The Missing Middle Podcast

Hosted by Cara Stern, Mike Moffatt, and Meredith Martin

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Episodes

201

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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EN-CA

About the show

Welcome to the Missing Middle, a podcast about why the middle class in Canada is disappearing. We hope to help you understand why life is becoming unaffordable for so many in this country, and what can be done to reverse course.

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60 recent

August 14, 2026Episode 19825 min

The Secret to Building Family-Friendly Housing in Existing Neighbourhoods

Canada needs more housing, but building in existing neighbourhoods often faces strong local opposition. Could gentle density be a solution?In this episode of DemograFix, Cara Stern and Mike Moffatt discuss how infill housing, form-based zoning, and streamlined regulations could help Canada build more family-friendly homes while balancing concerns about neighbourhood character, infrastructure, parking, and density. They also examine multiplex debates in Toronto and Calgary, and whether zoning reform and condo rules are limiting new homeownership opportunities.Topics covered:What is gentle density?Why Canada needs more family-friendly housingThe fight over multiplexes and infill housingToronto's sixplex debateCalgary's citywide upzoning rollbackForm-based zoning explainedZoning vs. building codeHow standardized zoning could reduce red tapeParking, infrastructure, and neighbourhood concernsCreating more homeownership opportunities through gentle densityCondo regulations and small-scale housingBritish Columbia's small-scale, multi-unit housing approachWhat Oregon is doing differentlyShould gentle density start with greenfield development?Can gentle density overcome NIMBY and YIMBY opposition?Chapters:00:00 – Canada’s Housing Problem and the Case for Gentle Density01:25 – The Three Ways Cities Can Build More Housing03:00 – Why Multiplexes Face Local Opposition04:35 – Toronto’s Controversial Station Road Eightplex06:15 – Calgary’s Upzoning Rollback07:30 – What Is Gentle Density?08:20 – Objection #1: Buildings Are Too Tall09:35 – Form-Based Zoning Explained11:05 – Zoning vs. Building Codes12:15 – Objection #2: Buildings Are Too Large13:05 – Objection #3: Parking and Infrastructure14:25 – Can Gentle Density Benefit Existing Homeowners?16:10 – Tiny Homes and Pocket Neighbourhoods17:25 – Does Density Mean More Rental Housing?19:00 – Making Small-Scale Homeownership Easier20:25 – What Canada Can Learn From B.C. and Oregon21:45 – Where Should Gentle Density Start?23:00 – Can Gentle Density Actually Get Political Support?24:15 – NIMBYs vs. YIMBYs: Is Gentle Density Too Mild?25:00 – Moving Beyond Arbitrary Unit CountsResearch/links:MMI Gentle Density Report: https://www.missingmiddleinitiative.ca/p/from-policy-gridlock-to-housing-growth NIMBYs will Fight Even the Gentlest of Densityhttps://youtu.be/6WavljFV7fM?si=geir1FhAbhdgliv_Nightmare on Craven Road: When Local Politics Derail Citywide Housing Goalshttps://youtu.be/qVQ4gQRnOss?si=RFywNBKZedLERiuj2025 Statcan Study: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/36-28-0001/2025005/article/00003-eng.htm2026 Statcan Study: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/46-28-0001/2026001/article/00002-eng.htmToronto:https://toronto.citynews.ca/2026/04/22/etobicoke-eightplex-site-mimico-residents-developer-toronto/Calgary:https://calgary.citynews.ca/2026/04/22/calgary-federal-housing-funds/ Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina MaddeauxProduced by Meredith MartinFunded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

August 12, 2026Episode 19717 min

Why Are Young People Paying for Wealthy Seniors?

