The Decibel

The Globe and Mail

Context is everything. Join us Monday to Friday for a Canadian daily news podcast from The Globe and Mail. Explore a story shaping our world, in conversation with reporters, experts, and the people at the centre of the news.

Subscribe Listen in podnod RSS feed Show website

1,335 episodes
Updated Yesterday

Episodes1335

Newest first

Aug 30, 2024 · 20 min
Four reasons why you can’t afford housing
Buying and owning a home in Canada is an endless source of frustration. Many have been priced out, while competition is high as a lack of housing stock runs up against a rapidly growing population. While more homes are needed to alleviate the stress, getting shovels into the ground isn’t as simple as it sounds. The Globe’s Jason Kirby, Matt Lundy and Mark Rendell recently broke down the reasons behind why most Canadians can’t afford a home right now. Jason Kirby is on the show to explain the no
Aug 29, 2024 · 19 min
Why Canada is cutting back on temporary foreign workers
The government has announced that they are cutting down on the numbers of low-wage temporary foreign workers being admitted into the country. The new rules will reverse pandemic-era changes to the program, which led to a sharp rise in numbers. The announcement also comes on the heels of a UN report calling the program a “breeding ground for contemporary forms of slavery.” The Globe’s economics reporter Matt Lundy breaks down what’s driving the change, and how it will impact businesses and worke
Aug 28, 2024 · 23 min
What’s going on at TD Bank?
Last week, TD Bank released its quarterly earnings. For the first time in 21 years, they reported a quarterly loss – largely because they set aside US$2.6-billion to cover penalties in the United States related to failures in their anti-money-laundering program. All of this has people wondering … what is exactly going on at TD? How did a bank with a once-sterling reputation begin facing all these problems? Tim Kiladze is a financial reporter and columnist for the Globe. He’s on the show to talk
Aug 27, 2024 · 18 min
The railway labour dispute, explained
Labour negotiations between Canada’s two major railways – CN and CPKC – and the train workers’ union, Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, have been going on for months. Last week, they hit a wall and freight service shut down across the country. Less than 24 hours later, the federal government intervened, ordering workers back. But the dispute still hasn’t been resolved. Bruce Curran, associate professor in the faculty of law at the University of Manitoba, explains where things stand in the labou
Aug 26, 2024 · 21 min
How inflation is messing with benefits and pensions
We often think about how food prices and income struggle to keep up with inflation, but what about things like pensions and benefits? Are they keeping pace with inflation? The Globe’s Erica Alini and Matt Lundy crunched the numbers, and found that pensions and benefits often aren’t stretching as far as they used to – and it has to do with something called indexation. Today, personal finance reporter Erica Alini joins us to explain inflation indexing, where we’re seeing it and where we’re not, a
Aug 23, 2024 · 23 min
Why running is more popular than ever
Distance running, once a relatively niche sport, has exploded in popularity. The trend has been ongoing for at least a decade, but 2024′s running season may be the biggest one yet. Marathon race organizers are expecting record participation in races this year, both in Canada and in cities around the world. Today, Ben Kaplan, general manager of iRun Magazine, Allison Hill, co-founder of Hill Run Club, and members of The Decibel’s own running club explain how the sport has grown more inclusive an
Aug 22, 2024 · 22 min
The killing of a multimillion-dollar fraudster
On June 17, police were called to a shooting in a neighbourhood of Toronto. Three people were killed, two victims and the shooter. We learned as the days went on that one of the victims – Arash Missaghi – was a notorious serial fraudster, and the shooter – Alan Kats – was one of his alleged victims. Globe reporters Mariya Postelnyak and Colin Freeze have spent months untangling the web of criminal charges and lawsuits against Missaghi. Today, Mariya tells us how Missaghi apparently got tens of
Aug 21, 2024 · 19 min
Why movie theatres are banking on ‘go big or go home’
Going to the movies is getting more complicated. When you want to pick a showing, you now have a growing list of premium options, from IMAX, to 3D, to ScreenX, all offering different experiences at different price points. The Globe and Mail’s film editor Barry Hertz joins us to talk about what these developments tell us about the state of the movie industry and the future of a trip to the cinema.
Aug 20, 2024 · 17 min
University of Toronto lab unmasks Russian hacking campaign
By now, most people know how to recognize the signs of a phishing e-mail – poor spelling and grammar, strange sender e-mail addresses, and of course, an instruction to click on a link, where you’re asked to put in your banking or login credentials. But these scams are becoming more sophisticated and politically motivated. Last week, Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto uncovered what they’re calling the River of Phish campaign, which uses sophisticated social engineering practices to target
Aug 19, 2024 · 19 min
Why the condo slump matters for the housing crisis
A recent report said that condo sales in Toronto are at a 27-year low. Insolvencies amongst condo developers are rising and set to be 57-per-cent higher than 2023 and 13-per-cent higher than 2009. This means there are a glut of units for sale. And yet, prices aren’t really going down. So what’s happening here? Rachelle Younglai, a real estate reporter for The Globe and Mail, explains why the pre-construction market is in ‘recessionary territory’ and how all of this could make Canada’s housing a
