The concept of retirement used to be a few years at the end of your life, between when you stopped working and when you died. But the average lifespan kept increasing, while the retirement age stayed at 65. Now Canadians believe they'll need $1/7 million to retire in comfort, and most of the 1,000 people retiring each day in this country don't have it. When you combine that with the economic turmoil, high interest rates and increasing cost of living, the savings they do have aren't stretching as far as expected, either. So many "retirees" are going back to work. How did we end up here? And given what we've learned about aging recently, is working during "retirement" really a bad outcome? GUEST: Cathrin Bradbury, formerly "retired" journalist, writing in The Walrus

The Big Story has been telling the stories that matter to Canadians for over five years, and through all of our coverage, one thing has become abundantly clear: A growing percent of the population can't afford to live basic, comfortable lives — and they want answers. In Frequency's newest show, In This Economy?! Jordan attempts to get to the bottom of how we got to this point, and share tips for how to achieve your goals despite living in a time of extreme economic uncertainty. Enjoy! ------------------------------------------------------ Mo feels guilty spending money on social events like concerts, restaurant outings and shopping trips. But they are tired of missing memorable moments with friends. Jordan interviews personal finance expert, Shannon Lee Simmons, to determine if there’s a way to have fun without ditching your financial goals or racking up credit card debt. Do you have a money problem? Call us and leave a message at 416-935-5935. Or email us at hello@itepod.ca. You can also find us on Instagram and TikTok @InThisEconomyPod. Don't forget to leave a call-back number, so we can get in touch.

When Olivia Chow was running for mayor, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said a Chow victory would be an "unmitigated disaster". Almost six months later, he was on stage with her, thanking her on working with him on a historic deal. He called their collaboration "amazing" and the deal "one-sided" in the mayor's favour. How has the most important relationship in Ontario politics evolved? How did this deal come together? Why isn't the federal government involved? How soon will Torontonians see the impact of it? And how does Chow plan to prioritize the many problems her city faces? GUEST: Olivia Chow, Mayor of Toronto

For years, some researchers have been sounding the alarm, about the spread of wild boars—called 'super pigs" for reasons that will become clear—on Canada's prairies. A few years ago, the situation was bad. Now it's critical. The pigs are multiplying and becoming harder to hunt or capture. They've now been seen in British Columbia and Ontario. And the US media is now reporting on the threat of Canadian super pigs. So yeah, not good. How did we end up here? How did the pigs become "super" in the first place, and what have we done about them so far? What could we do, and would it work? And what's the worst-case scenario here if we don't get their spread under control? GUEST: Dr. Ryan Brook, professor in the Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan

If you squint, it could be a trip back to 2017, when cannabis was on the cusp of becoming legal and most cities in Canada were inundated with 'dispensaries'—unlicensed retail storefronts selling pot as if it were already just fine. Mostly, crackdowns on those failed, pot became legal and everyone stopped caring. Until this year, when the cycle began again with a much different drug... Now, stores with names like "Fun Guyz" and "Shroomyz" have opened across the country, and the enforcement, or lack thereof, seems similar to 2017. But how are these two situations—and two substances—different from the cannabis experience? What does the rise of retail 'shrooms' tell us about psychedelics in general? And is psilocybin really on track to become the next legal, recreational drug? GUEST: Daniel Eisenkraft Klein, PhD Candidate at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health; Fellow at the Canadian Centre for Health Economics

Rent in large Canadian cities is at ridiculous highs. It's hard to find a decent apartment. and sometimes even harder to keep it. Landlords can afford to neglect their buildings because units are so scarce, and what options do tenants have, exactly? Leave?! Stop paying rent?! Well, yes, there are several rent strikes happening in Canada right now, mostly in Toronto. Some of them are closing in on six months or more. Evictions have been long-threatened, but slow to happen. Nor have the tenants received any concession or negotiation, even when the mayor stepped in. So what are rent strikes, how do they work, and what should you know about a renter's "last resort"? GUEST: Ricardo Tranjan, Senior Researcher at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives; author of The Tenant Class

Picture it: Mosquitoes that don't spread disease. Aphids and potato beetles that stay away from our crops. Biting insects that don't bite humans. There's an awful lot of good in a world where we can make those changes. There's just one catch... In order to do those things, we have to genetically modify those creatures, using cutting-edge technology that allows us to basically rewrite their code. The upside is tremendous, so the work is being done. But there are ethical questions as well as safety concerns: Are we messing with something we don't yet fully understand? What happens if it goes wrong? And ... ummm ... isn't this how the bad parts of sci-fi techno thrillers always begin? GUEST: Ben Matthews, University of British Columbia, co-author of the Council of Canadian Academies report on regulating gene-edited organisms for pest control