Canada’s growing debt isn’t just a problem for governments; it could shape the future for younger generations.Sabrina Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt explore how government debt, Old Age Security (OAS), and spending choices shift wealth between generations. They discuss whether wealthy seniors should receive full OAS benefits and how younger Canadians may be paying more through higher taxes, housing costs, and rising debt.While not all debt is harmful, borrowing for long-term investments like infrastructure, transit, housing, and energy can be beneficial, borrowing to sustain costly programs is more controversial and raises questions about long-term fiscal sustainability.The key question: Is Canada placing too much of the financial burden on younger generations?Topics covered:• Canada’s rising public debt and interest costs• Old Age Security (OAS) and wealthy seniors• Intergenerational wealth transfers• Why government debt is rarely fully “paid off”• Infrastructure investment vs. program spending• The Gordie Howe Bridge and public investment• Inflation, money creation, and debt• Housing, taxes, and affordability for younger Canadians• OAS reform and fiscal trade-offsChapters:01:28 OAS: The $100 Billion Problem Hiding in the Budget02:09 Why Wealthy Seniors Still Get Old Age Security03:28 When Government Debt Is Actually a Good Thing05:29 Who Should Pay for Infrastructure That Lasts 100 Years?06:00 The Gordie Howe Bridge and the Case for Government Debt06:53 The Truth About How Government Debt Gets Paid Off08:49 Why Canada’s Growing Debt Still Matters09:16 How Government Debt Can Fuel Inflation10:18 What Happens When Governments Can’t Borrow?11:38 Why Deficits Are Especially Dangerous for OAS12:08 Should Canada Cut Old Age Security?13:10 Are Younger Canadians Giving Up on Canada?13:58 There’s No Easy Way to Fix the Intergenerational Wealth Gap14:55 Why Younger Canadians Want Lower Taxes16:20 Why Tax Cuts Aren’t Fixing the Generational Divide16:46 When Government Debt Makes Sense—and When It Doesn’tResearch/Links:As Canada faces crippling debt, it must do the unpopular thing and cut elderly benefitshttps://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-canada-debt-cut-elderly-benefits/Scott Gallowy Short:https://youtube.com/shorts/PAAbLq1bJY0?si=9-Z06rW1H8tiQW-kCanadian taxpayers face up to $3,348 each in government debt interesthttps://www.wealthprofessional.ca/news/industry-news/canadian-taxpayers-face-up-to-3348-each-in-government-debt-interest/392762The Burdens of borrowing: Government debt and intergenerational fairnesshttps://www.if.org.uk/2025/01/28/the-burdens-of-borrowing-government-debt-and-intergenerational-fairness/G7 debt is now a pressure point for anxious marketshttps://www.reuters.com/world/china/g7-debt-is-now-pressure-point-anxious-markets-2025-06-03/The evolution of federal debt interest costs in Canadahttps://www.fraserinstitute.org/commentary/evolution-federal-debt-interest-costs-canadaCanada’s combined federal-provincial government debt estimated to surpass $2.4 trillion in 2025/26https://www.fraserinstitute.org/studies/growing-debt-burden-canadians-2026-editionIntergenerational Injustice in Canadian Public Financehttps://www.gensqueeze.ca/intergenerational_injustice_in_canadian_public_financeHosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina MaddeauxProduced by Meredith MartinFunded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

August 5, 2026Episode 19620 min

Is Outdated Parental Leave to Blame for Canada's Fertility Crisis?