Aug 16, 2024 · 23 min
Why aren't there more public toilets?
When nature calls, you have to answer, and quickly. The last thing you’d want is to walk several kilometers to find a public toilet.. And yet, public bathrooms aren’t easy to find in many cities across Canada. Overall, Canada has 18 public toilets per 100,000 people, which puts it in 15th place globally. And for those facing homelessness or a medical condition, public toilets are crucial for their ability to move freely through urban spaces. The Globe’s urban affairs reporter, Oliver Moore, exp
Aug 15, 2024 · 21 min
Mayors call for help with ‘humanitarian crisis’ of homelessness
A coalition of mayors across Ontario are pleading for help in what they call a “humanitarian crisis” on their streets. They say the issues of homelessness, drug addiction and mental health are beyond their capacity to handle, and they need a more sustained and well-funded support from higher levels of government. Burlington Mayor and Chair of Ontario’s Big City Mayors Marianne Meed Ward joins us to talk about why cities went public with their plea. Then, the Globe and Mail’s Queen’s Park report
Aug 14, 2024 · 25 min
Viral videos on IUD pain spur new medical guidance
Intrauterine devices, or IUDs, have become increasingly accessible and popular over the last few years. The high level of efficacy and added benefits, like improving users’ periods, make it appealing to doctors to recommend for patients of all ages. But there’s a big catch – getting it put in can be excruciating for some patients. Last week, the Center for Disease Control in the United States issued a guidance recommending healthcare providers counsel patients on their pain management options b
Aug 13, 2024 · 22 min
A developer, a beloved island and an old amusement park
Boblo Island is situated in the Detroit River, on the border of Canada and the U.S., just outside of Windsor. For almost a century, it was a beloved amusement park visited by both the Canadian and American public. But after a series of bankruptcies, the island wound up under the control of a developer. And now, the island is being marketed as an exclusive residential community, with restricted access to the public. Globe opinion editor Sarah Efron tells the story of Boblo Island and what happen
Aug 12, 2024 · 24 min
Loblaw dominates groceries. Now it’s eyeing healthcare
In 2023, more than 6.5 million people across Canada did not have a family doctor. Family doctor deserts are growing so vast that patients will stay with their doctors even after moving hours away. Some provinces have been increasing pharmacists’ capabilities – allowing them to prescribe for common ailments like pink eye. The hope is they can relieve some pressure on already stretched family doctors’ offices and increase accessibility for people without one. After acquiring Shoppers Drug Mart i
Aug 9, 2024 · 21 min
Why millennial women are so burnt out
Millennial women are feeling burnt out. The responsibilities and pressures of family, work and caregiving are piling up, amidst the lingering fallout of the pandemic and the economic crisis. But what makes this generation’s burnout unique to generations before it? The Globe and Mail’s demographics reporter Ann Hui, explains her own experience with burnout, the reasons why millennial women are feeling it more and how it can be made better.
Aug 8, 2024 · 22 min
Israel-Hezbollah tensions escalate with deadly strikes
Since the war in Gaza broke out in October, Israel and Hezbollah have been engaged in constant military strikes. At the end of July, the violence escalated when 12 Druze children were killed by a rocket hitting a soccer field in the Golan Heights. A string of high profile assassinations followed, raising the already-high tensions in the region. Thomas Juneau is an associate professor of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa who specializes in security in the Middle East.
Aug 7, 2024 · 22 min
The secrets of Summer McIntosh’s Olympic success
Expectations were high for 17-year-old Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh coming into the Paris Olympic Games. After all the races were said and done, she won a medal in each of the four individual races she competed in: silver in the 400-metre freestyle, gold in the 400-metre individual medley, gold in the 200-metre butterfly and gold in the 200-metre individual medley. These wins make Summer the first Canadian swimmer to win four individual medals at an Olympics and the first Canadian woman to w
Aug 6, 2024 · 24 min
Inside the longevity movement selling a longer lifespan
Over the last few years, a movement has grown where followers are spending thousands of dollars on rigorous and sometimes extreme health practices with the goal of extending their lives. The leaders of the “longevity” movement reach their mostly male audience largely through YouTube and podcasts. Longevity has become a major wellness industry, with big money involved. But critics say the science behind it is often unfounded and misleading. The Globe’s demographics reporter Ann Hui spoke to the m
Aug 2, 2024 · 32 min
Stress Test: Here’s what young Canadians are putting in their TFSAs
We’re taking a peek into the TFSAs of regular Canadians to give you ideas of how to better use yours. In this episode, Rob chats with Aravind Sithamparapillai of Ironwood Wealth Management to break down TFSAs, FHSAs and RRSPs. Aravind is not an accredited planner. We’re also joined by two guests with very different investment strategies: a tech entrepreneur in the midst of launching his own business, and a millennial whose investment journey started somewhat unintentionally.