regular benefits eligibility and the qualifying period rule: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/ei-regular-benefit/eligibility.html Service Canada - EI benefit amount (55%, $729 weekly max, $68,900 MIE for 2026): https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/ei-regular-benefit/benefit-amount.html ESDC Digest of Benefit Entitlement Principles - long-tenured worker definition and 20 extra weeks: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/ei/ei-list/reports/digest/chapter-1/extend-benefit-period.html ESDC - EI Monitoring and Assessment Report 2024-25, Chapter 2 (34.4% entitlement exhaustion rate): https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/ei/ei-list/reports/monitoring2025/chapter2.html Canada Gazette SOR/2026-64 - 25.4% of unemployed were long-term unemployed in January 2026: https://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2026/2026-04-08/html/sor-dors64-eng.html Rentals.ca March 2026 Rent Report - Toronto one-bedroom asking rent $2,206: https://rentals.ca/blog/rentals-ca-march-2026-rent-report Statistics Canada - Experiences of self-employed workers in Canada, 2023: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/240603/dq240603b-eng.htm Canada Employment Insurance Commission - 2026 premium rate and $17.2B Operating Account deficit: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/ei/ei-list/reports/premium/rates2026.html ESDC - EI modernization consultations, Phase 2 What We Heard report (2022): https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/news/2022/09/government-of-canada-releases-report-on-phase-2-of-the-employment-insurance-modernization-consultations.html IRPP - Canada's EI Is Once Again Failing Its Stress Test (benefit exhaustion as the coverage driver): https://irpp.org/research-studies/ei-failing-stress/ C.D. Howe Institute - Should gig workers be covered by the EI regime? (the case against): https://cdhowe.org/publication/providing-gig-workers-ei-no-easy-answer/ Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

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 bend. In this episode of DemograFix, hosts Mike Moffatt and Cara Stern take a deep dive into the business, economics, and realities of egg freezing, sparked by U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) publicly sharing her own fertility journey. Mike and Cara discuss how skyrocketing housing prices, student debt, and extended education force modern life choices to clash directly with biological clocks. They break down what real-world data shows about live birth success rates, explain why calling the procedure an insurance policy is deeply misleading, and unpack the steep financial burden and physical toll involved.  While egg freezing gives many people options and extra time, this episode asks the bigger question of whether medical technology can truly fix the broader structural economic problems delaying family life today.  Chapters: 00:00 - Intro: Delayed Milestones and Biological Realities 00:42 - AOC’s Journey & Public Misconceptions Around Egg Freezing 01:52 - Why Economic Factors Are Pushing Fertility Later 03:58 - Corporate Benefits: Workplace Culture vs. True Solutions 05:12 - The Emotional and Physical Reality of the Process 07:12 - High-Pressure Marketing and "Insurance Policy" Claims 09:50 - What the Data Actually Says About Success Rates 12:11 - Ideal Ages vs. Realities of When People Freeze Eggs 13:28 - Financial Costs and Lack of Public Coverage 15:12 - Common Myths About Aging Eggs and Fertility 16:15 - The Need for Clinic Transparency and Industry Regulation 17:20 - Conclusion: Fix Structural Causes, Not Just Biological Clocks  Research/links: CARTR Plus Annual Report 2025 https://cfas.ca/_Library/CARTR/2025_CARTR_annual_report_CFAS_2024_Data_.pdf Fertility Inc - Investigative Journalism Bureau https://ijb.utoronto.ca/projects/fertility-inc/ Elective Egg Freezing for Age-Related Fertility Decline https://www.cmaj.ca/content/192/6/E142 Mount Sinai Fertility - What to know about egg freezing https://mountsinaifertility.com/2025/03/28/what-to-know-about-egg-freezing/ With Big Choices Ahead, Ocasio-Cortez Navigates New Territory https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/12/us/politics/with-big-choices-ahead-ocasio-cortez-navigates-new-territory.html Ocasio-Cortez’s decision riles some on right, while also winning admiration https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/6030686-aoc-egg-freezing-controversy/ AOC's egg-freezing posts on Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/aoc And her TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@aoc Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

