Cara Stern
@carastern.bsky.social
3.8K followers 170 following 67 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
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
carastern.bsky.social
What happens when one city councillor gets Toronto council to vote in favour of “studying” garden suites on a single block, potentially undoing years of zoning reform? @meredithmartin.bsky.social and @mikepmoffatt.bsky.social discuss. Watch the full episode.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVQ4...
Nightmare on Craven Road: When Local Politics Derail Citywide Housing Goals
YouTube video by Missing Middle Podcast
www.youtube.com
carastern.bsky.social
Toronto's garden suite reforms have only produced 143 units since 2022. It's mind-blowing, considering the city's housing crisis, and it's time to fight back. @meredithmartin.bsky.social would like to see some housing advocates attend the council meeting on Oct. 22 to fight for progress.
Reposted by Cara Stern
mikepmoffatt.bsky.social
Today's Missing Middle: @carastern and I talk to @VassB and @denisehearn_ about corporate consolidation, the kayfabe nature of grocery store product competition and their new book 'The Big Fix'.

Episode is free, as always, on YouTube: youtu.be/Uz5DkpZPH2k
Reposted by Cara Stern
meredithmartin.bsky.social
The New Year's Mail Bag episode is up! Tune in to hear @MikePMoffatt, @carastern & I answer viewer questions that were collected throughout the year. Thank you to our *amazing* audience, you sent us some really thoughtful ones, it's been so much fun going through them all!

youtu.be/8GcwswauU3Q
Reposted by Cara Stern
meredithmartin.bsky.social
On today's episode of the Missing Middle @carastern & I got to ask a question that's been bugging us for a long time: Are @MikePMoffatt & @andrew_leech friends? It then turned into a discussion about who is meaner, economists or journalists ;)
Reposted by Cara Stern
meredithmartin.bsky.social
Today is the Missing Middle's first-ever AMA! Join @MikePMoffatt, @carastern, and me as we answer smart and interesting questions from our amazing audience. Happy Holidays! #CDNpoli

youtu.be/8JoLbEDTpzE...
carastern.bsky.social
With holiday dinners coming up, you know there's a good chance you're gonna be arguing politics with someone, and probably about the economy.

Sabrina Maddeaux and I've got facts to get you ready, and we go up against this bizarro version of @mikepmoffatt.bsky.social

youtu.be/HAbc1I7OIkk
How to Argue About Housing at Your Holiday Dinner
YouTube video by Missing Middle Podcast
youtu.be
carastern.bsky.social
And the solution doesn't have to be US-style healthcare. It could be investing in more capacity, and getting enough hospital staff to match our population growth.

What a brutal, terrifying story.
carastern.bsky.social
When I produced for @tvotoday.bsky.social, she was one of the guests I liked to book most on housing because she understood it firsthand as a middle-class millennial...but I also felt like she could be a proxy for my frustrations, so it feels so natural to have her fill in!

Can't wait to watch!
carastern.bsky.social
I'm thrilled to announce that the incredible Sabrina Maddeaux is going to fill in for me on the Missing Middle podcast while I'm on mat leave.

She hosts today's episode about millennials as the jackpot generation. She'll take over fully in the new year.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmfD...
Boomer Wealth Won't Save Millennials
YouTube video by Missing Middle Podcast
www.youtube.com
carastern.bsky.social
Grateful to Not Just Bikes for making what is essentially a mini doc about how Doug Ford is trying to distract from his incompetence on transit, among many other of his provincial responsibilities.

That's what the bike lane distraction is really about.

Worth the watch.

youtu.be/KgFCQ7jEZxI?...
The World's Dumbest Bike Lane Law Just Passed in Canada
YouTube video by Not Just Bikes
youtu.be
Reposted by Cara Stern
philmarfisi.bsky.social
The people yearn for pedestrian streets
A crowd of people occupy a street in the Distillery District in Toronto. The day is transitioning into evening and there are twinkly lights overhead. At the left background of the photo is the famous large Christmas tree.
carastern.bsky.social
This is a really great pick. He did impressive work in his previous role in Hamilton, and I'm so excited to see what he'll be able to accomplish in Toronto!

