How Canada Fell Behind the World on Housing Affordability

This week on The Missing Middle Podcast, Mike Moffatt and Sabrina Maddeaux bust some myths and take a hard look at Canada’s place in the global housing landscape. Drawing on new OECD data, they reveal why Canada’s housing affordability crisis is among the worst in the developed world—with home prices having risen more than twice as fast as incomes since 1999. They compare Canada’s record to other OECD countries (spoiler: it’s not flattering) and highlight where affordability has been successfully maintained (hint: not here). Sabrina offers a theory on why both Canada and Australia are failing so badly at keeping homes affordable, and together, she and Mike make the case for dropping the excuse that this is just a “global trend.”Chapters:00:00 Introduction 01:30 Game:React to the Boomer Comment02:40 Young people don’t want responsibility?03:59 Global trend or Canadian crisis?05:12 Missing Middle study on the global housing landscape07:35 Home prices vs incomes09:33 It’s worse in Canada, it’s us, we’re the problem12:30 Which countries are better at affordability?15:00  Possible reasons Canada and Australia are struggling with affordability?Housing report card:https://jhelmer.quarto.pub/rescon-state-of-the-sector-quarterly-reports/12-report-card-brantford.htmlDerek Thompson Sunstack  - Chart 10https://www.derekthompson.org/p/the-25-most-interesting-ideas-ive?utm_source=www.profgmarkets.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=nvidia-to-invest-5-billion-in-intelCanada vs. the World: The Worst Record on Housing Affordability Since 2004https://www.missingmiddleinitiative.ca/p/canada-vs-the-world-the-worst-recordOECD Affordable Housing Database:https://www.oecd.org/en/data/datasets/oecd-affordable-housing-database.htmlHosted 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.

The Canada Revenue Agency is facing a public crisis: long delays, wrong assessments, and frustrated taxpayers. Hosts Sabrina Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt unpack the CRA’s 100-day “fix,” why it’s only a Band-Aid solution, and the deeper structural issues inside Canada’s tax system. From call-centre chaos to a tax code even accountants struggle to understand, this episode explores how CRA policies are eroding public trust and what real reform would look like.Mike also shares his personal experience battling denied medical expense claims and the endless back-and-forth with CRA agents. Together, they discuss the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, the agency’s growing enforcement powers, and why ordinary Canadians are being left behind by a broken system.Chapters00:00 Introduction 00:42 CRA's challenges02:35 An incredibly complicated tax code 03:42 Understanding taxpayer complaints04:50 Guilty until proven innocent06:16 The numbers behind objecting to assessments08:52 The taxpayer bill of rights10:05 Personal experiences with CRA13:42 BOOM!Research/links:There are much bigger problems with the CRA than just long hold timesThis is the real problem with the Canada Revenue AgencyTaxpayer Bill of Rightshttps://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/corporate/about-canada-revenue-agency-cra/taxpayer-bill-rights.htmlHosted 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.

