The Big Story

Or was it never really a bubble in the first place? What we know right now is that sales are falling, prices are dropping (slightly!) and some investors are getting out. What we don't know are the full ramifications of rising interest rates on a market that has been white hot for more than a decade now.Over the next few months, we'll see if this is a correction, a cooling or a crash. What will that mean for home owners? For aspiring buyers? For those stuck in a tough rental market? And even, yes, for people using homes as investment properties, which helped drive the market to such incredible highs?GUEST: Ari Altstedter, Bloomberg We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter

Heat isn't the same everywhere. Last week Toronto was the hottest place in Canada, but even if it wasn't it might have felt like it. Large metropolises are adept at soaking up heat and trapping it. Which means even the absence of the sun won't cool things down much. If you've got a nice shady street and plenty of air conditioning, it's an annoyance. If you don't have either, it's deadly.And with records breaking annually now, and even the "normal day" temperatures increasing, cities and the people who live in them need to adapt to a future that we're already living in.GUEST: Inori Roy, The Local We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter

50 years ago, a dispute arose between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island, a piece of land that exists almost exactly halfway between the coast of Nunavut and Greenland, a Danish territory. The island holds value as a hunting ground for local Indigenous populations, but holds no strategic or economic value for either nation. And yet, for five decades our two countries were unable to reach an agreement over ownership of the island. Canadian and Danish troops would, reportedly, exchange bottles of booze with one another, which is why the conflict is sometimes called the 'whisky war'.Recently, Canada, Greenland and Denmark reached an agreement that brought the conflict to the close. Essentially, they drew a line down the middle of the island, thus creating the first land border between Canada and Europe. So what does that actually mean in a geopolitical sense? Why did it take half a century to come up with a solution that sounds like it was written by a third grader? And as wider swathes of the region become accessible due to climate change, could the resolution serve as a framework for future Arctic diplomacy? GUEST: Martin Breum, Danish journalist and Arctic expert.    We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter

This week, Doug Ford announced an expansion of mayoral powers in Ontario's two largest municipalities, Toronto and Ottawa. The move would provide the mayors of both cities with significant veto power, giving them the ability to force motions through council without broader support. The changes come at an interesting time for Toronto, which is in the midst of a mayoral race where the incumbent, John Tory, is the heavy favourite. So will the new powers give mayors the ability to make headway on vital issues like housing or transit? Will it lead to an erosion of democracy in two of Canada's most influential cities? And what might Toronto look like under the reign of a largely unbounded John Tory? GUEST: Ben Spurr, city hall reporter at the Toronto Star.   We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter

Depending on which columnist you read or pundit you watch, it seems likely that Canada is headed for a recession in the not-too-distant future. People treat that word like it's the end of days, and many Canadians will definitely be feeling the pinch, but there are also things you can do that may mitigate the strain a recession will put on your personal finances. What those precautionary steps look like depends heavily on your financial situation. But regardless of your tax bracket there's always something you can do, even if that something is a step that many people are terrified to take when it comes to money: recognizing that there's an issue, and asking for help. GUEST: Kelley Keehn, personal finance expert, and author. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter

To be famous now, all you really need is an iphone, a TikTok account and some creativity. Gone were the days when celebrity status was dependent on starring film roles, or recording contracts, and the lowered barriers to entry have been great news for voices, like BIPOC or LGBTQ+ people who have long been excluded from the popular discourse.Has this increased access to celebrity caused a dilution of its power? And even as platforms allow people to cut out the middlemen and connect directly with their audience, will we see a new class of gatekeepers arise in their place? Is a more equitable media industry even possible when the profit motive still influences decisions above all else?GUEST: Stacy Lee Kong, Toronto-based writer, editor and critic. Founder of Friday Things We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter

Dr. Nili Kaplan-Myrth is a family physician in Ottawa who was thrust into the limelight early on in the Covid-19 pandemic, when she was vocal in advocating for greater PPE access for physicians. She later shifted her focus towards vaccine access, and recently threatened to sue the Ontario government if they continued to limit booster access to those above the age of 65.Dr. Kaplan-Myrth joined us to share her thoughts on healthcare worker burnout, booster access and the ways you can continue to protect yourself as infections continue to increase across Canada. She also spoke to us at length about the upsides and downsides to being a public figure, especially when it comes to vaccine advocacy.GUEST: Dr. Nili Kaplan-Myrth, family physician. You can read a profile of her here We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter

The COVID-19 pandemic caused many to quit their jobs. We know it as The Great Resignation. And while the pandemic was clearly the catalyst that pushed many across the world to re-evaluate their relationship with work, it likely wasn't the only factor. The biggest culprit might be stress, and it's actually the precursor to burning out. Today, we're exploring burning out at work, what it means, how to spot it before it's too late, and what you can do to advocate for yourself, and maybe even change some work norms. Guest: Vanessa Bohns is a professor of organizational behaviour at Cornell University and author of the book You Have More Influence Than You Think. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter

At the end of June, we released the 1000th episode of The Big Story, which felt like a huge accomplishment. From our team to you, here's a little message to show our appreciation.  We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter

Long lines. Flight delays and cancellations. Lost and missing luggage. Airports in Canada have been a mess, for weeks now. And it'll likely stay this way until September, experts warn. One way to avoid travel disappointment at airports in Canada and elsewhere, is simple: just don't take flights. Explore your own backyard! But, if you must travel by airline, we've got you covered with a survival guide. Guest: Jennifer Foden is a travel writer and editor based in Toronto. She was previously the editor of EnRoute, Air Canada’s travel magazine. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca Or @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter