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Cara Stern

@carastern.bsky.social
4K followers 181 following 156 posts

Journalist Obsessed with housing and the ongoing disappearance of the middle class. Co-host for the Missing Middle podcast with Mike Moffatt Former producer for The Agenda with Steve Paikin on TVO

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Cara Stern
Lanrick Bennett @lanrickbennett.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
✅ In this episode of DemograFix, @carastern.bsky.social sits down with Tom Babin, urban cycling advocate and creator of the YouTube channel @shifter.info, to break down the growing "bike-lash" across Canada and the U.S. h/t @meredithmartin.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z76... #FridayFlex
youtube.com
Why Everyone Is Fighting Over Bike Lanes
YouTube video by Missing Middle Podcast
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Robert Zaichkowski @rzaichkowski.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
The latest Missing Middle Podcast with @carastern.bsky.social & @shifter.info does a good job looking into bikelash. Argues bike advocates are good at getting decision makers on board but not with winning the hearts and minds of suburbanites. #BikeTO #TOpoli #ONpoli www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z76...
youtube.com
Why Everyone Is Fighting Over Bike Lanes
YouTube video by Missing Middle Podcast
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Reposted by Cara Stern
Meredith Martin 🇨🇦 @meredithmartin.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
And for anyone who prefers to read the transcript rather than watch/listen, here's a link to our Substack:
missingmiddleinitiative.substack.com
Bikelash: Why Bike Lanes Triggered a Culture War
How a form of urban transit became one of the most effective political wedge issues
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Meredith Martin 🇨🇦 @meredithmartin.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Here's the full episode of DemograFix where Cara Stern sits down with Tom Babin AKA Tom Babin, an urban cycling advocate and creator of the YouTube channel Shifter, to break down the growing "bike-lash" across Canada and the U.S.
youtu.be
Why Everyone Is Fighting Over Bike Lanes
How did bike lanes become the ultimate political wedge issue? In this episode of DemograFix, Cara Stern sits down with Tom Babin, urban cycling advocate and creator of the YouTube channel Shifter, to break down the growing "bike-lash" across Canada and the U.S. From provincial overrides in Ontario
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Meredith Martin 🇨🇦 @meredithmartin.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
How did bike lanes become the ultimate political wedge issue? Cara Stern & Tom Babin dig into it in today's episode of Demografix.
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Cara Stern @carastern.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
New from me in the Hub: Banning multiplex residents from street parking permits creates a two-tier class system that protects the convenience of single-family homeowners at the expense of Canadians who are already settling for less.
thehub.ca
Parking: The not-so-hidden problem making our housing crisis worse
Empty parking lots, pricier homes: how outdated parking mandates are making Canada's housing crisis worse than it needs to be.
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Meredith Martin 🇨🇦 @meredithmartin.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Ontario has a power grid problem. Today's deeply nerdy episode of the Missing Middle podcast examines "the last mile" of infrastructure quietly halting major housing projects across the province. With @SabrinaMaddeaux & @MikePMoffatt
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Cara Stern @carastern.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Once again, I'm asking our provincial leaders to please draw out their proposed side street routes. I really want to know where between Avenue and Mount Pleasant, in particular, they think north south bike lanes can go.
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Cara Stern @carastern.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
The damage Doug Ford is doing goes way beyond Toronto's streets. It's very clear other provincial leaders are looking at him and feeling inspired. It's already happening.
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Cara Stern @carastern.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
I'm really proud of today's Missing Middle Podcast episode. We talked about the increased use in fertility treatments in Canada, and dissected whether it's from greater need vs. access. It's just another place where our lives today are different from generations before us.
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Alex Bozikovic @alexbozikovic.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
The bike lane decision is extraordinary. The Ontario Court of Appeal flat out saying: more lanes make cars go fast and “induced demand” is just a theory. Aggressively hostile to 80 years of theory and empirical evidence. coadecisions.ontariocourts.ca/coa/coa/en/i...
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Cara Stern @carastern.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
If you're in Montreal, join us for this event! @uytaelee.bsky.social and I will be joining the crew for the bike vs. transit errand test after hosting our own chat at noon.
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Oh The Urbanity! @ohtheurbanity.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
New bike. See you tomorrow.
Xtracycle electric cargo bike
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Uytae Lee @uytaelee.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
About to go live with @milesintransit.com, @ardenenglish.bsky.social, @carastern.bsky.social, and maybe more at www.youtube.com/live/lTw27Vn...
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Lanrick Bennett @lanrickbennett.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Many will be hurt and killed because of the decision to remove protected bike lanes. But a reminder to #BikeTO: at the same time as being upset with the province, know that our elected municipal reps are equally culpable. Prioritizing the safety of vulnerable road users shouldn't be this hard.
A person on a bike protesting the removal of bike lanes with a sign that reads "How Many Have To Die"
Matt Elliott
 @graphicmatt.com
· Jun 5, 2025
Notable back-and-forth between @lanrickbennett.bsky.social and Councillor Paula Fletcher here. Lanrick makes good argument for protected bike lanes on Jones Ave, as previously approved by council. Fletcher says that plan takes away too many parking spaces. beachmetro.com/2025/06/05/i...