Canada’s parental leave system was built for a workforce that no longer exists. As work and family life have changed, the policy hasn’t, leaving more parents without the support they need.In this episode of Classonomics, Sabrina Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt examine why Canada's parental leave system is increasingly out of step with today's workforce. They discuss how rising housing costs, stagnant income replacement, contract work, and outdated Employment Insurance rules are making it harder for Canadians to start or grow their families.The conversation explores why many parents, especially freelancers, self-employed workers, and those in the gig economy, struggle to qualify for benefits, how employer parental leave top-ups are disappearing, and what Canada can learn from Quebec's parental insurance plan and Finland's family-friendly reforms.Topics covered:Why Canada's fertility rate has reached a record lowHow EI parental leave actually worksWhy one-third of Canadian mothers don't qualify for paid parental leaveThe financial reality of taking parental leave todayHousing costs and the affordability of raising childrenWhy freelancers, contractors, and gig workers are left behindThe decline of employer parental leave top-upsQuebec's parental leave model and its impact on fertilityFinland's parental leave reforms and shared parentingPolicy reforms that could make it easier for Canadians to have the families they wantChapters:00:00 Why Canada's fertility rate hit a record low00:49 How Canada's parental leave system actually works02:42 Why Young Canadians Are Delaying Having Kids04:18 The Hidden Financial Penalty of Parental Leave06:32 Why 1 in 3 Mothers Can't Access Paid Leave08:08 The Self-Employment Trap10:02 Why Employer Parental Leave Benefits Are Shrinking12:37 What Quebec Gets Right About Parental Leave14:34 Finland's Family Policy Is Changing Fatherhood16:28 How Canada Could Fix Parental Leave Research links:Statistics Canada -- Canada's total fertility rate reaches a new low in 2024:https://www.statcan.gc.ca/o1/en/plus/9140-canadas-total-fertility-rate-reaches-new-low-2024Statistics Canada -- The Daily: Fertility and baby names, 2024:https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/250924/dq250924d-eng.htmThe Hub / Cardus -- Stop dismissing falling fertility rates as a choice (2.2 children wanted stat):https://thehub.ca/2026/04/14/with-a-record-low-1-25-children-per-canadian-woman-stop-dismissing-falling-fertility-rates-as-a-choice/Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives -- Support for parents in a post-pandemic world (EI reform; replacement rate, eligibility threshold proposals):https://www.policyalternatives.ca/news-research/support-for-parents-in-a-post-pandemic-world-options-for-enhancing-federal-maternity-and-parental-leave/Policy Options / IRPP -- Parental leave benefits need to be more practical and equitable (1 in 4 self-employed stat; top-up decline):https://policyoptions.irpp.org/2024/05/parental-leave-equity/PMC -- Policy and Fertility: A Case Study of the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (peer-reviewed; fertility lift estimates):https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11070327/Yle News / Helsinki Times -- More fathers taking parental leave since Finland's 2022 law change:https://yle.fi/a/74-20162964Fast Company -- Deloitte and Zoom cut parental leave and other benefits:https://www.fastcompany.com/91530300/deloitte-and-zoom-cut-parental-leave-and-other-benefitsPMC -- Reconceptualizing Parental Leave Benefits in COVID-19 Canada: From Employment Policy to Care Policy (EI vs QPIP comparison; self-employed eligibility history):https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8229861/Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina MaddeauxProduced by Meredith MartinFunded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

July 31, 2026Episode 19519 min

Why Suburbs Will Stay in High Demand for Decades

Many people assume Canada’s suburbs are destined to decline as Baby Boomers age and younger generations embrace urban living. But does the data actually support that?In this episode of DemograFix, Cara Stern and Mike Moffatt examine new Statistics Canada research on how immigrants’ housing choices evolve over time. While most newcomers begin as renters in urban centres, the data shows many transition into homeownership, including family-sized homes in the suburbs, as they build their lives in Canada.They also test this prediction against several scenarios that could prove it wrong, including lower immigration, more family-sized housing in cities, rising emigration, and changing housing preferences.Chapters:00:00 Why Everyone Got the Future of the Suburbs Wrong00:27 Do Immigrants Actually Want Suburban Homes?01:54 Why Newcomers Rent First—Then Buy Houses04:33 Are Immigrants Buying Condos or Single-Family Homes?06:56 Why Immigration Policy Shapes Housing Demand08:03 Will Baby Boomers Flood the Market With Homes?09:13 What Could Kill Demand for the Canadian Suburb?10:28 Could Better Cities Replace the Suburbs?12:04 Will Young Canadians Leave Instead of Buying Homes?13:09 Is the Dream of a House With a Backyard Dying?14:21 Does Canada's Housing Market Still Attract Immigrants?17:54 Why People Buy Homes Even When It's a Bad Investment19:15 The Housing Lesson Policymakers Keep MissingResearch/links:Housing use of immigrants and non-permanent residents in ownership and rental markets https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/36-28-0001/2025005/article/00003-eng.htmThe homeownership trajectories of recent immigrantshttps://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/46-28-0001/2026001/article/00002-eng.htmCredits:Mike Moffatt https://twitter.com/MikePMoffatthttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepmoffatt.bsky.socialCara Stern https://x.com/carasternhttps://bsky.app/profile/carastern.bsky.socialMeredith Martin https://twitter.com/meredithmartinhttps://bsky.app/profile/meredithmartin.bsky.socialSean Foreman@seanegertonforemanhttps://bsky.app/profile/seanforeman.bsky.socialCo-op StudentKelly HobanHosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina MaddeauxProduced by Meredith MartinFunded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

