The Missing Middle Podcast

Fertility treatment is becoming increasingly common in Canada. But why?
On this episode of DemograFix, Cara Stern and Mike Moffatt dig into the dramatic rise of IVF and fertility treatment in Canada, and what it tells us about how Canadians are building families.
IVF births in Ontario have nearly doubled as a share of all live births since 2014, while the average age of patients starting IVF has climbed past 35. As Canadians spend longer in school, establish careers later, face higher housing and living costs, and delay parenthood, more people are turning to fertility treatment to help build the families they want.
But access to fertility care can depend heavily on where you live. Cara and Mike look at the geographic lottery of fertility treatment, differences in provincial funding, long waitlists, workplace benefits, and the often-overlooked costs of IVF, including time away from work and travel for treatment.

The bigger question is what happens when more Canadians are trying to have children later in life.
Is Canada's fertility system prepared for growing demand? And should policymakers be looking beyond IVF to the housing, career and economic pressures that are pushing parenthood later?
#IVF #Fertility #Canada #Demographics #FertilityTreatment #Ontario
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:42 The Economic Reality of Delayed Parenthood
01:28 Why is Fertility Treatment Usage Up?
02:44 Biology and Success Rates
03:08 Analyzing the Data Surge
04:16 The Geographic Lottery of Fertility Access
05:22 The Biological Realities
06:41 The Myth of Fertility Control
07:44 Rising Complications in Younger Patients
08:27 Male Factor Infertility
08:42 The High Cost of Treatment and Waitlists
10:03 The Hidden Costs (Time & Travel)
11:34 Workplace Benefits and Trends
12:01 Recap and Future Outlook
13:01 Policy Responses and Root Causes

Research/links:
Publicly funded in-vitro fertilization (IVF) program - Province of British Columbia 
Canadian assisted reproductive technologies registry CARTR PLUs annual report 
CARTR Reports - Canadian Fertility & Andrology Society 
Provincial coverage | Fertility Matters Canada 
https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1007375/ontario-connecting-more-families-to-fertility-supports
https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/in-vitro-fertilization-market

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux
Produced by Meredith Martin
Funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

Are Canada’s politics becoming less about left versus right and more about young versus old?
In this episode of Classonomics, Mike Moffatt and Sabrina Maddeaux explore the growing generational divide in Canadian politics and what it means for the economy, housing, and the future of democracy. They examine why older voters may prioritize inflation, pensions, and asset prices, while younger Canadians increasingly feel shut out of homeownership, economic growth, and traditional institutions.
Topics covered:
The growing age divide in Canadian politics
Why seniors and younger voters have different economic priorities
“Pocketbook” versus “sociotropic” voting
Economic growth and the distribution of wealth
Old Age Security and the politics of an aging population
Housing prices, homeownership, and generational inequality
Why young Canadians feel increasingly disconnected from the economy
Populism, political radicalization, and distrust in institutions
Brexit and the backlash against economic elites
Why making the economy work for younger Canadians matters for the future
#Canada #CanadianPolitics #HousingCrisis #GenerationalDivide #Economy #Politics #HousingAffordability #Millennials #GenZ #MissingMiddle

Chapters:

00:00 — Is Age Breaking Our Politics?
03:26 — The Generational Divide Is Reshaping Politics
06:22 — Why Voters Are Choosing Their Own Wallets Over Growth
10:14 — Why Older and Younger Voters Want Different Things
13:17 — Why Politicians Want to Keep Home Prices High
16:08 — Why Young People Are Losing Faith in the System
17:26 — How Economic Frustration Fuels Populism
20:33 — Why Young Voters Are Turning to Extremes
21:03 — How to Make the Economy Work for Young People

Research:

Beer question: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer_question 

Vlandas study: https://muse.jhu.edu/article/980470 

German research: https://www.kielinstitut.de/publications/kiel-focus/the-economic-consequences-of-populism/ 

Tobi Lutke’s idea that pensioners be excluded from voting is offensive. The concern behind it isn’t
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/authors/mike-moffatt/ 

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux
Produced by Meredith Martin
Funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

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 housing
The fight over multiplexes and infill housing
Toronto's sixplex debate
Calgary's citywide upzoning rollback
Form-based zoning explained
Zoning vs. building code
How standardized zoning could reduce red tape
Parking, infrastructure, and neighbourhood concerns
Creating more homeownership opportunities through gentle density
Condo regulations and small-scale housing
British Columbia's small-scale, multi-unit housing approach
What Oregon is doing differently
Should 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 Density
01:25 – The Three Ways Cities Can Build More Housing
03:00 – Why Multiplexes Face Local Opposition
04:35 – Toronto’s Controversial Station Road Eightplex
06:15 – Calgary’s Upzoning Rollback
07:30 – What Is Gentle Density?
08:20 – Objection #1: Buildings Are Too Tall
09:35 – Form-Based Zoning Explained
11:05 – Zoning vs. Building Codes
12:15 – Objection #2: Buildings Are Too Large
13:05 – Objection #3: Parking and Infrastructure
14:25 – Can Gentle Density Benefit Existing Homeowners?
16:10 – Tiny Homes and Pocket Neighbourhoods
17:25 – Does Density Mean More Rental Housing?
19:00 – Making Small-Scale Homeownership Easier
20:25 – What Canada Can Learn From B.C. and Oregon
21:45 – 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 Counts