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 former co-host of Dragon's Den. Decades after his original bestseller offered foundational advice to young Canadians, Chilton reflects on how drastically the economic landscape has shifted, and why writing his updated edition proved far more challenging. The conversation dives deep into the realities facing young adults today, from ubiquitous credit and skyrocketing housing costs to the inflation rates hit hardest by major life stages. Chilton and Moffatt dissect the underlying factors behind housing unaffordability, such as stubborn land costs and municipal development fees, while addressing the growing "brain drain" of talent moving away from expensive urban centers. They also evaluate whether renting and investing the difference in broad-market, low-cost ETFs can outperform traditional homeownership, the dangers of online sports gambling among young men, and how older generations truly feel about housing value trade-offs. Finally, Chilton shares actionable, practical guidance tailored for three groups: policy recommendations for economic productivity, non-financial advice on staying optimistic for recent graduates, and smart pre-retirement steps for mid-career professionals. Chapters: Pop up video around 8:55 - mcmansions ep https://youtu.be/doxJHEqiuV0?si=kIU6rVuB_fsCGNaZ Research links: The Wealthy Barber 2025 Indigo Exclusive: The Fully Updated All-Time Canadian Classic https://www.indigo.ca/products/the-wealthy-barber-2025-indigo-exclusive The Wealthy Barber https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wealthy_Barber https://thewealthybarber.com/ Steve Saretsky: Canadian Real Estate—CRAZY Times Have Led to CRAZY Times | TWB Podcast #26 https://youtu.be/C_KaFwUPvkM Why Developers Only Seem to Build McMansions https://youtu.be/doxJHEqiuV0?si=nqMJgAb9jNlT4e4Y Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

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 creator of the YouTube channel Shifter, to break down the growing "bike-lash" across Canada and the U.S. From provincial overrides in Ontario and Alberta to the culture wars dividing suburban drivers and downtown commuters, we explore why bike infrastructure generates such intense debate. We dive into the math behind induced demand, the reality of winter cycling, why "road diets" actually work, and how cities can design better, safer streets for everyone. Chapters: 00:00:00 The Bike Lane Culture War 00:03:10 Bike Lanes & Politics: Evidence vs. Fact 00:05:03 How Amalgamation Ruined Everything 00:06:29 Do Anti-Bike Policies Actually Win Votes? 00:08:11 Why Biking Belongs on Both Sides of Politics 00:09:22 Debunking the "Empty Bike Lane" Myth 00:11:03 Why Pro-Bike Campaigns Are Failing in Suburbs 00:12:48 Ravine Trails vs. Real Urban Mobility 00:14:27 Do Winter Bike Lanes Actually Work? 00:15:54 The "One More Lane" Traffic Fallacy 00:17:47 Why Canadian Cities Build Bad Infrastructure 00:19:50 The "Road Diet" Fix Research/links: Ontario just made a ruling that could inform bike lane removal cases across Canada Removing bike lanes will cost at least $48M: city staff report Government of Alberta: Report concerns about bike lanes Edmonton council approves $100M for bike infrastructure across city Washington State’s new bicycle “Safety Stop” law allows people biking to treat stops signs as yield signs with some exceptions. Guest Tom Babin's official urban cycling and commuting YouTube channel Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

This week, Prime Minister Mark Carney will address the European Parliament in an effort to "create greater certainty, security, and prosperity for our peoples." Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reports that Canada is seeking to become an "Associate Member" of the European Union. In our Answer Period livestream, Sabrina Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt will be talking about the benefits and drawbacks of a closer association with the European Union, what an associate membership could look like, and take viewer questions. Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

