In This Economy?!
Frequency Podcast Network
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.
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 23, 2025 • 15min
Will Canada have to kiss its sexy credit score goodbye?
No one likes checking their credit score and seeing a hit to the rating - even the Canadian government. Credit rating agencies are bracing for the upcoming November 4th federal budget, and with a lack of fiscal updates since the last federal budget under the Trudeau government, economists aren't quite sure what they should expect when it comes to the deficit.So just how deep could the red ink run? And will the minority federal government receive the backing from any of the opposition parties to get it passed through the House?Host Mike Eppel speaks to Randall Bartlett, Deputy Chief Economist at Desjardins to discuss what former-banker-turned-Prime Minister, Mark Carney, has up his sleeve for the upcoming budget, and what he plans to do about a potentially ominously large deficit.
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!
Oct 16, 2025 • 21min
Jeep production heads south, Canada's auto sector stays in purgatory
Canada's automotive sector continues to trot along the bumpy road, after auto giant Stellantis announced its plans to relocate Jeep production from the Brampton Assembly Plant to a location in Illinois.The Brampton plant has closed its doors in 2024 in preparation for the production of the new EV model, but that's also been paused after US President Trump's tariff announcement on the automotive sector earlier this year.The residuals of Trump's push for domestic vehicle production has since threatened the livelihoods of more than 3,000 at the Brampton plant alone, with the rest of the sector biting its nails for whatever else the President has up his sleeves. And Ottawa has since announced it might bring Stellantis before a judge if it actually goes through with their $13B investment moving down South.Host Mike Eppel speaks to Greg Layson, Digital and Mobile Editor at Automotive News Canada to break down the 'why' behind Stellantis' bombshell announcement, and where it leaves Canada's fragile automotive sector.
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!
Sep 26, 2025 • 33min
Is Ontario in a housing drought?
A recent report from the University of Ottawa shows 22 out of the 34 municipalities in Ontario were given failing grades in regards to taxes and red tape restrictions surrounding development acceleration.And unfortunately, Toronto seems to be wearing that 'F' right on its sleeve, reporting under 120 new condo sales in the month of August - a number that hasn't been that low in decades. And with the federal government making legislation to increase not just more housing, but affordable housing, how can we reignite builds? Host Mike Eppel speaks to Residential Construction Council of Ontario President Richard Lyall to get the answers.
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!
Sep 18, 2025 • 13min
Back to the office! How to take the workplace from good to great
One by one, companies are mandating their employees to kiss their hybrid work-from-home model goodbye and head back into the office.But what once was before the pandemic rocked society's work-life balance, is no longer, and companies need to take the extra mile to ensure their offices pose as a productive workspace for their employees to thrive in.Host of In This Economy!? Mike Eppel speaks to Sarah Bramley, Senior VP, Workplace Advisory for Colliers Canada. She co-authored a recent report that detailed the relationship between a great office space and increased productivity.
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!
Sep 5, 2025 • 23min
Why is it so hard for young people to find a job right now?
Finding a job is difficult for anyone right now, but especially for a certain sector.Young people are having difficulty finding work. In fact, the youth unemployment rate this summer has been up to nearly 15%.A new study is taking a look at the root causes and offering some possible solutions.Host of In This Economy!? Mike Eppel speaks to L.J. Valencia, one of the co-authors of the Desjardins report.
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!
Aug 15, 2025 • 21min
Are Canadian farmers going to be okay after the latest tariff threat?
Being a farmer in Canada isn't easy at the best of times, and there's a new big challenge ahead.This week, China announced a hefty tariff on our canola products, which happens to be this country's largest agricultural export.Billions of dollars are at stake - so how damaging could this be?Host of In This Economy?! Mike Eppel speaks with Mike von Massow, a professor in the Department of Food, Agriculture and Resource Economics at the University of Guelph.
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!
Aug 8, 2025 • 30min
Rating the overall health of the Canadian economy
As we approach the end of the summer, how is the economy actually doing and what can we expect for the rest of 2025? What does the data tell us about the impact of tariffs and what's really going on for Canadian businesses and households? Host Mike Eppel speaks to Don Drummond, economist and Staufford-Dunning Fellow at Queen's University and fellow in residence at the C.D. Howe Institute.
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!
Jul 17, 2025 • 17min
How to make sense of strong economic signals when all the pundits say the sky is falling?
Despite all the noise about tariffs and their potential impact, it appears the Canadian economy is actually weathering the storm.An interest rate cut looked like a slam dunk a month ago and now, with signs that the economy isn't falling off a cliff, it's highly doubtful that those rates will be going down.So what to make of where we're at in this economy? How do you plan when things are so unpredictable? Host Mike Eppel breaks it down with Royce Mendes, Managing Director and head of Macro Strategy at Desjardins.
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!
Jul 11, 2025 • 20min
How will the massive spending cuts being proposed by Ottawa impact you?
The civil service in Ottawa is bracing for layoffs.It comes after Finance Minister Francois-Phillippe Champagne was tasked with finding $25-billion dollars in savings to offset the biggest increase in defense spending in a generation. So how does that play in to our federal government's massive deficit? And how does that trickle down to you? Host Mike Eppel speaks with Dr. Wayne Petrozzi, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Politics and Public Administration at Toronto Metropolitan University.
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!
Jul 3, 2025 • 18min
Are we becoming less concerned with data breaches?
A data breach used to be big news. It was disconcerting to those impacted and was normally followed by a class action lawsuit. But as they become more ubiquitous, are we caring less? And if you're a victim of a data breach, what is the financial impact to you? Host Mike Eppel speaks with Mike Hortobagyi, Senior Manager, Solutions Engineering at Otka 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!
