The Pulse
Oct. 16, 2024

A backyard housing advocate said he expects the City of Edmonton to issue one new backyard suite permit every day this year, thanks to a combination of revamped zoning and new loan products.

As of mid-September, the City of Edmonton had permitted 254 backyard suites, which is already twice as many as permitted in 2023, the previous record year.

Travis Fong, a co-founder of YEGardenSuites, forecasts the city will permit 366 suites by the end of 2024.

"That's a substantial number of homes," Fong told Taproot. (Fong's partner is Ward Métis Coun. Ashley Salvador, who is the company's other co-founder. Fong said Salvador left the organization after she was elected in 2021.)

"You know, we hear about a tower going up in Mill Woods, and that's a really exciting development, but at the same time, we nearly have a tower's worth of homes going up every year in backyard homes, but they're dispersed," Fong said. "They're spread throughout the city — they're gentle density, they're hidden density. It's not all being led by one developer."

Fong said the increase in new backyard homes is mainly due to the city's zoning bylaw renewal, which went into effect on Jan. 1. Among many changes, the new bylaw allows multiple backyard suites to be built on a lot. The previous bylaw allowed only one backyard suite per "front-yard" suite. The new bylaw also increases the maximum floor area on a second storey from 50-square-meters to 60-square-meters. Fong said that change allows a backyard suite to have an extra bedroom and helps make projects more financially viable.

A map that Fong created, which plots new backyard suite permits in Edmonton, shows them concentrated like a donut in established neighbourhoods. However, many backyard suites are popping up in new neighbourhoods, too. "When you zoom in on Rosenthal, you notice that there are several locations where every single house has a backyard home for 15 or 20 homes," Fong said. "The pattern of garden suite development in new subdivisions is very different from the pattern of backyard housing development in core neighborhoods, but these new suburbs are accounting for a very significant number of backyard homes."

Fong said there are two main reasons a homeowner or developer might build a backyard suite — as a rental suite or to house extended family on the property. "There's a whole market segment — a really significant market segment, that are racialized, different ethnicities, big family, grandparents living in the house — (and) they're looking for a property where you can put your whole family, and you can also create a certain degree of separation," Fong said. "There's a conception that that's happening mainly in mature areas, but it very much happens in suburbs."

• A coalition of business leaders is proposing a $500-million investment plan over 10 years to revitalize Edmonton's downtown. The plan includes specific investments in infrastructure, cleanliness, and community hubs to address issues like high office vacancy rates, which have reduced downtown's contribution to the municipal tax base. The plan aims to double the downtown population and enhance its vibrancy. "This is no small feat, and this is no small plan," said Puneeta McBryan of the Downtown Edmonton Business Association. Other groups involved in the plan include the Downtown Revitalization Coalition, the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, and BILD Edmonton Metro.
• The Edmonton Police Service is seeking a court order to prevent the release of the identity of the officer who fatally shot Mathios Arkangelo on June 29, citing threats to the officer's life. The request follows a $1-million lawsuit from Arkangelo's family and ongoing protests regarding his death. Tom Engel, the family's lawyer, questioned the credibility of the alleged threats, calling the move "unprecedented" and arguing it could undermine transparency in police accountability.
• CUPE Local 3550 and CUPE Local 474, which represent more than 4,000 Edmonton Public Schools support staff, are holding strike votes this week due to stalled wage negotiations. The union rejected the employer's offer to extend the contract without addressing wage increases beyond the province's cap. Despite being invited back to the bargaining table, union leaders say the wage offer of a 2.75% increase over four years is unacceptable, citing concerns about cost of living, understaffing, and inadequate benefits.
• Former Alberta justice minister Kaycee Madu is facing sanctions from the Law Society of Alberta after it found he "undermined respect for the administration of justice" by calling Edmonton's police chief about a traffic ticket he received in 2021. In a decision published Oct. 15, the committee found Madu guilty of conduct worthy of sanction, although a specific punishment has not yet been determined. Madu, who was removed from cabinet after the incident, argued the call was to address concerns of racial profiling.
• The Canadian Press published a profile of Philip Currie, a celebrated Canadian paleontologist and inspiration for "Jurassic Park," who turned 75 this year. Currie is continuing his work and hopes to discover a complete Troodon formosus skeleton in Alberta, a rare dinosaur he finds fascinating. He has been instrumental in establishing dinosaur museums globally, including the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum, which marks its 10th anniversary next year, and continues to teach at the University of Alberta.
• Edmonton native Erik Sabrowski was in the spotlight at Yankee Stadium on Oct. 14 as he pitched for the Cleveland Guardians in the MLB playoffs against the New York Yankees. The left-handed relief pitcher struck out three of five batters, showcasing his skill on a major stage. Sabrowski's achievement marks the first time a professional baseball player from Edmonton has played in the MLB postseason.
• The provincial government is launching a new agency, Primary Care Alberta, which is set to begin operations by Nov. 1. The province says the agency, which is part of its plan to restructure the health system, will focus on improving access to family doctors and nurse practitioners, developing new care models, and expanding virtual after-hours care. Kim Simmonds, an epidemiologist and assistant deputy minister for Alberta Health, has been appointed as CEO.
• The Alberta government has launched a $7-million "Scrap the Cap" advertising campaign across several provinces to oppose Ottawa's proposed emissions cap on the oil and gas sector. The campaign argues the cap would harm Alberta's economy and infringe on provincial jurisdiction, while the federal government and environmental groups view it as essential for meeting climate goals. Critics of the campaign questioned its claims about rising costs, suggesting the cap might not significantly impact global oil prices or production.

Here are some events happening today in the Edmonton area.

• Indigenous Procurement Event starting at 8am at River Cree Resort and Casino
• Creative Ideation and Problem-Solving for Entrepreneurs starting at 12pm at Edmonton Unlimited
• Moving to Food Security – Why Long-Term Strategies are Needed starting at 12pm at Edmonton's Food Bank Annex
• Breaking Ground: A History of Rule Wynn Rule and Next Architecture starting at 12pm at Alberta Aviation Museum
• Building a Fundable Startup starting at 2:30pm at Edmonton Unlimited
• So You Want to be an Architect? starting at 4pm at Edmonton Public Library (Stanley A. Milner)
• Launch Party 15 starting at 5pm at Fan Park
• Studio Tour and Workshop starting at 5pm at S2 Architecture
• Greater Parkland Regional Chamber of Commerce Business Awards of Distinction starting at 6pm at Heritage Park Hall
• LitFest Feature: Our Crumbling Foundation starting at 6pm at Citadel Theatre
• Mixtape Improv: Under the Radar starting at 7pm at Grindstone Comedy Theatre and Bistro
• Nonfiction Story Slam starting at 7pm at 9910
• Pecha Kucha starting at 8:30pm at Double Dragon

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• Oct. 22: Beyond the Food Court: An Anthology of Literary Cuisines at FILISTIX Downtown
• Oct. 26: Blue Moon Marquee at Festival Place
• Nov. 1: 35th Annual ASTech Awards Gala at Delta Hotels by Marriott Edmonton South Conference Centre

Visit the beta version of the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.