In My Opinion: Need for protected cycle tracks on Jones Avenue must be made clear to local councillor – Beach Metro Community News
The Jones Avenue bike lane looking north between Queen Street East and Dundas Street East is seen in this photo. Photo by Alan Shackleton. By LANRICK
beachmetro.com
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Tom Flood @tomflood.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
These ones on college aren’t in jeopardy (don’t think) but this will give folks an idea(who don’t know) what it’s like biking with and without lanes
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Oh The Urbanity! @ohtheurbanity.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Bloor Street is the spine of the bike network in Toronto. Ripping it out would be like removing Saint-Denis in Montreal.
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Tom Babin @shifter.info · 12/08/2026
New video: A big list of the things anybody can do to help their city get a little more friendly to cycling youtu.be/GlhoHnlmbtk
youtu.be
51 Things You Can Do to Make Your Community More Bike-Friendly
YouTube video by Shifter
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Oh The Urbanity! @ohtheurbanity.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
They Said Car-Free Streets Were Bad for Business
youtu.be
They Said Car-Free Streets Were Bad for Business
YouTube video by Oh The Urbanity!
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Shawn Micallef @shawnmicallef.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Tomorrow is a good day or a bad day.
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Cara Stern @carastern.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
I'm heading up to Montreal this weekend for Canadian Civil Alive. You can find me tagging along to some of the events, and hosting a chat with Uytae Lee about the video we're working on together about the future of family-sized homes. See you there?
site.canadiancivil.com
Canadian Civil Alive 2026
Canadian Civil Alive is coming alive this year with a full day of advocacy and awesomeness in Montreal on August the 15.
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Cara Stern @carastern.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
As I wrote in the Toronto Star today, homebuyers are footing the bill for the free ferry rides this month. That's not a good reason to tax new homes during a housing crisis.
thestar.com
Thanks, Mayor Chow, for the free ferry rides. But they shouldn’t be paid for this way
Section 37 funds shouldn’t be used to pay for free ferry rides for the whole city.
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Cara Stern @carastern.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Toronto's month of free ferry rides for kids and seniors are being paid for by homebuyers of one specific project. How does that make any sense? Just another tax on new homebuyers that make homes more expensive.
youtube.com
Toronto's $1.4 Million Budget Shell Game
Toronto City Council used a slick accounting trick to turn local community funds paid by Pinnacle One Yonge homebuyers into a city-wide freebie.
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Oh The Urbanity! @ohtheurbanity.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
This year, Canadian Civil Alive in Montreal (organized by Paige Saunders) will be a little different. It’s organized around activities and YouTube videos in production that you can be involved in. Followed by a BBQ with everyone.
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Cara Stern @carastern.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Excited to join this awesome group in Montreal next month. See you there?
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Uytae Lee @uytaelee.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
There's only one meet-up I'm aware of for urbanist content creators and it happens once a year in Montreal. Sign up for Canadian Civil Alive and hope to see you there on August 15th!
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Meredith Martin 🇨🇦 @meredithmartin.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
And for those who prefer to read the transcript rather than watch/listen, here's a link to our Substack:
open.substack.com
Why Gen Z Can’t Find a Summer Job
How the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, rising competition, and policy choices are reshaping Canada's youth job market.
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Meredith Martin 🇨🇦 @meredithmartin.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Corporate lobbying and government policy have created a cheat code for business through the TFW program. As young Canadians face historic unemployment, Cara Stern & @MikePMoffatt explain how the system is shutting young workers out of the job market
youtu.be
Why Young People Can't Find Jobs Anymore
When a business faces a labour shortage, the free market says they should raise wages. So why is Canada’s government stepping in to make labour cheaper instead? In this episode of The Missing Middle, Cara Stern and Mike Moffatt dive into how Canada's low-wage Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program
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Meredith Martin 🇨🇦 @meredithmartin.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
When a business faces a labour shortage, the free market says it should raise wages. So why is Canada’s government stepping in to make labour cheaper instead? Cara Stern & @MikePMoffatt explain:
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Canadian Civil @info.canadiancivil.com · 06/07/2026
@paige remembers Justin’s legacy
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Canadian Civil @info.canadiancivil.com · 06/07/2026
Everyone gets an opportunity to share what’s on their mind, with @carastern.bsky.social @carastern deciding to give a whole piece of hers after the feds fumbled their housing plans for BC.
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Canadian Civil @info.canadiancivil.com · 06/07/2026
This week we launch Canadian Civil Conversations, if you’ve been looking to form a parasocial connection with minor Canadian internet personalities, now is your chance! site.canadiancivil.com/civil-convo-1
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Oh The Urbanity! @ohtheurbanity.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
Social programs like maternity leave and subsidized daycare make a *massive* difference in the experience of having and raising a child. Interested in how they work in Canada/Quebec? Urbanity #2 on the Missing Middle Podcast with @carastern.bsky.social
youtu.be
Parental Leave in Canada: What to Know Before Your Baby Arrives
YouTube video by Missing Middle Podcast
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PAIGE! @paige.canadiancivil.com · 23/06/2026
RE: masto.canadiancivil.com/@info/11679… Watch libertarians, free marketers and christian nationalists deal with the cognitive dissonance of demanding the government limit what people can do with their property. #Calgary
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Cara Stern @carastern.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
New Canadian Civil podcast episode! @paige.canadiancivil.com, @shifter.info, and I talk about Calgary's upzoning and subsequent repeal. Filled with all the wild edits and clips you can expect from a Canadian Civil video.
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Cara Stern @carastern.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
You can't solve homelessness if the middle class is still priced out of homes, so focus on the solutions that help everyone. That's what Dr. Mike P. Moffatt argues on today's episode of the Missing Middle podcast. 1/3
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Cara Stern @carastern.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
If we just wait, will the housing crisis solve itself simply due to demographic change? We talk about that theory today on the Missing Middle podcast. 1/3
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Cara Stern @carastern.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
Community is a machine, and if you participate in keeping it running, it'll be there for you when you need it. We talk about that today on the Missing Middle podcast with The Hub editor Harrison Lowman. 1/3
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Lanrick Bennett @lanrickbennett.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
#BikeTO "For years, the biggest, most dangerous e-bikes have been allowed on Ontario's streets, while the smaller, safer ones were not legal to operate as intended: with kids on the back. But that’s set to change." via Marco Chown Oved @thestar.com www.thestar.com/news/gta/the...
An e-legal com­mute Province tables rules to police elec­tric bikes — and allow kids as pas­sen­gers

