The Wealthy Barber Podcast

Our guest this episode is Daniel Foch — Chief Real Estate Officer at Valery, host of The Canadian Real Estate Investor Podcast and one of Canada's most-followed voices on housing data and market analysis. He first joined us back on Episode #35, and with so much having changed since then, we brought him back for a full update. In this episode, Dave and Daniel dive into the current state of Canadian real estate, starting with where prices and sales actually sit in Ontario and BC today. They break down the Toronto condo crash and the supply crisis it has created, why unrealistic sellers are keeping the market stuck and whether rents are going to keep falling. They also cover how tariffs and AI could push unemployment higher and what that would mean for housing. The conversation also explores the policy side of the picture, including CMHC's financing programs for rental developers, the government's housing incentives and why so many municipalities are now cutting development charges. Daniel explains why builders have stopped building small homes, lays out his concept of "houseflation" and shares his take on the biggest macroeconomic surprises of the year. Along the way, Dave and Daniel tackle whether downsizing baby boomers will flood the market, how immigration cuts are reshaping demand and how Daniel is using agentic AI to rebuild the way real estate businesses operate. Whether you're a homeowner, a renter trying to decide when to buy or simply trying to make sense of where Canadian housing goes from here, this episode is full of data-driven insights and candid analysis you won't want to miss. Show Notes (00:00) Intro & Disclaimer (00:55) Intro to Daniel Foch (03:35) The Current State of Real Estate in Ontario and BC (06:44) How Tariffs and AI Could Impact Unemployment (11:22) Why Unrealistic Sellers Are Hurting the Market (13:44) The Toronto Condo Market Crash and Supply Crisis (16:20) CMHC's Financing for Rental Developers (19:35) Are Rent Prices Going to Keep Falling? (20:18) The Impact of the Government's Housing Policy Incentives (22:53) Why Municipalities Are Cutting Development Charges (26:51) Why Builders Don't Build Small Homes Anymore (28:52) "Houseflation" (35:10) The Biggest Macroeconomic Surprises of the Year (38:53) Will Downsizing Baby Boomers Flood the Housing Market? (41:33) How Immigration Cuts Impact Canadian Real Estate (44:03) Using Agentic AI to Revolutionize Real Estate Businesses (48:52) Conclusion

Our guest this episode is Jason Heath — Founder and Managing Director of Objective Financial Partners, one of Canada's largest advice-only financial planning firms. A Certified Financial Planner with more than 20 years in practice, Jason is a longtime personal finance columnist for the Financial Post and MoneySense and one of the country's most consistent voices for conflict-free financial advice. He last joined us on Episode #27 for Financial Planning 101, and this time the conversation looks ahead. In this episode, Dave and Jason dive into where financial planning is headed. They explore the role of technology in democratizing planning, from financial planning software to the future of AI in financial advice, including a look at The Wealthy Barber's own AI planning tool. Along the way, Jason shares how often a plan should be updated, why implementation matters as much as the plan itself, how tax optimization gets trickier with corporate assets and why even financial professionals need advice. They close with the chronic gap in life and disability insurance and the secret behind Jason's famously calm demeanour. Whether you're weighing the cost of an advice-only plan, curious how AI will change the way Canadians get financial guidance or simply want to make sure your retirement projections are realistic, this episode is full of clear, practical insights. Show Notes (00:00) Intro & Disclaimer (00:55) Intro to Jason Heath (02:49) Projected Rates of Return in Financial Planning (05:06) Are Retirees Taking on More Investment Risk? (06:10) The Danger of Forgetting Prolonged Market Downturns (07:24) The Rarity of Average Stock Market Returns (08:49) The Advice-Only Financial Industry (11:07) Conflicts of Interest and Biases in Wealth Management (13:50) The Evolution of Financial Planning (15:30) Democratizing Financial Planning with Technology (17:11) The True Cost and Value of an Advice-Only Financial Plan (18:18) How Often Should You Update Your Financial Plan? (21:00) Implementation and Financial Planning Through Conversation (22:57) Why You Need a Solid Plan Before Retirement (24:59) The Future of AI in Financial Advice (29:17) Conquest Financial Planning Software (32:06) Navigating Tax Optimization and Corporate Assets (33:32) Even Financial Professionals Need Advice (35:18) The Challenge of Asking AI the Right Financial Questions (37:58) The Wealthy Barber's AI Tool for Financial Planning (40:15) The Chronic Gap in Life and Disability Insurance (43:18) Jason's Calm Demeanour (45:45) Conclusion

Our guest this episode is Jonathan Chevreau — veteran personal finance journalist, author and founder of the Financial Independence Hub. Jonathan spent nearly two decades as the National Post's personal finance columnist, served as Editor-in-Chief of MoneySense and still writes the magazine's Retired Money column. In this episode, Dave and Jonathan dive into the lessons of a career spent covering Canadian money, from Jonathan's early years sounding the alarm on mutual fund fees to the discipline of filing a story a day for a national newspaper. They explore why Jonathan sees a paid-off house as the foundation of financial independence, what the "12 good years" of retirement are, and what it looks like to keep working on your own terms well past the traditional finish line. Whether you're planning your own path to financial independence or already living it, this episode offers a hard-won perspective from one of the most experienced voices in Canadian personal finance. Show Notes (00:00) Intro & Disclaimer (00:55) Intro to Jonathan Chevreau (02:25) Jonathan Was Early to Criticize High-Cost Mutual Funds (04:32) Jonathan's Semi-Retirement (06:32) Handling the Pressure of Daily Writing Deadlines (08:53) The 12 Best Years of Retirement & Travelling (12:25) Exploring the Annuity Puzzle (16:28) Home Affordability Challenges, FHSAs and the Bank of Mom and Dad (20:39) Debating Downsizing Versus Aging in Place (23:02) The Growing Strain on the Long-Term Care System (24:55) Staying Active in Retirement (27:04) Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence and the Job Market (29:25) Sector ETFs vs. Index Funds (30:48) Avoiding Crypto and NFT Investment Hype (32:21) Long-Term Optimism for Canada's Economy (33:28) Retaining Innovative Tech Talent and Funding in Canada (35:03) Highlighting Outstanding Canadian Financial Educators (37:47) Conclusion