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 Adam Mongrain of More and Better Housing about how Canada can build more affordable, better-quality homes while also tackling climate change and housing affordability. They dig into why Canada struggles to build the “missing middle” housing that exists in cities around the world, and how zoning rules, building codes, construction costs and a lack of standardization are making it harder and more expensive to build the homes Canadians actually want. Adam explains why legalizing density isn’t about deregulation, how European-style housing could help lower costs, why Canadian elevators can cost four times as much as comparable ones in Switzerland, and how modern construction methods could transform the housing market. They also discuss climate-resilient housing, the need for millions more social and not-for-profit homes, and the five “game changers” that More and Better Housing believes could help Canada build more and build better. Chapters: 00:00 — Why Is Missing Middle Housing Missing? 02:27 — What Does “More and Better Housing” Mean? 04:51 — Can Better Housing Also Be More Affordable? 07:43 — Why New Housing Isn’t Worth the Price 11:23 — What Does “Legalizing Density” Actually Mean? 15:37 — How Building Codes Drive Up Housing Costs 19:14 — Why Factory-Built Housing Needs New Standards 21:57 — Building Housing for a Changing Climate 23:27 — Can Canada Afford Millions of Nonprofit Homes? Research/links: More and Better Housing Canada website: https://www.moreandbetterhousing.ca/  This is how we could fix a problem Canada has been overlooking for decadeshttps://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/this-is-how-we-could-fix-a-problem-canada-has-been-overlooking-for-decades/article_6970b764-8d33-4d7d-87d6-be8efea8038c.html  Blueprint for More and Better Housing: https://housingandclimate.ca/blueprint/ Four Pathways to Housing Affordability report: https://housingandclimate.ca/2024/11/19/fourpathways/ Credits Mike Moffatt https://twitter.com/MikePMoffatt https://bsky.app/profile/mikepmoffatt.bsky.social Sabrina Maddeaux https://x.com/SabrinaMaddeaux Meredith Martin  https://twitter.com/meredithmartin https://bsky.app/profile/meredithmartin.bsky.social Sean Foreman @seanegertonforeman https://bsky.app/profile/seanforeman.bsky.social Cara Stern https://x.com/carastern https://bsky.app/profile/carastern.bsky.social University Of Ottawa Co-op Student: Kelly Hoban Funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/ Brought to you by the Missing Middle Initiative https://www.missingmiddleinitiative.ca/ Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

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 Moffatt unpack the hidden flaw in Canada’s electoral system: the complete disenfranchisement of children and young people. As Canada’s population ages, politicians are incentivized to cater to older voters while ignoring the long-term economic interests of younger generations. We explore a radical yet historical solution: proxy voting.  What if parents could cast ballots on behalf of their children? Could giving every citizen a voice from birth fix our policy incentives? And is it an impossible reform?  Chapters: 00:00 - Should Children Have a Vote in Canada? 03:34 - How Demographic Voting Shapes Economic Policy 05:48 - The Issue With Relying on Youth Voter Turnout to Solve Things 08:13 - What Is Proxy Voting for Parents? 10:22 - Would Proxy Voting Lead to Family-Friendly Policy? 12:17 - Can We Trust Parents to Vote in Their Child's Interest? 14:49 - Early Civic Engagement and Primary Caregiver Voting Rules 17:52 - Is Electoral Reform Truly Realistic in Canada? 22:52 - Why Power Disincentivizes Democratic Change  Research/Links: Vlandas study: https://muse.jhu.edu/article/980470  Tobi Lutke’s idea that pensioners be excluded from voting is offensive. The concern behind it isn’t https://www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/article-tobi-lutke-shopify-tech-pensioners-vote/ How to give children the vote https://milescorak.com/2012/04/20/how-to-give-children-the-vote/?utm_source=chatgpt.com Citizenship as a privilege or as a right: should children be given the vote? https://milescorak.com/2013/03/28/citizenship-as-a-privilege-or-as-a-right-should-children-be-given-the-vote/?utm_source=chatgpt.com Should Children be Given the Vote?: Miles Corak at TEDxWaterloo 2013 https://youtu.be/anYFFlOtZKo?si=PYrUE7U_0RFuK2-y Should children vote? I argue that there are reasonable ways to give children the vote in an interview with CBC radio https://milescorak.com/2014/12/14/should-children-vote-i-argue-that-there-are-reasonable-ways-to-give-children-the-vote-in-an-interview-with-cbc-radio/?utm_source=chatgpt.com Why we should give children the vote ⁠https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/economy-lab/why-we-should-give-children-the-vote/article4101391/ Do Husbands and Wives Pool Their Resources? Evidence from the United Kingdom Child Benefit https://www.jstor.org/stable/146179?origin=crossref&seq=1 Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil

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 Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt break down the $100B–$120B "last mile" infrastructure crisis quietly halting major housing projects across the province, including thousands of stalled homes in Brooklin, Whitby, and Ajax. From the historical legacy of Sir Adam Beck’s publicly owned hydro model to modern electrification demands like EVs and heat pumps, we discuss why developers are being pushed to fund local grid expansions and what policy fixes, such as tax-exempt utility bonds and reforming the tax code’s 90/10 rule, can keep Ontario’s housing goals alive. Topics Covered: Can Ontario’s Grid Handle 1.5 Million New Homes?Mega Transmission Lines vs. The Real Grid BottleneckWhat is the "Last Mile" in Power Distribution?Case Study: Why 10,000 Homes Stalled in Brooklin, ONSkyrocketing Household Load: Heat Pumps & EV ChargersHistory Lesson: Sir Adam Beck & Ontario’s Original Power Vision"Build Ahead" vs. "Pay to Play": The Shift in Infrastructure FinancingThe Role of Local Distribution Companies (LDCs)Two Policy Fixes: Tax-Exempt Utility Bonds & Reforming the 90/10 Rule#OntarioHousing #CanadianPolitics #HousingCrisis #EnergyGrid #Infrastructure #TheMissingMiddle #SabrinaMaddeaux #MikeMoffatt Chapters: 00:00 Can Ontario's Grid Power 1.5 Million Homes? 01:43 The "Last Mile" Bottleneck & Stalled Developments 04:00 EV Demand & Ontario's Electrification History 05:29 Public Utilities vs. "Pay for Growth" 07:14 Local Distribution Companies & Funding Friction 10:11 Two Policy Solutions to Fix Grid Financing 12:07 Final Thoughts & Outro Research/links: North America’s electricity grid is ready to grow. Manufacturers needed to build it are placing their bets https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-north-americas-electricity-grid-is-ready-to-grow-manufacturers-needed/ Electrical Load map: https://oeb.planview.ca/Ontario-capacity-map/ Debt/Deficit MissingMiddle Episode referred to in video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2zza3GwZ7E Why a multibillion-dollar electricity infrastructure gap is threatening Ontario’s housing goals https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-ontario-cant-build-homes-without-rebuilding-power-grid/ Tracking housing supply progress https://www.ontario.ca/page/tracking-housing-supply-progress#section-0 Ontario Launches Expert Panel to Strengthen Local Electricity Distribution https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1006663/ontario-launches-expert-panel-to-strengthen-local-electricity-distribution?utm_source=chatgpt.com 2025 Ontario Economic - Outlook and Fiscal Review https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oTK_RueWPjD1Oc1YXVlT8nslnx9Ue_w6/view Forward Guidance: Canada’s Energy Future. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bySyMcg-p_4 Adam Beck https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/sir-adam-beck Build Faster Fund https://opencouncil.ca/program/building-faster-fund/ An early history of hydroelectric power in Niagara Falls https://nflibrary.ca/articles/an-early-history-of-hydroelectric-power-in-niagara-falls Ontario’s electric history https://thevarsity.ca/2026/02/03/ontarios-electric-history/ To Build More Homes, Ontario Launching Building Faster Fund and Expanding Strong Mayor Powers https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1003397/to-build-more-homes-ontario-launching-building-faster-fund-and-expanding-strong-mayor-powers Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin Edited by Sean Foreman and Canadian Civil