The Big Story has been telling the stories that matter to Canadians for over five years, and through all of our coverage, one thing has become abundantly clear: A growing percent of the population can't afford to live basic, comfortable lives — and they want answers. In Frequency's newest show, In This Economy?! Jordan attempts to get to the bottom of how we got to this point, and share tips for how to achieve your goals despite living in a time of extreme economic uncertainty. Enjoy! ------------------------------------------------------ Sam wants to leave her comfortable white collar job to pursue her passion project full time. But she's not sure if she's financially ready to make the jump. Jordan interviews personal finance expert, Jessica Moorhouse, who went down a similar path a few years ago. Together they break down how to manage this massive transition. Do you have a money problem? Call us and leave a message at 416-935-5935. Or email us at hello@itepod.ca. You can also find us on Instagram and TikTok @InThisEconomyPod. Don't forget to leave a call-back number, so we can get in touch.

Cameron Ortis was once seen as a fast-rising RCMP intelligence official. This week, he was found guilty of offering up Canadian intelligence to people for cash. How did he fall so far? What was he attempting to sell, and to whom? In the bigger picture, Ortis' trial was a first for Canada, in a year of many unprecedented national security issues. What can we learn from this trial, and from Canada's approach to national security in 2023? Are we finally getting serious about threats and how we tackle them? GUEST: Catharine Tunney, parliamentary reporter, CBC, covering national security and the RCMP

It's one of the world's strangest alcohol sales arrangements. Since the end of prohibition, beer in Ontario has primarily—sometimes nearly exclusively—sold at a signle chain of stores, that sell only beer. Nothing else. And while The Beer Store began as a collection of Canadian brewers, it is now almost totally owned by two megacompanies who hold a huge competitive advantage. A report last week indicated that the agreement that governs the situation will be allowed to expire, and the announcement will come before the end of the year. How did Ontario end up with The Beer Store in the first place? How has it held so much power for so long? And what will happen when it loses its hold on the industry? GUEST: Josh Rubin, business reporter, The Toronto Star

If you haven't noticed yet, Canada's labour movement is undergoing a bit of a resurgence. Workers are unionizing more, and those that are already unionized are using their newfound leverage to win concessions from employers. Amid this climate comes Bill C58, which will prohibit some employers from using replacement workers (commonly known in unions as "scabs") during strikes or lockouts. How long has this bill been in the works, and exactly what does it cover? What happens if critical workers leave the job? How will non-unionized Canadians feel it, if at all? And what can it tell us about the direction of both the labour movement and the federal government right now? GUEST: David Reevely, Ottawa correspondent, The Logic

In June 2021, Nathaniel Veltman intentionally ran his truck into the Afzaal family, who were simply out for a walk. All but one member of the family was killed, and Veltman later said he did it because he was looking for Muslims to run over. Last week, Veltman was quickly found guilty of four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. His trial, the first in Canada to officially associate terrorism with white supremacy, offered a glimpse into where he found his hatred, how it twisted him, and how similar attacks might be prevented. His sentencing may also indicate just how the courts will treat terrorism charges in cases like these going forward. GUEST: Wendy Gillis, crime reporter, The Toronto Star

Every year, hundreds of thousands of immigrants come to Canada, looking for a better future for themselves and their children. The federal government is aiming to keep that number rising—but it's a tough time to be a new Canadian, with affordability and housing crises, an uncertain future and rising numbers of hate crimes. So how do recent Canadian immigrants feel about their decision to make this country their home? What did they expect coming here, and what did they actually get? Do they feel the dream they came here chasing is still within reach? Or do they regret their decision? A massive new cross-country survey from OMNI News gives us an exclusive look into the Canadian immigrant experience. GUEST: Rhea Santos, journalist, OMNI News Filipino

The Big Story has been telling the stories that matter to Canadians for over five years, and through all of our coverage, one thing has become abundantly clear: A growing percent of the population can't afford to live basic, comfortable lives — and they want answers. In Frequency's newest show, In This Economy?! Jordan attempts to get to the bottom of how we got to this point, and share tips for how to achieve your goals despite living in a time of extreme economic uncertainty. Enjoy! ------------------------------------------------------ ORIGINAL SHOW NOTES: Suki is in the market for her first car. She would like to purchase an electric vehicle but doesn't know if she can really afford it. Jordan interviews an auto industry expert to better understand current market trends and develop a roadmap for buying a car right now. Do you have a money problem? Call us and leave a message at 416-935-5935. Or email us at hello@itepod.ca. You can also find us on Instagram and TikTok @InThisEconomyPod. Don't forget to leave a call-back number, so we can get in touch.

