This conversation explores the intersection of the Yes In My Backyard movement and urbanism, focusing on the question of whether the end goal is to legalize or require dense, walkable neighborhoods. Mike and Cara discuss the benefits of walkable neighborhoods, the challenges of legalizing density, and the impact of taxation and development charges. They also consider the future of cities if these barriers to density were removed, including the potential for more low-rise and missing middle homes. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the role of private backyards and the trade-offs between density and suburban living. Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

On May 23, professionals who work in the industry to develop missing middle housing, as well as those interested in building them, gathered at the Toronto Reference Library for a one-day conference.The Missing Middle podcast team spoke to the presenters and will be sharing those interviews with you each week on Fridays throughout the next month.Shea Gallagher, a principal with architecture firm Superkül, discusses a project he's working on along the Danforth in Toronto. He used it to demonstrate the challenges with building missing middle housing, in particular how servicing standards impact their ability to build within financial constraints.Links:Superkül https://www.superkul.ca/Producers: Cara Stern https://twitter.com/carasternMeredith Martin https://twitter.com/meredithmartinRuth TecleTechnical production by Mike Greene https://www.instagram.com/mikegreenemedia/This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/Brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute https://institute.smartprosperity.ca/Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

Recently, economist Mike Moffatt got into a bit of a Twitter argument with housing advocates who think a land value tax can solve the housing crisis. He doesn’t think so. This conversation explores the idea of a land value tax as a solution to the housing crisis. The hosts discuss the concept of a land value tax, which involves increasing the tax on the land portion of property and using the revenue for other purposes. They debate the effectiveness of this approach and its potential impact on housing development. Chapters00:00 Introduction01:31 Defining a Land Value Tax03:15 The Functioning of the Current Property Tax System04:30 The Concept of Taxing Land Value06:00 Taxing Land and Structure Components07:10 What are the advocates advocating for?08:20 Different Proposals for a Land Value Tax09:45 The City of Toronto's Approach to Housing Development11:30 Is a Land Value Tax the Way To Go?13:00 Increasing efficiency of a property?14:44 Consequences of a Land Value Tax for Homeowners16:11 Do we want to Live the plot of Happy Gilmore?17:45 Picking a Political Fight We Don’t Need to Pick20:00 Encouraging Advocacy for Fairness and Solutions21:15 When to Dip Your Shirt In Lemon JuiceLinks:How To Remove Ballpoint Pen Ink Stains From Your Clothinghttps://www.sourcecollections.com/pages/stain-guides-ball-point-ink-stains#:~:text=For%20felt%20pen%20stains%2C%20lemon,stain%20and%20let%20it%20dry.&text=Next%2C%20scrub%20the%20stain%20using,your%20fingers%2C%20with%20cold%20water.Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

On May 23, professionals who work in the industry to develop missing middle housing, as well as those interested in building them, gathered at the Toronto Reference Library for a one-day conference.The Missing Middle podcast team spoke to the presenters and will be sharing those interviews with you each week on Fridays.Evan Saskin, an architect and builder, discusses his company Blue Lion Building and their focus on multi-unit urban infill residential buildings. They specialize in subdividing single-family housing lots to create multiple residential units.Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Blue Lion Building02:18 Designing Sustainable and High-Quality Housing03:34 The Process of Building Infill Properties06:23 Navigating Bureaucratic Challenges in Housing DevelopmentLinks:Blue Lion Building https://www.bluelionbuilding.com/Producers: Cara Stern https://twitter.com/carasternMeredith Martin https://twitter.com/meredithmartinRuth TecleTechnical production by Mike Greene https://www.instagram.com/mikegreenemedia/This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/Brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute https://institute.smartprosperity.ca/Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

A recent Leger poll examined how young Canadians feel about their economic situation, and whether they're getting enough support from the government.Mike Moffatt and Cara Stern discuss the results, which found that millennials and Gen Z feel they are worse off than their parents. They also touch on the perception that politicians prioritize the interests of older generations over younger ones. The conversation highlights the need for more government support and better allocation of resources to address the struggles faced by millennials. Cara and Mike express concerns about the future and the impact of high taxes and debt on younger generations.The conversation explores the challenges faced by millennials in Canada, focusing on topics such as housing affordability, education, career prospects, and government spending. Links:Opinions and Perspectives of Young Canadians: https://leger360.com/opinions-and-perspectives-of-young-canadians/#:~:text=More%20than%20two%2Dthirds%20of,it%20was%20for%20their%20parents.War on the Young: https://www.profgalloway.com/war-on-the-young/ Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

Part of the Missing Middle Summit SeriesOn May 23, professionals who work in the industry to develop missing middle housing, as well as those interested in building them, gathered at the Toronto Reference Library for a one-day conference.The Missing Middle podcast team spoke to the presenters and will be sharing those interviews with you each week on Fridays for the next eight weeks.First up is Eric Lombardi, founder of the YIMBY group More Neighbours Toronto, who talked about why missing middle homes are so important to build.Production by Cara Stern, Meredith Martin, and Ruth TecleTechnical production by Mike GreeneHosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

The number of temporary foreign workers in Canada has been increasing, and that has led to all sorts of concerns. There’s low youth employment levels, stagnant wages, and industries that rely entirely on low-wage temporary workers to keep prices low.In this discussion, economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern talk about the different types of temporary residents, the support they receive from the government, and the impact they have on the economy and labour market.Links:Temporary residents in Canada rise to 2.8 million ahead of government restrictionsA snapshot of employment among youth in CanadaNational Bank of Canada Hot ChartsHosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

If you get deep enough into the conversation about the housing crisis, you're inevitably going to hear the words "single egress". A lot of people, especially in Canada, think that the country is too strict with its stairwell rules, which require multiple exits for almost every multi-storey apartment building.Conrad Speckert, intern architect at LGA Architectural Partners, thinks this needs to change, and tells Mike and Cara why.Links:This site is a guide for converting single family homes to multi-unit housing.https://rehousing.ca/Guest: Conrad Speckert https://x.com/conrad_speckertHosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin This 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 return-to-office plans and the role of politicians in helping local business districts survive. It explores the controversy surrounding the mayor of Toronto's push to get workers back to the office and the potential negative impacts on workers, the environment, and affordability. The idea of converting unused office space into apartments is also discussed as a potential solution.  More reading:Olivia Chow wants to bring Toronto’s downtown back to life — and she’s meeting bank CEOs about increasing office days to do itIs working from home killing downtown cores? Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin This 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 the idea of a tax break for landlords in the UK who sell their homes to their tenants. They explore the potential impact of this policy and whether it could be applicable in Canada. They also discuss the broader housing crisis and the importance of choice between renting and owning a home. More reading:Tories’ capital gains tax break stands to save landlords over £21,000 on averageHosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.