MARCO CHOWN OVED CLIMATE CHANGE REPORTER
2 Jun 2026

Early morn­ings in East York, an illegal bike gang gath­ers to quickly unload clandes­tine cargo before mak­ing a get­away.
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Cara Stern @carastern.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
There's a big different between seniors discounts and surveillance pricing, says VassB on the Missing Middle podcast today. This new type of pricing uses your data in creepy ways you might not even know about. 1/3
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Cara Stern @carastern.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
The federal government recently announced its Sovereign Wealth Fund. Today on the Missing Middle, producer Meredith Martin 🇨🇦 speaks with Dr. Mike P. Moffatt about what it is and whether Canadians care. 1/3
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Cara Stern @carastern.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
The public finally understands just how harmful development charges have been to homebuyers. We spoke to Kim Fairley from the Ontario Real Estate Association on the Missing Middle podcast this week about the development charge changes in Ontario, and what needs to happen next. 1/3
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Meredith Martin 🇨🇦 @meredithmartin.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
And for those who prefer to read the transcript, we've got you covered. He's a link to our Substack:
open.substack.com
The Great Canadian Generational Divide: How Young People are Squeezed from Two Sides
The hidden forces reshaping wealth, housing, and opportunity across generations in Canada
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Meredith Martin 🇨🇦 @meredithmartin.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
Canada’s Hidden Wealth Transfer from Young to Old To watch the full episode of today’s DemograFix with Cara Stern and @MikePMoffatt, check us out on YouTube.
youtu.be
The Hidden Wealth Transfer from Young to Old - Explained
Why does it feel like young Canadians can’t get ahead anymore? In this episode, Cara Stern and Mike Moffatt break down the growing generational divide in Canada, and why Millennials and Gen Z are being squeezed from both sides. From skyrocketing housing costs to rising taxes and massive government
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Meredith Martin 🇨🇦 @meredithmartin.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
There's been a lot of discussion over the years about how Canada's population of young people isn't growing fast enough to support the growing number of elderly. A lot of talk about how these young people are going to be financially squeezed. Guess what? It's happening.
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Cara Stern @carastern.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
The only way upzoning a whole city works is if people get on board with it. People need to recognize how they personally can benefit from better neighbourhood developments. We talk about that on the Missing Middle Podcast today. 1/3
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Cara Stern @carastern.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
Canadians still care about climate change, but their priorities have shifted as the cost of living has increased. But luckily, you don't have to decide between environmental action and affordability, if you allow more homes to be built in climate-friendly ways. 1/3
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Cara Stern @carastern.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
The costs and expectations of raising children have gone up over the past few decades. Today on the Missing Middle, we talk about whether people having fewer kids nowadays is just a preference, or a choice they're being pushed into due to rising costs. 1/3
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Cara Stern @carastern.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
If you want to see reform in Canada in any one particular issue, chances are a proportional representation system will improve the odds of it happening, says today's Missing Middle guest, PAIGE! 🍁 1/3
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Cara Stern @carastern.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
When @rmtransit.bsky.social and @englishrail.bsky.social team up to give transit advice, I listen! Oh, how I'd love faster streetcars. I hope @mayoroliviachow.ca pays attention to this plan.
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