r/Edmonton

Given the time of year, we are about to see a large influx of posts about winter tires.
Some will ask for reviews, others will ask if all seasons are good enough. Below are some extremely important things to understand when it comes to winter driving:

1. You absolutely need winter tires.
2. As a general rule, the more expensive the better. Michelin x ice, Bridgestone Blizzak, Nokian Hakkapelitta. They aren’t cheap - but they are significantly cheaper than totalling your vehicle.
3. It’s 4 wheel drive not 4 wheel stop. The type of drivetrain in your vehicle does nothing with regard to how it stops on snow and ice. The only thing that makes a difference is the material making contact with the ground.
4. Studded tires are legal here and you should use them. They make an incredible difference.
5. Drive the conditions not the speed limit. That slippery white stuff on the ground means you need to slow down, give more space, and drive with the assumption that you can slide at any time. It only takes one bad slide to end your life or the life of others.
6. It’s incredibly helpful to YouTube how to counter steer when sliding.

If you’re planning on driving this winter, you have a duty to do everything you can to ensure your vehicle is not a liability to the welfare of others on the road. This starts with ensuring you have the appropriate tires on.

Also, the first snowfall of the season is often the worst time to be on the road as many drivers have not yet switched over their tires. Be extra diligent out there.

I'm looking for an olive oil that is better suited for dipping bread. We have Terra delyssa at home which we use for cooking. I'm open to suggestions of any harvest origin so let me hear what you're enjoying!

I am pro density, pro infill, pro affordability. However I am losing my mind on trying to defend and find any reason to support the mid-block 8-plexes. I realize that the loudest voices are often the angriest- but I’ve yet to come across anyone in support of this level of infill. Why is council not listening to or acknowledging this resounding opposition? Is there a large body of people truly in support of this that is seeing something I’m not? I’m struggling to see the pros - and I want to, if there truly are some that outweigh the negatives.

For those in support, please enlighten me. I’d like to hope I’m looking at this from a lens that supports a diverse, affordable inner city and am not spewing NIMBYism. I’m just a loss here on the positives. With this degree of community unrest about the topic, I’m curious why council can’t press pause on the new bylaw like Calgary did?

The 8-plexes are almost exclusively being purchased as single title dwellings to rent out. Rentals are important and there was a shortage of them at one point. I want rentals in my neighbourhood of varying housing types. But as I’m seeing every single older home turned into an investment opportunity, I’m not so sure if we are taking it too far.
These pose several issues:

1. Where are the houses that are afforable to purchase in these core communities? The 1950s bungalows are being sold off market directly to investors, and first time home buyers are not even given a chance.

2. Ok let’s say that’s fine. If the run down 50’s bungalow was purchased then maybe there will be some smaller homes being built on the lot I can purchase? Nope. Not a single new infill townhome unit has hit the market in my community in 4 years. They are are all listed as a single buildings for $1m+ targeted solely at investors. So new buyers are not able to buy into this community - no older home options as they don’t even hit MLS and if they do, are scooped up by predatory out-of-province investors AND no new affordable housing options are going in with the opportunity to purchase. I have seen almost no single family or duplex homes built on these lots in years, and no to-purchase townhome options. How is this bridging a gap for affordable home ownership? Sure there is the increase supply argument - but these are all rentals! Does decreased rents from over supply improve the housing market in a meaningful way that promotes ownership in core communities? No. So now that someone can’t afford to purchase a home in these communities, are we not just pushing them to greenfield developments?

3. The rents are not affordable and several units in my community sit vacant. True affordable housing options isn’t simply over flooding the market with rentals to increase supply. It is intentionally positioned, affordable housing that is mindful of location, accessibility, walkability, amenities etc.

4. Can we realistically say that having a mid-block 3 story 4-plex won’t affect my property value? It will. Why would someone want to buy a home if I had 8 plexes on either side? As much as I hate to be that person, the density of these units is undoubtedly going to cause issues with parking and privacy. The infrastructure is another concern- whether true or not, the perception of strained neighborhood infrastructure is going to affect value. This feels unfair if this cost only comes with the benefit of lining a Toronto based investor’s pocket who has no stake in the community.

5. The trees :( How do you preserve existing trees in a yard that are 75 years old and healthy if the goal is to maximize site coverage? The measly incentives to preserve these trees are completely ineffective when an investor can double their monthly rental income. Sure, City owned boulevard trees are protected, but the trees in the yards should be valued much more than they are.

I think 8-plex rentals can work great on corner lots. They are a great way to increase density, add to the diversity of our communities and have a positive impact on sprawl. They also make sense from a parking, privacy and streetscape perspective.

It would just be nice to see benefits to this blanket zoning that feels so thoughtless and dismissive of people’s concerns right now. Is council too proud to go back and press pause, even when this clearly isn’t working? Why has there been no comment from anyone on this lately? Maybe the bigger issue is the federal incentives, but pressing pause on the blanket zoning would help reduce the number of these types of purchases.

Ugh I want to love infill and defend it in its entirety, but I’m struggling. I think my love for it has its limits.

TLDR: Why are mid block 8-plex rentals a positive for the City? What is council seeing that I’m not?

Are there any banks out there that actively have more than one person at the branch?!

Seriously considering leaving CIBC. Tired or waiting in line for over an hour because only one person is available to help people

I've been meaning to head down to the newly renovated Hawrelak Park for some time now. Today, I finally made it there, and I was not disappointed. It's beautiful, especially with all the fall colors.

It was refreshing to see so many people out enjoying it. I particularly loved the amount of seating options to take in the different views throughout. It made me proud to be an Edmontonian. I truly believe city parks speak volumes about a city. We are lucky to live in a city with so many beautiful parks. Hawrelak is a gem.

If you haven't been down yet, I'd highly recommend it.

I have been craving crab rangoon lately and would absolutely love to hear where I can find some really good ones! I prefer mine a little heavier on the cream cheese, but I'm willing to try anything!

Does anyone know what's happening with the old Hudson's Bay space at Kingsway?

I think a T&T would be perfect there. It would also be financially dangerous for me, because having a T&T that convenient would mean I could buy fresh straw mushrooms and assorted Asian num nums whenever I wanted. It wouldn't even have to use the whole space - half would be sufficient.

But seriously, I hope they put something interesting in there.

If they put a car dealership in that space, I will kick it down.

Not the just windows. The entire dealership.