If there's been one progressive assumption about cities over the past couple of decades, it's that they need to be greener—more trees, more parks, more green projects on top of buildings, all of that. And while the goals are laudable, and the plant life will surely help in the climate era, a new books asks if we're so concerned with making cities green that we're forgetting to make them functional for the people who use them? What exactly makes for a great city? Why does every development project you see now have a tinge of 'greenwashing' to it? Is there a way to make our cities better for everyone, and better prepared for the climate era that might not be as pretty, but would provide much more formidable infratructure and services? GUEST: Des Fitzgerald, Professor of Medical Humanities and Social Sciences at University College Cork, Ireland. Author of The Living City: Why cities don't need to be green to be great

Shots fired at Jewish schools in Montreal. Slurs screamed as Muslims outside a mosque. Clashes of protesters on Canadian campuses and at weekend marches. General demands to pick a side, or be placed on the other one. While every day in Gaza and Israel brings more death and tragedy, and more allegations of atrocities, the fallout from the conflict here is taking its toll on the fabric of Canadian unity. Where is the line between free speech and hate speech? What are police and governments doing to keep Jewish and Muslim Canadians safe? How can their neighbours help? And how do we find dialogue and push for human rights and freedom amid so much hate and death? GUEST: Dr. Mira Sucharov, professor of Political Science at Carleton University, specializing in Israeli-Palestinian relations

It's not the old former players in charge of the NHL—the guys who thought banning pride jerseys and tape was a smart idea—who will determine the future of hockey. It's the kids playing now, with big dreams and bright futures ahead of them, who will ultimately create whatever the game becomes. So how do we make sure hockey really is for everyone? How different is the culture right now among young players? And how are the youngest players in the NHL now bringing a different approach to their locker rooms and benches? GUEST: Brock McGillis, advocate and activist; first openly gay men's professional hockey player, speaker on the Culture Shift tour

Every week brings more layoffs and closures to local news outlets across the country, especially newspapers. It's a result of a business model that simply doesn't work anymore, say the owners making the decision, and it's tough to argue with that. But there is a business model that has begun to succeed—small, community- or subject-focused digital outlets that survive and even thrive thanks to government grants and funding from a small number of passionate readers. These are the publications that might replace the outlets that are vanishing, but they need to find an audience. And Bill C-18, designed to help Canadian media survive in the digital era, has set the world's biggest platforms against these tiny but growing outlets, making an uphill climb even steeper... GUEST: April Lindgren, principal investigator for the Local News Research Project (LNRP) at Toronto Metropolitan University’s School of Journalism.

Last year, Canadian restaurants took in roughly $100 billion in revenue, more than the pre-pandemic year of 2019. This year it's pegged to be $110 billion. Yet a third of all restaurants report they are losing money, up from just seven percent before the pandemic. Even as lockdowns eased and diners returned, a complex set of problems face restaurants in particular—and now the industry's lobby group says we're beginning to see double the numbers of closing as openings. How did this happen, and how do we keep small, local restaurants afloat? GUEST: Kelly Higginson, president and CEO of Restaurants Canada

The Big Story has been telling the stories that matter to Canadians for over five years, and through all of our coverage, one thing has become abundantly clear: A growing percent of the population can't afford to live basic, comfortable lives — and they want answers. In Frequency's newest show, In This Economy?! Jordan attempts to get to the bottom of how we got to this point, and share tips for how to achieve your goals despite living in a time of extreme economic uncertainty. Enjoy! ------------------------------------------------------ ORIGINAL SHOW NOTES: Daniella wants to prioritize her health. But is having a hard time justifying the costs she has incurred trying to eat healthier and feel stronger. Jordan interviews an author who has written about modern wellness culture to unpack the ways we've altered our understanding of health and wellness. Together they try to answer: How much should it really cost to take care of our well being? Do you have a money problem? Call us and leave a message at 416-935-5935. Or email us at hello@itepod.ca. You can also find us on Instagram and TikTok @InThisEconomyPod. Don't forget to leave a call-back number, so we can get in touch.