
Why Strong Communities Don’t Happen by Accident
From The Missing Middle Podcast by Cara Stern, Mike Moffatt, and Meredith Martin
June 5, 2026 · 22 min · Season 1 · Episode 182
About this episode
The episode discusses the decline of community in Canada and explores ways to rebuild it through various social spaces and urban design.
Why does modern life feel so disconnected? In this episode, Cara Stern sits down with journalist and Scout leader Harrison Lowman to talk about the decline of community in Canada, and what it takes to rebuild it. From scouting and volunteering to neighbourhood pubs, churches, and “third spaces,” they explore why strong communities don’t happen automatically, how urban design shapes social connection, and why so many people feel isolated despite living closer together than ever before. They al...
People in this episode
Host: Cara Stern
Guest: Harrison Lowman
Topics covered
- community
- urban design
- social connection
- isolation
- volunteering
- scouting
Keywords
- community decline
- urban design
- social connection
- isolation
- volunteering
- scouting
- third spaces
Mentioned in this episode
Places: Canada
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