Farkas says it's an unfair equalization that Calgary pays more education property taxes than Edmonton He didn't do the math. Calgary has $457B of assessment to Edmonton's $220B. The Leg will get $1.2B in YYC prop taxes this year, then return $2.2B in funding YYC school boards.

Turns out building more homes makes housing more affordable. Edmonton real estate investors are realizing that because so many options are on the market for tenants, they need to be sweetening the pot with incentives - and being "realistic" with rent. #yeg #yegcc

I like living in low-rise walk-up apartments myself but I don’t try to turn that into the law because: 1. Other people have different needs and preferences. 2. It’s not my only priority. I’d absolutely consider living taller if the price, size, location, or set of amenities was more appealing.

Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas says the city pays equalization "transfer payments" to Edmonton. Not even close. He's intentionally twisting words to misinform and manipulate Calgarians. Calgary's property taxes will contribute 11.7% of the province's education budget this year. Not "equalization".

Fresh off our win at Council, we're getting together for our monthly Grow Together, Get Together tomorrow at 5pm at the Buckingham! Invite your friends and let's talk about all the cool rowhouses, transit, and urban issues! 🔗 RSVP via Luma luma.com/7bm7amxb #yeg #yegcc

Very happy to have variance approval for this wonderful 3 storey apartment building for my client @pamelablais.bsky.social This Office Ou designed project is the first to receive approval for a single stair alternative solution. That approval allowed space to add an additional unit.

“Repeal and replace” was a campaign commitment. Making housing more affordable was the goal. It’s time for Mayor Farkas to stand by that commitment, or admit it was never the plan at all.

Something from the article that I expect to hear during the review is that the Committee approves 90% of variances. But it's worth keeping in mind that applying and arguing a case is expensive (less than a rezoning but still significant). Most people don't apply with projects they expect to fail.

Recognizing this pattern is one of the most important things in thinking about what principles and values ought to guide urban planning.

Haven't heard much from Carney lately on housing. Here in Edmonton we seem to have the zoning piece figured out, now we need to reduce building costs. (We would build a backyard house if it didn't cost $300,000+ to construct!)

Yeah, even without the same racial dynamics as the US, Canada had a backlash against apartments and density in the 1970s. It left us with stricter zoning and stronger community control over what’s allowed to be built. And, ultimately, a crippling housing crisis.

I've spent years fighting for homes and a more affordable, equitable Vancouver. Now I want to take that fight to City Hall as your councillor. Go to www.PeterForCouncil.ca and join OneCity so you can support Peter For Council and help me get on the ballot! youtu.be/-d7WFFoqb0c

You'll very rarely find novel "concerns" when it comes to public hearings for affordable housing. It's always the same script. It goes like this: "I support affordable housing, we need more affordable housing, but I have some concerns about this specific proposal".

Anyone who says we don’t need zoning reform because we should just build subsidized housing should go watch a public hearing on any proposed project. Edmonton city council just wasted an entire day over adding 30 affordable units.

I heard from an Edmonton councillor that the YIMBY response had a meaningful impact!

Congrats to Edmonton for retaining the 8-unit limit on infill housing developments instead of reducing it to 6 units! It’s the backtracking proposal that was covered in this video.

It’s not surprising that so many anti-infill people think that everyone will flee the city because of infill. They think the new home market is fine. I’d be interested to see how many actually move though. Are new builds out in the suburbs actually affordable or as desirable as they think?

One last note on this. Council did vote today to reduce the maximum height to 9.5m. While I think this is the wrong choice and will make the homes worse for those living in it, it is not a big deal as 80% of rowhomes were already under 9.5m. #yegcc

Great news for Edmonton retaining some of the most progressive infill policy in Canada.

Edmonton keeps winning

Win! Thanks to all the people who put in the hard work of organizing, speaking, researching, putting together public education materials, bugging their city councillors, being annoying about this stuff in conversations with neighbours and friends.

Congratulations Edmonton! An example to us all.

Listen to the debate on YouTube if you can. The difference between the opposed and in favour camp is stark. Hopefully this can put the debate to rest for awhile. Let people actually move into the housing. Let the LRT and bike network get built. Let’s see the vibrancy.

Big congrats to our pals to the north! Calgary take note...

🚨 Edmonton retains status as Canadian YIMBY capital🚨

Eight is great, baby!

