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 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 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 Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin This 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 Maddeaux Produced by Meredith Martin This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

In this conversation, Mike Moffatt and Cara Stern discuss inflation and the Bank of Canada's approach to managing it. They explore the factors that contribute to inflation, such as supply-side disruptions and demand-side spending. They also discuss the challenges of predicting and controlling inflation, as well as the potential impact of inflation on different sectors of the economy. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the Bank of Canada's upcoming decision on interest rates and its influence on the markets.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.

Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern talk to transit expert Reece Martin about the challenges and issues surrounding transit development in Canada. He highlights the decline in the ability to deliver transit projects effectively, the high costs of building subways in Toronto and the impact of NIMBYism on transit development are also discussed. Reece emphasizes the need for transparency, accountability, and integration between transit and land use. He expresses optimism for the future of transit in Canada and the potential for building high-speed rail. Overall, the conversation sheds light on the importance of improving transit project delivery and creating a more efficient and affordable transit system in Canada.Smart Prosperity Institute: https://institute.smartprosperity.ca/Reece Martin: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf4iKXL_SJQ5d0qsKkboRRQHosted 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.

Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern talk to Armine Yalnizyan, economist and Atkinson Fellow On The Future Of Workers, about what role the Bank of Canada has played in the housing crisis. In this wide-ranging discussion, they discuss how wages have lagged significantly behind housing prices and how the Canadian Central Bank’s decision to quickly raise interest rates has affected mortgage holders. 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.

Because it’s a short week, instead of a full episode, we've got a short extra segment from our conversation with economist Armine Yalnizyan on whether GDP per capita is a good indicator of individual well-being.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 episode of The Missing Middle Podcast journalist Cara Stern welcomes Shaista, a long-time Toronto and 905 real estate observer who provides wonderful insights on everything from the state of Ontario’s tribunal system to the plight of international students. In this wide ranging conversation, Cara Stern and Shaishta - better known by her twitter handle, Justice Queen  - discuss various topics related to Toronto real estate, including the changing market, the impact on landlords & tenants, and the challenges faced by international students. Shaishta shares her personal journey into real estate and highlights the importance of understanding both the landlord and tenant perspectives. She emphasizes the need for education and better enforcement of rules to improve the landlord-tenant relationship. The conversation sheds light on the ethical issues in the recruitment of international students and the mental health challenges they face. Overall, the discussion provides valuable insights into the complexities of the Toronto housing market. The conversation explores the challenges faced by international students in Canada, particularly regarding housing. It highlights the labour market assessments that employers should be conducting and the high costs associated with it. The discussion emphasizes the need for the international students' experiences to change with a specific focus on addressing the housing crisis in Canada. The role of schools and bad actors in providing adequate housing is also discussed. The conversation concludes with a focus on the government's failure to implement housing policies and the importance of zoning and addressing the shortage of construction workers.Guest: Shaista, AKA Justice QueenHosted 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 lot of people have been challenging the notion that GDP is a good measure of the economy. Instead, they suggest, we should look at GDP per capita to determine whether life is getting better for individuals, rather than the country as a whole.But is GDP per capita an economic triumph or a "garbage metric"? In this 23-minute discussion, Smart Prosperity Institute https://institute.smartprosperity.ca/ economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern talk to Armine Yalnizyan, Economist and Atkinson Fellow On The Future Of Workers, explore the limitations of GDP per capita as a measure of economic health and well-being. The conversation highlights the issues of income distribution, the influence of tax havens and oil-producing countries on GDP per capita rankings, and the need to consider factors such as productivity and demographic changes. The discussion also touches on the challenges of measuring the digital revolution's impact on GDP and the importance of collecting real-time data.Guest: Armine Yalnizyan https://twitter.com/ArmineYalnizyanThis podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/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.

Last week the federal government introduced a cap on international student visas. Going forward they will be distributed to the provinces on a per-capita basis. That got us thinking about Canada’s immigration policies in general. Canada’s openness to immigrants has always been one of Canada's great strengths. Our temporary immigration programs have some unique problems that are really tough to solve, but what about Canada’s permanent immigration system? How does it work? And do we have the right targets for Canada’s success?In this 15-minute episode of the Missing Middle Podcast, Smart Prosperity Institute economist Mike Moffatt and journalist Cara Stern about the permanent and temporary streams of Canadian immigration, providing a lens through which to view the broader impact of the Trudeau government's targets on Canada's future growth and diversity.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.