Cost of Living

Yep, if you compare our economies based on GDP per capita, but Paul Haavardsrud looks at how that measure for our standard of living has its limits. Plus, why you shouldn't be too secretive about your inheritance plans, and a chat with transportation expert Matti Siemiatycki about the pros and cons of a proposed high-speed train between Toronto and Quebec City that comes with a whopping price tag.

More Canadians are finding job security by charting their own path. They're buying so-called "boring businesses," like vending machines, dry cleaners and sign shops. But is it the road to the easy life? Also, we look at the chances of stagflation happening in Canada and explain why we're becoming a nation of candy lovers.

Staying out 'til the wee hours of the morning? That's not happening as much anymore, and restaurants and bars are feeling it. Also, how to find Lego for 2 cents at Walmart and author Danny Funt talks about his book: Everybody Loses: the Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Gambling. (Originally aired November 23, 2025)

As CUSMA negotiations approach, U.S. President Donald Trump is downplaying Canada's importance. Not to brag, but America still depends heavily on Canadian aluminum. Plus, feeling buried by your to-do list? Maybe it’s time to throw an “admin party.” And, we ask housing economist Mike Moffatt if falling home prices are a blip or a sign of larger change.

Artificial intelligence is making scams harder to spot and Canadians are losing millions every year to fraud. So is it worth it to pay for personal cyber risk insurance? Also, we explain why older job hunters are botoxing their resumes and ask: Could the global oil shock change the conversation around Canada's future as an energy superpower?

The war in Iran and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz have interrupted critical oil supply chains. Now gas prices are rising. Energy analyst Rory Johnston, who writes the Substack Commodity Context, explains what an oil shock could mean for the Canadian economy, and what might happen next.

Some services, like barbering and childcare, cost way more than they did in the past and keep going up in price. On the other hand, a lot of manufactured goods, like TV's, have become less expensive. And the "Baumol effect" could explain why. Plus, we look at the rise of extra spicy foods on restaurant menus and what's at stake as cargo ships sit idle near the Strait of Hormuz.

As Iran counter attacks by targeting energy infrastructure in neighbouring countries and threatening to shut off access to the Strait of Hormuz, we explore how Canada moves forward in a global economy dealing with even more chaos and uncertainty. Paul Haavardsrud talks to Stephanie Carvin, a professor of International Affairs at Carleton University.

Roughly a quarter of the world's oil supply is at risk as the biggest military strike in decades unfolds in the Middle East. Rory Johnston is a geopolitical analyst who writes the Substack Commodity Context. He talks to Paul Haavardsrud about how this conflict play out for Canadian crude and the global economy.

It may feel like there’s an affordability crisis but is it really all that bad? Also, we explain why more Canadian women are getting financially lit and look into the idea of a mandatory national service for young folk.

Today's tech billionaires are insanely rich in a way we've never seen before, and they're not shy about flaunting the power that comes with it (we're looking at you, Elon). Now, the rise of this uber-wealthy class has some people asking: "Should there even be billionaires?" Plus, the financial complications of marrying in mid-life, and Trump's tariff defeat.

Back in the day, bike thieves could snip through cheap cable locks, but they were stymied by the more expensive U-locks. Not anymore. An ex-thief explains how one power tool has made it way easier to take off with your fixie. Also, how AI chatbots are levelling the playing field when it comes to dealing with experts. And we talk to Peter Nowak, the journalist behind a new Substack focusing on monopolies and oligopolies.

With gold prices reaching historic highs, more people are channeling their inner prospector. They're combing through thrift stores, estate sales — even riverbeds. Also on the show, why Canadians are choosing to pay out of pocket for minor car accidents rather than make an insurance claim. And with tech optimists and doomsayers predicting wildly different things from artificial intelligence, we talk to an AI realist who says it will be transformative (but just not yet).

The U.S. President would like to see Canadian auto jobs move to the United States. But how likely is that to happen? Also, why Canadians have a tough time switching banks and why it could be hard to redevelop the historic Hudson's Bay buildings.

Al Lewis, who writes Business Blunders on Substack, explains why big companies make big mistakes (Hint: it's money). We'll explore why your money problems may call for a financial therapist, and not just an adviser. Also, we ask Chris Sands of Johns Hopkins University what could happen if the U.S. Supreme Court rules that Trump's tariffs are illegal.

Canada's trade deal with China is good for canola farmers, but for automakers? Not so much. So what does that say about the federal government's hopes for the economy? Also, why many of us are just one "turning point moment" away from chucking it all and quitting our jobs. And, why more women are travelling solo.

Scholastic has been selling books, pens and posters to students for decades. Along the way, it's become one of the world's largest publishers of children's books, with titles like The Hungers Game and Harry Potter. So how did the relationship between a for-profit U.S. company and Canadian schools become so unshakeable? Also, we ask: Does happiness breed success, or is it the other way around?

If it feels like the price of everything from airfares to juice boxes never stay put — you're not wrong. And artificial intelligence could make those prices even more slippery. Also, we explain why more travellers are opting for a seat upgrade and explore how YouTube at the world.