Research/links:

MMI Gentle Density Report: https://www.missingmiddleinitiative.ca/p/from-policy-gridlock-to-housing-growth 

NIMBYs will Fight Even the Gentlest of Density
https://youtu.be/6WavljFV7fM?si=geir1FhAbhdgliv_

Nightmare on Craven Road: When Local Politics Derail Citywide Housing Goals
https://youtu.be/qVQ4gQRnOss?si=RFywNBKZedLERiuj

2025 Statcan Study: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/36-28-0001/2025005/article/00003-eng.htm

2026 Statcan Study: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/46-28-0001/2026001/article/00002-eng.htm

Toronto:
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 Maddeaux
Produced by Meredith Martin
Funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

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-offs

Chapters:
01:28 OAS: The $100 Billion Problem Hiding in the Budget
02:09 Why Wealthy Seniors Still Get Old Age Security
03:28 When Government Debt Is Actually a Good Thing
05:29 Who Should Pay for Infrastructure That Lasts 100 Years?
06:00 The Gordie Howe Bridge and the Case for Government Debt
06:53 The Truth About How Government Debt Gets Paid Off
08:49 Why Canada’s Growing Debt Still Matters
09:16 How Government Debt Can Fuel Inflation
10:18 What Happens When Governments Can’t Borrow?
11:38 Why Deficits Are Especially Dangerous for OAS
12:08 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 Gap
14:55 Why Younger Canadians Want Lower Taxes
16:20 Why Tax Cuts Aren’t Fixing the Generational Divide
16:46 When Government Debt Makes Sense—and When It Doesn’t

Research/Links:
As Canada faces crippling debt, it must do the unpopular thing and cut elderly benefits
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-canada-debt-cut-elderly-benefits/
Scott Gallowy Short:
https://youtube.com/shorts/PAAbLq1bJY0?si=9-Z06rW1H8tiQW-k
Canadian taxpayers face up to $3,348 each in government debt interest
https://www.wealthprofessional.ca/news/industry-news/canadian-taxpayers-face-up-to-3348-each-in-government-debt-interest/392762
The Burdens of borrowing: Government debt and intergenerational fairness
https://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 markets
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/g7-debt-is-now-pressure-point-anxious-markets-2025-06-03/
The evolution of federal debt interest costs in Canada
https://www.fraserinstitute.org/commentary/evolution-federal-debt-interest-costs-canada
Canada’s combined federal-provincial government debt estimated to surpass $2.4 trillion in 2025/26
https://www.fraserinstitute.org/studies/growing-debt-burden-canadians-2026-edition
Intergenerational Injustice in Canadian Public Finance
https://www.gensqueeze.ca/intergenerational_injustice_in_canadian_public_finance

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux
Produced by Meredith Martin
Funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/

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 low
How EI parental leave actually works
Why one-third of Canadian mothers don't qualify for paid parental leave
The financial reality of taking parental leave today
Housing costs and the affordability of raising children
Why freelancers, contractors, and gig workers are left behind
The decline of employer parental leave top-ups
Quebec's parental leave model and its impact on fertility
Finland's parental leave reforms and shared parenting
Policy reforms that could make it easier for Canadians to have the families they want

Chapters:

00:00 Why Canada's fertility rate hit a record low
00:49 How Canada's parental leave system actually works
02:42 Why Young Canadians Are Delaying Having Kids
04:18 The Hidden Financial Penalty of Parental Leave
06:32 Why 1 in 3 Mothers Can't Access Paid Leave
08:08 The Self-Employment Trap
10:02 Why Employer Parental Leave Benefits Are Shrinking
12:37 What Quebec Gets Right About Parental Leave
14:34 Finland's Family Policy Is Changing Fatherhood
16:28 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-2024

Statistics Canada -- The Daily: Fertility and baby names, 2024:
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/250924/dq250924d-eng.htm

The 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/74-20162964

Fast Company -- Deloitte and Zoom cut parental leave and other benefits:
https://www.fastcompany.com/91530300/deloitte-and-zoom-cut-parental-leave-and-other-benefits

PMC -- 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 Maddeaux
Produced by Meredith Martin
Funded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/