This week we have the first of three episodes recorded during the CUTA (Canadian Urban Transit Association) Annual Fall Conference. In this first episode, Paul first sits down with the President and CEO of CUTA, Marco D’Angelo talking about housing policy, and later with regular contributor Mike Bismeyer, talking about how Mike started his life-long kindness advocacy.

Paul and Marco talk about CUTA’s recent report on the housing affordability crisis in Canada https://cutaactu.ca/cuta-report-highlight-how-public-transit-can-help-tackle-canadas-housing-crisis/. Marco talks about some of the recommendations in the report, but more importantly, he advocates for evolving the role of transit in planning and housing to be more active and collaborative at all levels of government.

In the second half of the show, Mike Bismeyer and Paul talk about how Mike’s experience being bullied as a kid turned into his life-long advocacy for kindness and mentorship.

Next week on the show, we learn about Edmonton Transit’s new hydrogen-powered bus with Eddie Robar and Carrie Hotten MacDonald.

If you have a question or comment, email us at info@transitunplugged.com.

00:00 Introduction

01:28 Discussion on the CUTA Conference and Housing in Canada

04:07 Insights on the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA)

04:32 Exploring the Housing Affordability Crisis in Canada

08:29 Recommendations from the Housing Study

15:51 Interview with Mike Bismeyer on Kindness and Mentorship

21:21 Coming up next week on Transit Unplugged