Rents are finally dropping in many Canadian cities, yet finding an affordable, decent apartment still feels impossible. What’s going on with the rental market?In this episode, Sabrina Maddeaux sits down with Max Steinman, CEO of RentSync and Rentals.ca, to unpack what’s driving the recent rent declines, how rent control policies backfired, and why “financialization” isn’t the villain it’s made out to be.We dive into how younger Canadians are coping with record-high housing costs, what renters should know about purpose-built rentals vs. condos, and how government policies might actually be making things worse.Tell us your rental horror stories or questions at [email protected] out current rent data at Rentals.caSubscribe for more honest conversations about the housing crisis, policy failures, and creative solutions for the Missing Middle of Canada’s cities.Chapters00:00 Intro: Why Economists Hate Rent Control00:15 Why rents are falling even as it feels harder than ever to find a place01:00 The “perfect storm” behind today’s rental slowdown03:45 How low churn rates and stagnant mobility worsen the crunch05:10 Why Canada’s rental experience feels broken07:00 How rent control backfired (and why landlords aren’t upgrading units)09:45 Purpose-built rentals vs. condos: What renters need to know13:00 Why vacancy control sounds good but hurts renters long-term16:00 The myth of “financialization” in housing19:00 Why REITs get so much hate, and what people get wrong21:40 How Rentals.ca and RentSync are trying to modernize the rental experience23:10 Closing thoughts and where to find Canada’s latest rent dataLinks/Research:The Missing Middle: REITs, Rent & Rage: Canada’s Housing Tug-of-War https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7_vF7vodwsRentals.ca National Rent Report – The data behind Canada’s rent trends, published monthly by Max’s team.https://www.rentals.ca/national-rent-reportCan Homes Become Affordable Without Prices Going Down? – Missing Middle Initiative (April 2025) https://www.missingmiddleinitiative.ca/p/can-homes-become-affordable-againSolving the Housing Supply Crunch: A 10-Step Plan for Federal Action – Missing Middle Initiative (August 2025) https://www.missingmiddleinitiative.ca/p/solving-the-housing-supply-crunchFrom 40 to 100 Million: How Will Immigration Impact Canadian Housing? – Missing Middle Initiative https://substack.com/home/post/p-165627719Hosted 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.

What happens when one city councillor gets Toronto council to vote in favour of “studying” garden suites on a single block, potentially undoing years of zoning reform? In this episode of The Missing Middle, Mike Moffatt and Meredith Martin dig into the Craven Road and Parkmount Avenue dispute to reveal how neighbourhood politics, NIMBYism, and endless “consultation” are slowing Toronto’s housing progress. From the satirical truth of McSweeney’s “Every NIMBY Speech at a Public Hearing” to the real frustrations of current and future home owners, Meredith and Mike explore why the city’s gentle density goals keep stalling, and how one councillor’s compromise could set a dangerous precedent for zoning across the city.Chapters00:00 Introduction 01:47 The NIMBY phenomenon03:32 Outlining the Craven and Parkmount garden suite dispute05:45 Proposed compromises and their implications07:30 Mike’s take on the compromise plan09:29 Good zoning reforms make good neighbours10:14 Future residents are excluded from the process11:49 The Role of city councillors, residents and planners14:15 Call to actionResearch/links:Every NIMBY’s Speech At a Public Hearinghttps://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/every-nimbys-speech-at-a-public-hearingNIMBYs will Fight Even the Gentlest of Densityhttps://youtu.be/6WavljFV7fM?si=O3jyplV1JRwiIxtdPaula Fletcherhttps://www.toronto.ca/city-government/council/members-of-council/councillor-ward-14/Notice of Public Meeting - City-Initiated Amendment to Zoning By-law 569-2013 for performance standards for garden suites on through lots (Parkmount Road / Craven Road) - 91-209 Parkmount Road (Odd Addresses Only) and 160 Mountjoy Avenuehttps://secure.toronto.ca/nm/api/individual/notice/6660.doHow Cities Keep Screwing up Multiplex Housinghttps://youtu.be/MeojzNbB6Io?si=fbZ8hl3b6vnN-DrLBroken Zoning: Why We Can’t Fix the Housing Crisis Without a Maphttps://youtu.be/yuAsjJsiuyQ?si=iWyBl1j_LfNJ4S3ySimpson reference:https://youtu.be/lOTyUfOHgas?si=mbIwSskm6Jdll8yUJournal of a New COBRA Recruithttps://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/journal-of-a-new-cobra-recruitHosted 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.

