How Community Consultation is Ruining Democracy Artwork

The Missing Middle with Mike Moffatt and Sabrina Maddeaux

Welcome to the Missing Middle, a podcast about why the middle class in Canada is disappearing. We hope to help you understand why life is becoming unaffordable for so many in this country, and what can be done to reverse course.

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The Missing Middle with Mike Moffatt and Sabrina Maddeaux

How Community Consultation is Ruining Democracy

April 09, 2025 • Cara Stern, Mike Moffatt, and Meredith Martin • Season 1 • Episode 103

In this episode, conservative pundit Sabrina Maddeaux and economist mike Moffatt sit down with housing advocate Eric Lombardi to discuss the epic shortcomings of the community consultation processes in Toronto. Lombardi argues that they often fail to represent the diverse voices and interests of the community. He emphasizes the need for a more proactive approach to community engagement that considers the broader needs of neighborhoods rather than reacting to individual developments. The conversation also touches on the implications of property rights, the role of advocacy groups, and the responsibilities of provincial and federal governments in addressing the housing crisis. Lombardi calls for reforms that would streamline the consultation process and make it more democratic, ultimately advocating for a system that empowers citizens and promotes growth.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

01:16 Community consultation

05:30 Flaws with the current consultation processes

09:21 The anti-democratic nature of current consultations

11:23 Consultation as indirect political corruption

13:30 The role of community advocacy

14:58 The Tindale example

17:20 Property rights and freedoms vs stagnation

21:17 Reforming the consultation process

23:44 Pitching Doug Ford - the province should set the standard

29:07 Provincial responsibilities in housing policy