July 29, 2026Episode 19414 min

The Surprising Way Greenbelts Can Increase Urban Sprawl

Canada has spent decades trying to curb urban sprawl through policies like greenbelts, urban growth boundaries, and higher development charges, but what if those policies are having the opposite effect?In this episode, Mike Moffatt and Sabrina Maddeaux examine the rise of "leapfrog development," where families priced out of cities move beyond growth boundaries into neighbouring communities, leading to longer commutes, higher infrastructure costs, and even more sprawl. They explore real-world examples from Ottawa, London, and the Greater Toronto Area, discuss the research behind these trends, and ask whether it's time to rethink how Canadian cities grow.Topics covered:Why urban growth boundaries were createdWhat leapfrog development is and why it mattersHow greenbelts and development charges affect housing affordabilityWhy more families are moving outside city limitsThe Ottawa and Carleton Place case studyStatistics Canada's commuting data and metro boundariesThe relationship between housing costs, commuting, and emissionsWhy regional planning may work better than local planningCan cities reduce sprawl without pricing families out?Subscribe for more conversations on housing, affordability, economics, and public policy in Canada.#Housing #Canada #UrbanPlanning #HousingCrisis #RealEstate #Affordability #Greenbelt #UrbanSprawl #PublicPolicy #MissingMiddleChapters:00:00 Is the Greenbelt Actually Causing More Sprawl?01:33 The "Strange Pattern" of Ontario's Development 03:11 How StatsCan Defines Metro Boundaries 05:07 The Rise of the "Commuter Village" 07:59 What is "Leapfrog Development" & Why Boundaries Fail 11:02 Why the Environmental Movement Refuses to Change Its Mind 12:51 Anti-Sprawl Politics: Virtue Signaling vs. Real Outcomes Research:Did Development Charges Cause Metro Ottawa to Grow by Over 1000km in Size?https://www.missingmiddleinitiative.ca/p/did-development-charges-cause-metro Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina MaddeauxProduced by Meredith MartinFunded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