Ontario’s family housing crisis is spreading fast, and it’s not just a GTA problem anymore. In this episode of The Missing Middle podcast, Sabrina Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt delve into a new report that reveals how the shortage of family-friendly homes in the GTA is driving young families east and south, reshaping entire regions from Peterborough to Ottawa. Chapters00:00 Introduction 01:55 Understanding ground-oriented ownership homes04:00 The ripple effect of GTA's housing shortage06:40 Population growth and its impact on housing09:00 Drive-until-you-qualify: migration patterns13:29 Future projections for housing needs16:08 How eastern Ontario should prepare for population growth18:30 You can’t expect families to change their preferences19:58 Would Sabrina ever move east?Research/links:Read our report herehttps://www.missingmiddleinitiative.ca/p/families-on-the-move-670000-moreWho Really Wins with Return-to-Office Mandates?https://youtu.be/208zVYQWfh4?si=Gg3hdhPRr_iJItjYHosts: Sabrina Maddeaux https://x.com/SabrinaMaddeaux Mike Moffatt https://twitter.com/MikePMoffatt https://bsky.app/profile/mikepmoffatt.bsky.socialProducer: Meredith Martin https://twitter.com/meredithmartin @meredithmartin.bsky.socialEditor: Sean Foreman@[email protected] Student: Djeima Alicia RamosThis podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/Brought to you by the Missing Middle Initiative https://www.missingmiddleinitiative.ca/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, Mike Moffatt and Sabrina Maddeaux dig into the rise of shrinkflation, from grocery store products like cereal and Kraft Dinner to Canada’s shrinking condos, and reveal how companies, developers, and government policies are quietly giving Canadians less for more. From deceptive packaging and behavioral economics tricks to the rise of shoebox condos and poor layouts, we explore how rising costs, investor-driven development, and flawed housing policies are reshaping everyday life. If you’ve ever wondered why your groceries don’t stretch as far or why today’s apartments feel more like closets than homes, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.Chapters00:00 Introduction01:08 Understanding shrinkflation02:54 Sabrina’s a KD fangirl - who knew?05:12 The economics behind shrinkflation07:22 Price anchoring explained08:25 The shrinking size of living spaces11:52 Why are units getting so much smaller?15:39 What’s driving bad design?18:02 Generational perspectives on housing preferences19:22 Constrained optimization explained21:26 Is the investor condo market dead?23:30 Policy changes to combat shrinkflationresearch/links:Working paper Mike refers to: Shrinkflation∗https://drive.google.com/file/d/15tpbhBziggFL-RvjlVgjqBQcNXzcIrWh/viewCondo size datahttps://www.mpac.ca/en/News/PressRelease/spacioushomescompactcondosMPACdatarevealsshiftinghousingtrendsacrossOntario The condo crash won’t fix our housing problem. In fact, it just might make it worsehttps://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/the-condo-crash-wont-fix-our-housing-problem-in-fact-it-just-might-make-it/article_7c44519f-cdbe-4978-b575-ffc1ef9a76bd.htmlHosts: Sabrina Maddeaux https://x.com/SabrinaMaddeaux Mike Moffatt https://twitter.com/MikePMoffatt https://bsky.app/profile/mikepmoffatt.bsky.socialProducer: Meredith Martin https://twitter.com/meredithmartin @meredithmartin.bsky.socialEditor: Sean Foreman@[email protected] Student: Djeima Alicia RamosThis podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/Brought to you by the Missing Middle Initiative https://www.missingmiddleinitiative.ca/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.

