When Mike Thomas’ elderly neighbour got sick and needed to sell his small bungalow on a wide lot in east Edmonton, Thomas immediately became concerned about the home being torn down and replaced with something much bigger.
Thomas said he has invested a lot into his own bungalow over the years: an addition, gardens, a back patio and solar panels on the roof.
He felt like he had no avenue to stop a developer if they purchased the home to the south and wanted to build a multi-family housing complex.
“I would be losing enjoyment of my entire property,” Thomas said.
“My property value would plummet for resale — even if the house is nice — because I’ve got a monster next to me that completely blocks all the light.”
So, he made a life-changing decision — risking his financial future by buying his neighbour’s home in the Bergman neighbourhood.
Thomas had to come up with $75,000 in three months to make the purchase.
“I’m not special and I’m not wealthy — and that killed me.”
He now rents the bungalow next door, at a discount, to a family of Ukrainian refugees.
In 2023, the City of Edmonton changed zoning bylaws to allow for more multi-unit buildings up to three storeys in all neighbourhoods.
The aim was to encourage a variety of development to be built more easily in residential areas.
Since then, there’s been mixed reaction to the increase in multi-unit buildings replacing single-family homes.
Infill ended up being a contentious topic during the 2025 fall municipal election campaign after residents of established communities expressed concerns with property values, not enough parking, predatory developers, quality of builds and housing affordability.
Some Edmonton homeowners in established, upscale areas like Crestwood and Glenora have even gone so far as to explore placing restrictive covenants on their properties to prevent future development.
The legally binding agreement goes on a property title and limits how a property is used or developed, even after it is sold to a new owner.
Neighbourhoods United has volunteers from 50 mature neighbourhoods who are amplifying their concerns about infill together.
Treasurer Dallas Moravec said their group knows of other frustrated residents doing something similar.
“I’ve heard a few different communities who have started some of these investor groups who put together some money,” Moravec said. “They’re looking to protect their neighbours’ houses that potentially they want to sell.”
“It speaks to the unpredictability of the zoning bylaws.”
Edmonton’s urban planning committee will be reviewing the city’s controversial zoning and infill policies on Feb. 9.
Reports indicate city staff recommend dropping the maximum number of units on a single lot from eight to six mid-block.
For more information, watch the video at the top of this story.
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