Congrats @jasonthorne.bsky.social!
carastern.bsky.social
We talk about the problems with the GST holiday and the proposed bribe cheques this week on the Missing Middle podcast. Please listen and subscribe!

youtu.be/ZdK7y-0ledE?...
We Can't Afford a GST Holiday
YouTube video by Missing Middle Podcast
youtu.be
carastern.bsky.social
I've been finding the narrative around the GST holiday fixing a "vibecession" incredibly offensive. It feels like our governments, economists and academics are gaslighting us when they say it's just perception.

We need to rethink how we talk about and measure the economy.
Reposted by Cara Stern
stefanklietsch.bsky.social
In this episode of the Missing Middle Podcast,
@carastern.bsky.social and @mikepmoffatt.bsky.social discuss the economic absurdity of the election bribe schemes from the Ford and Trudeau governments and the unequal impacts of inflation in affecting Canadians' life affordability.
t.co/1hBBwZMHK9
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdK7y-0ledE&t=1482s
t.co
carastern.bsky.social
I read that as 72% of Canadians need to listen to @mikepmoffatt.bsky.social explaining how much those cheques will actually cost them!
Reposted by Cara Stern
rammyc8.bsky.social
I don’t want a $250 cheque I just want to afford a 500 sqft one bedroom
Reposted by Cara Stern
rammyc8.bsky.social
I guess a vibecession is where young ppl are struggling to live but seniors are still thriving
Reposted by Cara Stern
rammyc8.bsky.social
Completely agree with Cara’s frustration in this episode. When I graduated undergrad in 2023 the job market was bad and now I’m graduating with my masters and the job market has just gotten worse. All I want as a young person is to get a job where I can afford the COL
meredithmartin.bsky.social
Check out the full episode of today's Missing Middle podcast where @mikepmoffatt.bsky.social & @carastern.bsky.social ern.bsky.social discuss the so-called Vibecession, gov rebate cheques, GST holiday & how it's an intergenerational wealth transfer from the young to the old youtu.be/ZdK7y-0ledE?...
We Can't Afford a GST Holiday
YouTube video by Missing Middle Podcast
youtu.be
Reposted by Cara Stern
meredithmartin.bsky.social
Check out the full episode of today's Missing Middle podcast where @mikepmoffatt.bsky.social & @carastern.bsky.social ern.bsky.social discuss the so-called Vibecession, gov rebate cheques, GST holiday & how it's an intergenerational wealth transfer from the young to the old youtu.be/ZdK7y-0ledE?...
We Can't Afford a GST Holiday
YouTube video by Missing Middle Podcast
youtu.be
carastern.bsky.social
I'm genuinely trying to understand why he's on pace for another majority. If you care about respect for taxpayers, this party ain't it.

Life has become so much less affordable under this govt, and services are much worse. I'd truly like to know: What's the draw for so many?
theglobeandmail.com
Ontario Place redevelopment now estimated at $2.2-billion as Auditor-General notes ‘irregular’ bid process: The audit concludes that the process used to select Therme for the Ontario Place site was not ‘fair, transparent or accountable to all participants’ as required by the province’s own rules…
Ontario Place redevelopment now estimated at $2.2-billion as Auditor-General notes ‘irregular’ bid process
The audit concludes that the process used to select Therme for the Ontario Place site was not ‘fair, transparent or accountable to all participants’ as required by the province’s own rules for real estate transactions
www.theglobeandmail.com
carastern.bsky.social
It is a great question, but we've watched municipalities fail for so long on housing. Doug Ford is proving with Bill 212 that he doesn't care about what municipalities want if he thinks it's for the greater good. So he ought to do that here.