July 17, 2026Episode 19319 min

Three Kids Are the New Status Symbol

Has having three kids become a status symbol in Canada?In this episode of DemograFix, Cara Stern and Mike Moffatt explore why having three children has become a luxury for many middle-class Canadian families. From the cost of family-sized housing to childcare, career sacrifices, transportation, and the changing expectations placed on parents, they break down why so many families stop at two, even when they wanted more.The conversation also looks at Canadian and international research on fertility, Quebec's childcare experiment, why family-sized homes have almost disappeared from our cities, and what governments would actually need to change if they want Canadians to have the families they hope for.If you've ever wondered why three kids now feels like a status symbol, this episode explains the economics behind it.Topics covered:Why Canada's fertility rate has reached record lowsIs a third child becoming a luxury good?How housing shortages shape family sizeWhy family-sized homes are disappearingThe hidden career costs of having childrenDoes affordable childcare actually increase birth rates?Why cities are losing young familiesWhat policies could make raising larger families affordable againChapters:00:00 Why 3 Kids Are Becoming a Rich Person's Luxury00:58 When Families Become Status Symbols03:03 The Housing Crisis is Eliminating the Third Child05:09 Canada Stopped Building Family Homes06:28 The Big Childcare Problem07:55 Does Cheap Childcare Actually Boost Birth Rates?12:15 The Real Cost of a Third Baby15:07 Families Are Being Forced Out of Cities17:20 How Canada Could Make Three Kids Affordable AgainResearch/links:More Crowding, Fewer Babies: The Effects of Housing Density on Fertility | Institute for Family Studies https://ifstudies.org/blog/more-crowding-fewer-babies-the-effects-of-housing-density-on-fertilityThe ultimate status symbol? A big familyhttps://www.ft.com/content/a4025e93-7552-4f8f-8ce2-e785a7d950a4?syn-25a6b1a6=1Opinion | Three Kids? You Showoffs. - The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/opinions/2008/04/06/three-kids-you-showoffs/6b7952ed-4547-4f9b-ae9b-cd9d2f1d8aa0/Why are some families with children leaving the inner city and other staying? https://www.scup.com/doi/10.18261/njus.2.1.2Home Alone | Cardus https://www.cardus.ca/research/family/reports/home-alone/Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina MaddeauxProduced by Meredith MartinFunded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

July 15, 2026Episode 19314 min

Is Chasing Too Many New Homes Canada’s Next Big Failure?

Is 500,000 new homes a year really what Canada needs to solve the housing crisis?In this episode of the Missing Middle’s Classonomics Podcast, Mike Moffatt and Sabrina Maddeaux examine whether Canada's headline housing targets still make sense now that immigration has slowed and population growth has changed. They discuss why housing starts can be a misleading metric, why the type of housing being built matters just as much as the number of homes, and what governments should actually measure if the goal is restoring affordability.Topics covered:Why the 500,000-home target may no longer be necessaryHow immigration affects housing demandWhy housing starts don't tell the full storyThe shortage of family-sized homesHigh-rise condos vs. townhomes and detached homesThe hidden costs preventing more housing from being builtWhat metrics governments should focus on instead of housing startsCan Canada restore middle-class housing affordability within a decade?Subscribe for more conversations on housing, affordability, economics, and public policy.Chapters:00:00 - Does Canada Really Need 500,000 Homes a Year?01:40 - Where Did the 500k Housing Starts Target Come From?02:47 - The Metrics Governments Should Focus On Instead04:11 - Balancing Housing Supply with Immigration Demand05:21 - The Population Math: Why 500k is Overkill06:40 - How Developers Bet on Future Immigration Policy08:39 - Why the Type of Housing Matters (High-Rises vs. Townhomes)10:12 - How Many Homes We Actually Need to Build11:08 - Solving the Crisis by Lowering Construction Costs13:04 - Will Baby Boomers Free Up Suburban Housing?Research/linksThe Impossible Trinity that Broke Canadian Housinghttps://open.substack.com/pub/missingmiddleinitiative/p/the-impossible-trinity-that-broke?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=webThe Housing Trilemma: Why You Can't Afford a Homehttps://www.missingmiddleinitiative.ca/p/the-housing-trilemma-why-you-cant Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina MaddeauxProduced by Meredith MartinFunded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

July 10, 2026Episode 19221 min

Is the Temporary Foreign Worker Program Hurting Young People?

