Over and over again, we see the same problems come up when building anything physical in this country, such as a house or a train. Costs start to balloon and every project seems to end up over budget – or at least costs us more than it would cost to build in other countries.

More Neighbours Toronto’s founder Eric Lombardi attributes this largely to a system of soft corruption.

In this conversation, he highlights how convoluted processes and lack of transparency lead to inflated costs and diminished outcomes. He compares Canada's approach to infrastructure with that of European countries, emphasizing the need for standardization and in-house expertise. Lombardi proposes solutions to improve procurement processes and accountability, advocating for a more efficient and transparent system that prioritizes taxpayer value.

Links:
Canada can no longer afford to ignore its ‘soft corruption’ problem
https://thehub.ca/2024/10/03/eric-lombardi-canada-can-no-longer-afford-to-ignore-its-soft-corruption-problem/

Altus Group
https://www.altusgroup.com/
https://www.bildgta.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2024-GTA-Municipal-Benchmarking-Study-Our-number-7147-Final.pdf
More Neighbours

Guest: Eric Lombardi, https://x.com/EricDLombardi

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern

Produced by Meredith Martin

This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

A lot of people get into advocacy for better cities and urbanism by watching what’s perhaps YouTube’s biggest urbanism channel, @NotJustBikes . But that leads many to think that with enough advocacy, their hometowns could one day also look like a city in the Netherlands. Not Just Bikes’ Jason Slaughter says it’s not that simple.

In this conversation, journalist Cara Stern and economist Mike Moffatt talk to Jason about what North American cities can learn from the Netherlands. They explore the principles of Dutch urban design, the importance of context in urban planning, and the need for holistic approaches that go beyond just implementing bike lanes.

Links:
Why Canadians Can't Bike in the Winter (but Finnish people can):
https://youtu.be/Uhx-26GfCBU?si=uB-fSJYD0ouxDHiv
Strong Towns:
https://www.strongtowns.org/

Guest: Jason Slaughter, Not Just Bikes https://www.youtube.com/c/notjustbikes

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern

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, Cara Stern is mad. A majority of MPs recently voted to increase Old Age Security for seniors aged 65-74, regardless of whether they actually need more money.

She and Mike Moffatt explore the structure of Canada's pension programs, the purpose of OAS, and the financial burden it places on the federal budget – and younger workers, many of whom are struggling to pay their housing bills.

They cover the disparities in income among seniors, the challenges of targeting benefits, and the political dynamics surrounding OAS proposals.

Also, we need a co-host to fill in while Cara is on mat leave! If you're interested, send us a resume with one-minute video of why you'd be good for this role to missingmiddlepodcast@gmail.com

Links:
Canadian Museum of History
Old Age Security pension recovery tax
Disaggregated trends in poverty from the 2021 Census of Population
Jennifer Robson
https://carleton.ca/politicalmanagement/people/jennifer-robson/
Shooting a fly with an elephant gun: The Bloc’s ultimatum on seniors’ benefits
Most Canadians support or somewhat support extending Old Age Security benefits increase to seniors 65 to 74.

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern

Produced by Meredith Martin

This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.