Thanks to @jonmorganyeg.bsky.social, @michaeljanz.bsky.social, @ashleysalvador.bsky.social, @erinrutherford.bsky.social, @andrewknack.bsky.social and the other councillors not on bluesky who voted for diverse housing options. Thanks for supporting an Edmonton for everyone!

BREAKING: We're staying at 8 homes per lot! Edmonton City Council today voted against reducing the maximum number of homes per lot from 8 to 6 in the RS zone! #yeg #yegcc

Design guidelines lead to bad designs and are usually developed by a small group of architects trying to consolidate the entire profession into a 10 page guide. You cant do it and it leads to poor outcomes. The city should get rid of all of them

We've lived in our 100m² townhouse/row condo in Millwoods for 31 years. We raised 2 kids here. We've got houses to the south & east & other condo complexes to the north & west. A fully mixed (culturally & dwelling style) neighbourhood. Much of Millwoods is like this. And it's great.

ICYMI: The Problem with Public Hearings

NIMBYs like Lorne Gunter know that the facts aren't on their side, so they resort to making things up. Gunter: "Even if the units in eight-plexes were 500 square feet (they’re not), who could raise a family there?" Fact: Administration found that half of units in rowhomes are 1000sqft or more.

If any journalist would like to challenge or counter the "neighbourhood destroyer" trope with someone who lives with infill and thinks the exact opposite, you can figure out how to be in touch. Or just ignore those who support, as is the norm. edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu...

Guadalajara apartments appreciation post. Guadalajara has way better architecture than CDMX because they don’t limit the city to 4 stories nor allow a ridiculous 80% lot coverage.

Thanks Hamilton-Mountain PLA for hosting a wonderful dinner last night and giving me the opportunity to speak. Ontario has an incredible amount of potential. But the truth is, Ontario has been stuck, and it has been for a long time. We need growth in order to bring back an affordable life.

If complaints around infill are sounding mighty familiar, that's because they are. We heard all the same talking points a decade ago, that splitting lots for skinny homes would be the end of our mature neighbourhoods. Thing is, it wasn't. It was fine. We grew, and changed.

Hey Edmonton urbanists! Thought I'd start a starter pack for us. Let me know if you want to be in it or have suggestions! go.bsky.app/E7u9toC

🧵Don't have time to write an op-ed about infill, but here are my main points: 1) a significant portion of those against make claims that they aren't asked to support, and/or can't support, with facts; 2) those of us who support infill in mature communities remain largely voiceless in news reports;

I can't be that upset at the reporter, they asked city staff and got misdirection and obfuscation, but this article on reserve funds will leave you worse off than if you'd never read it. So I guess I'll do a quick overview of what the reserves actually are. 🧵 1/ www.thestar.com/news/gta/is-...

I honestly can't imagine predicting a $1.8 billion shortfall, ending up with a $2 billion surplus instead and then having the guts to call it "sound planning." It is actually very poor planning! www.thestar.com/news/gta/is-...

My urban planning pet peeve is when people talk about which cities are “well-designed”. But it just ends up being cities that are older. I agree, older cities are nicer. But I want to know which cities are doing good things *today*, not just which ones lucked out to get big sooner.

Edmonton: Lower taxes! Infill (lowers costs), 🚲 lanes (reduce expensive 🚗 dependency). Also Edmonton: No, not like that. Edmonton: Make this city more vibrant! Infill brings people in to shrinking nhbds, including renters, just like vibrant cities like Montreal. Also Edmonton: No, not like that.

Every year during the budget debate, someone talks about "raiding" the reserves and says they'll be empty soon. Then, when the final numbers come in, there is more money in the reserves than ever. I've become hugely cynical about the budget process. It's just theatre. datawrapper.dwcdn.net/YzBjX/1/

This kind of statistic always makes me laugh because property tax growth being so low is a policy choice that the City of Toronto has complete control over!

At this point it seems no one understands reserve funds. They are majority unspent capital budget from previous years, not rainy day funds. Spending down the reserves is good.

Kevin Taft is referencing the cruel game of musical chairs video and says it's disturbing that some councillors and housing advocacy groups have been spreading it. BTW have you seen this video? 👇 youtu.be/EQGQU0T6NBc?...

Recently toured a planner on the fence on 8plexes thru Bonnie Doon, showing them how they're deeply used. On my street, we own and are the minority. Most rent but also have kids. Our nbhd school isn't closing, we all save $. Renter voices are routinely ignored. edmontonjournal.com/news/local-n...