When a business faces a labour shortage, the free market says they should raise wages. So why is Canada’s government stepping in to make labour cheaper instead?In this episode of The Missing Middle, Cara Stern and Mike Moffatt dive into how Canada's low-wage Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program and the explosion of international student work caps have completely disrupted the laws of supply and demand. As Canadian youth face historic unemployment rates, we break down how corporate lobbying and government policy created a cheat code that insulates businesses from capitalism, while pushing young workers off the first rung of the career ladder.From the housing crisis in Alberta's mountain tourist towns to Tim Hortons' recent PR scramble, we expose the loop of corporate reliance on exploitable temporary labor and ask: how do we let the market actually fix itself?Topics covered:Canada's rising youth unemployment rateThe Temporary Foreign Worker Program explainedHow international student work rules affect the job marketWhy labour shortages don't always mean there aren't enough workersSeasonal jobs, tourism, and staff housingThe economics of wages, supply, and demandTim Hortons and the TFW controversyPolicy solutions to improve opportunities for young Canadians#Canada #YouthUnemployment #TemporaryForeignWorkers #Jobs #CanadianEconomy #LabourMarket #Economics #Immigration #PublicPolicy #MissingMiddleChapters:00:00 - The Free Market Myth in Canada01:24 - Gen Z vs. Gen X: The Youth Unemployment Crisis02:12 - Why Student Jobs Suddenly Vanished03:32 - How the TFW Program Ballooned Over 50 Years05:39 - The Corporate Lobbying Flipping Immigration Rules07:11 - Debunking the Alberta "Labour Shortage"09:47 - Why Canada Insulates Businesses From Capitalism11:11 - What "Dirty Dancing" Teaches Us About Seasonal Housing14:06 - The Dark Side of Temporary Work Regulations16:02 - Exposing Tim Hortons' "Local Hiring" PR Spin18:57 - How to Break the TFW Doom LoopResearch/links:Tourist towns ‘desperate’ for workers in Albertahttps://www.cp24.com/news/2026/03/28/i-have-to-find-at-least-35-people-before-june-1-worker-shortages-in-albertas-tourist-towns/Tim Hortons says it will hire locals, scale back temporary foreign workershttps://globalnews.ca/news/11863474/tim-hortons-temporary-foreign-workers/Tim Hortons is Committed to Local Hiring Launching National Campaign to Hire 10,000 Local Team Members https://www.news.timhortons.ca/en/articles/tim-hortons-is-committed-to-local-hiring-launching-national-campYouth unemployment in Canada jumped 57% in 3 years, hitting levels previously unseen outside a recessionhttps://thehub.ca/2026/05/07/canadas-youth-unemployment-jumped-57-in-3-years-hit-unprecedented-jobless-levels-outside-recession-by-2025/Youth unemployment in Canada near record highs since 2022; unprecedented levels outside of a recessionhttps://www.fraserinstitute.org/studies/extraordinary-increase-youth-unemployment-canadahttps://www.fraserinstitute.org/sites/default/files/2026-04/extraordinary-increase-of-youth-unemployment-in-canada.pdfTemporary ForeignWorkers in Canada:Are They Really Filling Labour Shortages?https://cdhowe.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/commentary_407.pdfStatsCan: Drayton Valley statistical area sees lowest unemployment in Alberta at 4.9 per centhttps://www.bigwestcountry.ca/2026/06/05/statscan-drayton-valley-statistical-area-sees-lowest-unemployment-in-alberta-at-4-9-per-cent/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20latest%20Labour,5.3%20per%20cent%20in%20AprilCanada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Programs - The Canadian Encyclopediahttps://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/canadas-temporary-foreign-worker-programsBusinesses face new limits on temporary foreign worker programhttps://www.cbc.ca/news/business/tfw-program-new-limits-1.73337773 problems with the temporary foreign worker program and 3 possible fixes, according to expertshttps://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/temporary-foreign-worker-program-fixes-1.7633045Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina MaddeauxProduced by Meredith MartinFunded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

July 8, 2026Episode 19119 min

Why Return-to-Office Didn't Bring Canadians Back to Big Cities

Why are so many young Canadian families leaving Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal? Even after return-to-office mandates, the exodus from Canada's largest cities continues.In this episode of Classonomics, Mike Moffatt and Sabrina Maddeaux explore the data behind Canada's urban migration trends and debate why affordability isn't the only factor driving people away. They discuss housing costs, crime and public safety, mental health, community, urban planning, and whether government policies are making sprawl even worse.Topics covered:Why Canadians are leaving the GTA, Metro Vancouver, and MontrealWhy return-to-office hasn't reversed the trendHousing affordability and the shortage of family-sized homesCrime, public safety, and quality of life in big citiesMental health, community, and life satisfactionUrban growth boundaries, the Greenbelt, and sprawlWhy smaller cities are attracting young familiesWhat policymakers are getting wrong about housing and urban planningSubscribe for more conversations on housing, economics, public policy, and the future of Canada.Chapters: 00:00 The Great Canadian Family Exodus01:05 Mike's Biggest Prediction Miss03:05 Why Millennials Are Leaving Cities04:17 Is Toronto Becoming Too Chaotic?06:22 Does Crime Make Families Move?09:44 Are Small Towns Better for Mental Health?11:57 Why Community Matters More Than Ever14:32 It All Comes Back to Housing15:35 The Greenbelt's Unintended Consequences17:29 When Good Environmental Policy Goes Wrong18:40 The Case for Evidence-Based PolicyResearch/links:Housing is a large part of the story. The OECD has examined this:https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/2025/05/oecd-economic-surveys-canada-2025_ee18a269/full-report/improving-housing-affordability_3d430d2e.htmlAs has Statistics Canada: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/241119/dq241119b-eng.htm Remote Work and Employment Dynamics under COVID-19: Evidence from Canada https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7971424/Upjohn Institute: https://www.upjohn.org/remote-works-quiet-impact-rural-communitiesC.D. Howe: https://cdhowe.org/publication/settling-new-normal-working-home-across-canada/ Social ties and quality of life, including lower rates of depression: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/75-006-x/2025002/article/00003-eng.htm https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20376426/ https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/home-and-design/article-why-some-people-are-choosing-country-life-over-the-city/ Though evidence is nuanced: https://www.cmaj.ca/content/184/17/E889 Crime and disorder:https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/urban-violent-crime-report-comparing-crime-across-canadian-cities-volume-2/https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2025001/article/00005-eng.htm McDonald-Laurier Report: https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Urban-Violent-Crime-Report_Final.pdf Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina MaddeauxProduced by Meredith MartinFunded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

July 3, 2026Episode 19117 min

From EI to Daycare: Navigating Parental Leave in Canada

Thinking about taking parental leave in Canada?In this episode of DemograFix Cara Stern talks with Jasmine Steffler (from Walkable Parenthood and Oh The Urbanity!) about her experience navigating parental leave. From understanding benefits and income replacement to finding childcare, building community, and adjusting to life with a new baby, Cara and Jasmine know what it takes to grow a family in Canada.If you're expecting a child or planning a family, this conversation covers many of the practical questions parents have before taking leave:✅ How parental leave and EI benefits work in Canada✅ The difference between 12- and 18-month leave options✅ Why Quebec's parental leave system is different✅ How much income you can expect while on leave✅ Finding daycare and understanding childcare costs✅ Building community and avoiding isolation during leave✅ Life with a baby in a walkable city without owning a car✅ What we wish we knew before taking leaveChapters:00:00 Introduction to Canadian Parental Leave00:48 Understanding Parental Leave Policies02:29 Choosing the Length of Leave02:51 The Quebec Parental Insurance Plan vs. Other Provinces05:08 Navigating the Childcare System06:15 Financial Challenges and Income Replacement07:50 Walking and Cycling Without a Car10:19 Finding Community During Parental Leave12:50 Lessons Learned and Future Considerations15:55 Traveling with a Young Child16:49 Conclusion and OutroResearch/links:The effect of leave policies on increasing fertility: a systematic review | Humanities and Social Sciences Communications https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-022-01270-w(PDF) Does Parental Leave Affect Fertility and Return-to-Work? Evidence from a "True Natural Experiment" https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5135837_Does_Parental_Leave_Affect_Fertility_and_Return-to-Work_Evidence_from_a_True_Natural_ExperimentThe Daily — Fertility and baby names, 2024 https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/250924/dq250924d-eng.htmHosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina MaddeauxProduced by Meredith MartinFunded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

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