Ontario’s housing market is in crisis, and it’s not just condos in downtown Toronto. In this episode of The Missing Middle Podcast, Mike Moffatt and Sabrina Maddeaux break down a bleak new report on housing starts and sales across 34 municipalities. From plummeting pre-construction sales and stalled ground-oriented homes, to the looming loss of 21,000 jobs, we explore why affordability is worse than ever, why government housing targets are falling short, and what it all means for buyers, renters, and the economy.Chapters00:00 Introduction and overview of the housing crisis 01:59 Insights from the residential construction report card03:19 Falling housing starts and rising unemployment04:10 Understanding housing starts and sales dynamics06:01 What is a housing start?08:00 1.5 million homes by 2032 is unachievable 09:19 Any good news?10:02  Political accountability and the housing crisisResearch/Links:Failing Grades, Falling Starts: Ontario Housing’s Bleak Mid-Year CheckupCondo Crashes, Shrinkflation, & The Death of Homeownership?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, Sabrina Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt break down Ontario’s new return-to-office mandate and the big banks’ similar policies, asking what they really mean for younger workers and families already facing high housing costs, long commutes, and stagnant wages. They explore the trade-offs between productivity, commuting, and control, while producer Meredith Martin joins to share her perspective as a former union leader on mentorship, collaboration, and what might be lost if remote work fully takes over.Chapters00:00 Introduction01:15 Return to office mandates: An overview04:22 What Premier Ford’s RTO mandate is trying to achieve05:15 Impact on younger workers and families06:55 Disconnect between RTO mandates and ESG targets09:26 Meredith thinks humans should see each other IRL12:43 The role of mentorship and social interaction at work15:20 Debating how much office culture has changedresearch/links:Productivity During and Since the PandemicThe Post-Pandemic Workplace: The Experiment ContinuesNumber of Canadian commuters increases for fourth straight year in 2025Romance in the work place:Esther Perel on How Technology Is Changing Love and Work | Prof G ConversationsNew SHRM Survey: Workplace Romance 2023Mixing work with pleasure: Two-thirds of Brits have been romantically involved with a colleagueReturn to the Office:Amazon Tells Corporate Workers to Be Back in the Office 5 Days a WeekExecutives and Research Disagree About Hybrid Work. Why?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, Sabrina Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt dig into Canada’s condo market crash, the rise of “housing shrinkflation,” and what it all means for young Canadians chasing the dream of homeownership. They unpack why falling condo prices aren’t actually fixing the housing crisis, how developers and government policies have fueled the problem, and why middle-class buyers are being left behind. If you’ve been wondering whether Canada is headed for a nation of “forever renters,” this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.Chapters00:00 Introduction02:02 The condo market collapse: an overview04:03  The impact of shrinkflation on housing04:54 Ron Butler pop up07:48 Government policies and middle-class homeownership11:56 The future of homeownership in canadaResearch/linksSabrina’s Toronto Star column https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/the-condo-crash-wont-fix-our-housing-problem-in-fact-it-just-might-make-it/article_7c44519f-cdbe-4978-b575-ffc1ef9a76bd.htmlNew Condo Sales in GTA Hit 3rd-Highest Level on Record in 2019: Reporthttps://storeys.com/new-condo-sales-gta-2019/Homeownership rate for City of Toronto:https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/as-sa/fogs-spg/alternative.cfm?topic=7&lang=E&dguid=2021A00033520&objectId=7 Toronto condo market is in ‘free fall,’ federal housing minister sayshttps://www.thestar.com/real-estate/toronto-condo-market-is-in-free-fall-federal-housing-minister-says/article_66c26722-1f22-4b28-bf95-3e98f2e02159.htmlRon Butler: Condo Crash Meets Housing Crisishttps://youtu.be/9xD5veEsB3U?si=-9A-N2jecO8u63N8Hosts: Sabrina Maddeaux https://x.com/SabrinaMaddeaux Mike Moffatt https://twitter.com/MikePMoffatt https://bsky.app/profile/mikepmoffatt.bsky.socialProducer: Meredith Martin https://twitter.com/meredithmartin @meredithmartin.bsky.socialEditor: Sean Foreman@[email protected] podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/Brought to you by the Missing Middle Initiative https://www.missingmiddleinitiative.ca/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.

Ever wonder what people at think tanks actually do all day? In this episode of The Missing Middle, Sabrina Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt pull back the curtain on the mysterious world of think tanks. From how they’re structured and funded, to the challenges of staying independent, they explore what really goes on behind the scenes. You’ll also hear about career opportunities for young professionals, why U.S. think tanks dwarf their Canadian counterparts, and how think tanks influence policies that affect our everyday lives—from housing to poverty reduction. If you’ve ever been curious about the brains behind public policy, this episode is for you.Chapters00:00 Introduction03:00 Understanding think tanks04:38 The structure and function of academic think tanks07:53 Funding models: how think tanks sustain themselves09:34 Misconceptions about think tank funding11:58 Maintaining independence: challenges and strategies16:13 Career opportunities in think tanks18:09 Comparing Canadian and American think tanksHosted 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.