In This Economy?!
Real people with real problems get realistic solutions. Your guide to understanding an unpredictable economy.
Are you stressed out about your finances? Feel like the odds are stacked against you? We are too. It feels like we should be able to afford all of these things as adults — a house, a car, raising children...even just a social life— but so many of us simply find it out of reach. How did the economy find itself here? Why are things the way they are? And how can we make it work anyway?
Each week, we take one of your problems and bring it straight to the experts. We find out how we ended up in this mess, and what you can do to achieve your personal goals. The economy might be unpredictable, but your success doesn’t have to be.
Latest episodes
Jun 26, 2025 • 24min
What can you expect from the economy in the second half of the year?
It's the mid-point of the year and it's the economic question everyone is asking - what's going to happen with interest rates?On this episode of In This Economy - you'll hear from an expert about whether our economy is weakening and what that means for you.Host Mike Eppel speaks with Royce Mendes, Managing Director of Macro Strategy at Desjardins to do some "fearless forecasting".
Do you have a topic that's confounding you in this economy? We'll be happy to dig into it for you and get you the answers you need. Email us at: rogerspodcastnetwork@rci.rogers.com. Thank you for listening!
Jun 20, 2025 • 19min
How do we REALLY deal with the issue of affordable housing?
Housing affordability is a buzz word lately but how likely is it that it will actually become reality? Actual action on the issue has been really slow and housing starts aren't running at a pace that's it would need to be from a supply standpoint to make a meaningful difference. So what are the issues? What are the barriers to fixing this serious problem? Host Mike Eppel talks to Jordan Thomson, Director , Infrastructure Advisory at K-P-M-G Canada.
Do you have a topic that's confounding you in this economy? We'll be happy to dig into it for you and get you the answers you need. Email us at: rogerspodcastnetwork@rci.rogers.com. Thank you for listening!
Jun 19, 2025 • 28min
Are there implications for Canada from Trump's so-called "Big Beautiful Bill"?
In this crossover with The Big Story, you'll hear about the potential impact to Canadas economy from Trump's so-called "Big Beautiful Bill". The bill could potentially have implications for Canadian investors and pension plans.Host Mike Eppel breaks down what it all means with guest Stephen Johnston, Director of Asset Management for Omnigence.
Do you have a topic that's confounding you in this economy? We'll be happy to dig into it for you and get you the answers you need. Email us at: rogerspodcastnetwork@rci.rogers.com. Thank you for listening!
Jun 6, 2025 • 27min
Interest rates weren't cut this week. Why? It's complicated.
Interest rates weren't cut this week. Why? Well, it's complicated. The Bank of Canada didn't give borrowers a break when it set policy on Wednesday, as Tiff Macklem cited the need to wait for more data points. The word "uncertainty" is being thrown around, although ironically, the economy was actually stronger in the first quarter than forecast. Host Mike Eppel speaks to experts about the lack of a cut and what that means for the market, home buyers and home owners.Guests: Claire Fan, Senior Economist, Royal Bank of Canada Phil Soper, President Royal LePage
Do you have a topic that's confounding you in this economy? We'll be happy to dig into it for you and get you the answers you need. Email us at: rogerspodcastnetwork@rci.rogers.com. Thank you for listening!
May 23, 2025 • 16min
Buying a Cottage? In This Economy!?
The pandemic was a boom time in the cottage industry. As people decamped out of the city, the prices for cottages skyrocketed.However, in this softened real estate market, it's not easy to hold on to two homes, and that's becoming more obvious with the amount of cottages currently on the market.Host Mike Eppel digs into cottage life with Kingsley Ma, area VP of Re/Max Canada.
Do you have a topic that's confounding you in this economy? We'll be happy to dig into it for you and get you the answers you need. Email us at: rogerspodcastnetwork@rci.rogers.com. Thank you for listening!
May 16, 2025 • 17min
No federal budget this year: what does that mean for Canadians?
A big week on the budget front, for multiple reasons. Not only did Ontario release a budget that aims to get the province through the trade war, we learned that the new Liberal government will NOT be releasing a spring document. Host of "In This Economy" Mike Eppel digs into the consequences of all the budget news this week and has a sneak peek on what the Bank of Canada might do next.
Do you have a topic that's confounding you in this economy? We'll be happy to dig into it for you and get you the answers you need. Email us at: rogerspodcastnetwork@rci.rogers.com. Thank you for listening!
May 2, 2025 • 15min
Post-election, digging into whether or not our economy will fall into recession
We now have clarity now on Canada's new government, but predictions about the state of economy going forward are murkier. There are signs the economy is contracting, so what does that mean for you?Host Mike Eppel speaks with Dawn Desjardins, Chief Economist at Deloitte Canada.
Do you have a topic that's confounding you in this economy? We'll be happy to dig into it for you and get you the answers you need. Email us at: rogerspodcastnetwork@rci.rogers.com. Thank you for listening!
Apr 29, 2025 • 10min
Quick listen: How Monday's vote is impacting markets and looking at the challenges ahead
Monday's vote is being closely analyzed, both to finalize the results, and to determine what the impact on the market and economy will be. In this episode of "In This Economy", host Mike Eppel looks at what happened last night, and what the upcoming challenges will be with guest Randall Bartlett, Deputy Chief Economist of Desjardins Group.
Do you have a topic that's confounding you in this economy? We'll be happy to dig into it for you and get you the answers you need. Email us at: rogerspodcastnetwork@rci.rogers.com. Thank you for listening!
Apr 25, 2025 • 10min
Looking at the plight of small businesses in this very challenged year
Owning a small or medium sized business is never easy, and this year, it's been even more challenging. The small business sector is the country's largest employer and they're facing a ton of uncertainty from tariffs and the threat of higher inflation and a potential recession.Host Mike Eppel talks to Simon Gauldeault, Chief Economist and VP of Research for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business to get his take.
Do you have a topic that's confounding you in this economy? We'll be happy to dig into it for you and get you the answers you need. Email us at: rogerspodcastnetwork@rci.rogers.com. Thank you for listening!
Apr 13, 2025 • 15min
Minding your mortgage in the midst of a trade war
It's a fluctuation that would - and did - send anyone over the edge, even those in the Canadian real estate market. Although the volatility didn't burn this side of the border nearly as much as it did to the south, the question still stands: what's in store for those Canadians cued up for a mortgage renewal this year?
Host Mike Eppel speaks to Victor Tran, Mortgage and Real Estate Expert at rates.ca to discuss what the numbers mean and what we can expect to come in a seemingly never-ending tit-for-tat global trade war.
Do you have a topic that's confounding you in this economy? We'll be
happy to dig into it for you and get you the answers you need. Email us
at: rogerspodcastnetwork@rci.rogers.com. Thank you for listening!
