Okay, after stuffing ourselves for the holidays, it’s time to start thinking about what’s for dinner next year. Is it just us, or have you noticed an increase in vegan and vegetarian options in Edmonton? The city is finally getting some recognition for our most creative and seriously delicious eateries, but what about the new vegan spots diversifying Edmonton’s offerings? These spots are worth a visit whether you’re a vegan or just looking for something new in YEG.

Arcadia

The utopian dream lives on! Arcadia focuses on Alberta beer, good music, meat-free offerings, and conversation. And, they do a pretty good job of it. It’s an awesome idea grounded in socially conscious community development. Their space is great (kid friendly til 8) and it’s contributing to the incredible growth of 124th street.

Here’s what you’re going to do; check the next concert date, text your homebody friends to make plans, layout evening clothes for your homebody friends so they have something other than pyjamas to wear, eat a late lunch, get to Arcadia, order a Fahr North Dunkelweizen and the 124 Street Nachos (complete with Sailin’on coconut bacon), lather, rinse, and repeat until satisfied. You’ll pick up on the vibe quickly and get to experience life on the good ship Albion.

Die Pie 

Can you ever get enough pizza? No. Not up for discussion. That’s why we’re just as excited to see Die Pie bringing plant-based pizza to Jasper Ave. Mari Toni Gerner, Elisse’s sister in law and plant-based culinary expert, tells us that one of the most difficult ways to introduce people to plant-based food is to replicate something they are really familiar with. But, Die Pie is definitely up to that challenge. It all comes down to the vegan cheese. I know there are some pizza aficionados that cringed reading that, but stick with us. This is vegan cheese made by Die Pie in their downtown kitchen (available for purchase I might add). It’s delicious and perfect for their pizzas.

Just try it. They’re set to change the pizza game in Edmonton. Don’t miss out.

The Moth

Yay! Development in the Quarters. It has definitely taken some time but we are happy to see that the area will host Cafe Mosaics’ new venture, The Moth. The restaurant looks stunning, and if you’ve been to Cafe Mosaics, then you know you can expect the food to be worth the visit.

The Moth is trying to highlight raw and nutritious ingredients at a price more people can afford. Again, it seems to be about servicing the community and trying to be a hub for Edmonton’s inner city residents. If you’re in the neighbourhood, check out the Moth and let us know if it lives up to the hype!

It seems the underlying concept of socially conscious community development is pretty consistent across the board. These are Chefs and Entrepreneurs doing purposeful work to help Edmonton grow. If you’re looking to try something new, or you just saw OKJA, send these places some love. Without them, we’ll just keep seeing the same stale restaurants and we’ll never get to see what Edmonton could become.

Good Eating Edmonton,

TruHome

!Shout out to the originals who laid the foundations for vegan Edmonton!

Padmanadi’s (2002)

Cafe Mosaics (2011)

Noorish (2011)

Buckingham (2013)

Every winter, after the first snow, I start to get excited about Christmas. I think to myself, “this year I’m going to be on top of all my shopping, get everything done online, and just hang out in my warm house waiting for Amazon to do the work for me”. And then, every year, I find myself gambling with delivery times or running around town trying to find cute independents where I can buy great last-minute gifts while avoiding the malls. This year is no different, so I’m going to capitalize on it and spread a little holiday love. Here are some of our must-visit local shops for the new year (or if you’re like me, now, quickly, before the 25th).

Westmount Soap Company

Westmount Soap draws inspiration from the freshest neighbourhoods in Edmonton. They are all about natural ingredients that create soaps that are gentle on the skin. I’m starting out in my neighbourhood – Ritchie – and then exploring up from there. Everything smells so good and the soaps really don’t feel harsh at all. After the dust settles on the holiday season, pick yourself up some soaps, settle in for a relaxing bath, and explore the city. It’s a low effort Edmonton tour.

You can find the Westmount Soap company at the 124th Grand Market and in a few craft fairs in 2018.

Or Visit Them Online At WestmountSoapCompany.ca

Alberta Craft Council

If you’re looking for something unique and produced in Alberta, you need to visit the Alberta Craft Gallery. There is so much to explore and yes, the pieces are for sale. You could get lost for a day in the glasswork, woodwork, pottery, fibre art, jewelry, furniture and home accessories from over 150 artists. I like my gifts to have a story attached to them. This place is perfect for unique home decor. It’ll also make you feel good about yourself for supporting local artists and any shop that can do that is worth a visit.

They have locations in both Edmonton and Calgary. If you want to learn more about the work they’re doing, talk to someone in the store or visit Alberta Craft Council online.

Bear Cat and Bimbo

Bearcat & Bimbo is all about reclamation and repurposing. Elisse has personally known one of the founders, Dan Hallett, for a long time and is not surprised by the awesome creativeness that he and his partner bring to the craft. They do amazing lighting and home decor using unconventional materials. Pick up something interesting for your home or as a gift. These pieces are anything but generic, so at the very least, you need to see some of the work they do. You can check it out on their Facebook or Instagram accounts. They also do custom work if you’ve got something else in mind.

The Colombian Mountain Coffee Company

Coffee! What’s better than that? Coffee with a story. This beautiful couple, Kristin & Santiago Lopez, is bringing their family tradition to Canada and as result of their hard work, we get to enjoy this incredible coffee. We first met them in the salsa world and we are so excited for what they are bringing to the Edmonton coffee scene. The coffee is roasted here in Alberta and if you’ve been lucky enough to encounter this company, you know how good it is.

But, it’s not just about the coffee. It’s more purposeful than that. In addition to visiting the farms that source their roastery, they work to ensure that those farms and co-ops are paid fairly. It’s pride and hard work resulting in a product that’s easy to get behind. Keep a lookout for these two in the coming year including the launch of their new “brick and mortar” location right near Vi’s for Pies.

You can also catch them around town various weeks, be sure to check out their online here.

Edmonton Made

Want to find more local businesses doing great work in Edmonton? “Edmonton Made strives to enhance the exposure of locally based businesses and to make it easy to shop local and find distinctly Edmonton products and experiences. Edmonton Made helps local entrepreneurs tell their stories, grow their audiences, and connects them with the resources they need to be successful.”

Visit the gift shop online at EdmontonMade.com 

Happy Holidays Edmonton!

We want to take a second to thank all of the great people in our community (Edmonton) who make our lives so great. You all make what we do more enjoyable and that keeps us working hard to come up with new ways to better help our clients when it comes to buying or selling Edmonton Real Estate. We look forward to 2018 and hope that we get the opportunity to work with some of your nearest and dearest in their next yeg home hunt or sale – we are always so appreciative of the referrals we get and the trust we have earned. We can not thank our wonderful clients/friends enough!

We also wanted to thank everyone who made it out to this year’s Plaid & Pine Holiday party. And, to those who missed it, we can’t wait to see you next year! (the holiday party photos are now viewable here – be sure to share, like and tag).

This years party was held in support of Sorrentino’s Compassion House. They are doing valuable work for women who need to travel for cancer treatment in Edmonton. The home is so caringly designed and maintained. Everyone deserves to feel at home and safe which is why this organization spoke to us. It really is a haven for so many that would otherwise have to endure much less supportive environments during their treatments. With your help, we managed to raise $700 dollars for their cause. Thank you! Over the year we have also donated a portion of each real estate transactions earnings towards the Children’s Miracle Network and the Realtors Community Foundation (who directly helps hundreds of local charities a year).

All of this wouldn’t have been possible without our generous sponsors. Another huge thank you to River City Financial and Murray & Stadnyk Law. If you’re in need of a mortgage broker or any legal services, we highly recommend both of these organizations. We work frequently with them both, and the experience has been so overwhelmingly positive. We are also extremely appreciative of the generous donations from the Edmonton Oil Kings and the Edmonton Prospects Baseball Club.

River City Financial believes in financial education, we think that is where the power is. We’ll help you get ready for the next steps of home ownership and understand what you can afford.

Murray & Stadnyk Law specializes in corporate commercials, real estate law, wills & estates. Our team of dedicated, experienced lawyers and administration will handle your file in a professional timely manner.

Thank you all for a great year. Happy Holidays from our family to yours! Stay in touch: 587-400-7653

Elisse Moreno, Caitlin Heine & The TruHome Team

We all dream about our perfect home, the one with open concept, bright and spacious rooms beautifully laid out with that living room set you saw at Restoration Hardware. You can almost hear the leaves sway gently as you step out the front door onto that beautiful tree-lined street in Ritchie. Then, you wake up, in front of some headline about Canada’s new mortgage “Stress Test”, and reality sets in.

Don’t Panic. It may not affect you and even if it does, you’re the resourceful type after all. You know how to stretch a budget and now you’re remembering that perfect living room set you saw at Structube. Everything is going to be okay.

Here’s What You Need to Know

On January 1, 2018, all buyers that are ready to buy a home with a 20% down payment or greater, that are used to today’s way of qualifying for a mortgage, won’t be able to receive as many mortgage dollars as they thought they might be able to. This new “Stress Test” being implemented will reduce your borrowing power by 25%. It will also apply to refinancing a home and will reduce your refinancing ability by 25% compared to today. There’s still time to avoid these changes. If you’re considering buying in the near future, speak to someone today to see if this will affect you.

Mortgage qualifications are changing on January 1, 2018, and you can expect more adjustments to rates and qualifying factors coming soon.

A Bit of the WHY Behind These Changes

Over the last year, we have seen a few changes to the way mortgages work and people apply. The first Stress Test implemented in the summer of 2017 was done so to reduce the purchasing power of high ratio buyers (buyers with less than a 20% down payment). This was done to be sure buyers could easily afford and renew their mortgage in an economy where house prices may be high and rates are going up.   

As of January 1st, 2018, the new Stress Test will apply to conventional financing, (buyers with a 20% down payment or more). This stress test will look a little different. For a buyer with 20% down, the Stress Test says that all lenders must qualify the borrower(s) at the Benchmark Rate. The Benchmark rate on the day of this writing is 4.99%

As mortgage Brokers, we have a formula that takes the interest rate into account along with your debt and your income and we produce a mortgage number that falls within an acceptable range of your borrowing opportunity. It is important to know that your contract rate is different than the Benchmark rate. That means the contract rate for your mortgage with good credit, a good job and an acceptable down payment and all things looking great would likely be between 2.99% to 3.09% for a five year fixed term. And this is the rate that your payment would be based on. ( so this is good) BUT…

As of January 1st 2018, buyers with a 20% down payment or more or that have equity in a home and are refinancing must qualify for a new mortgage or refinance at the greater of the Benchmark rate which at the time of this writing is at 4.99% or an interest rate 2% higher than the contract rate that your payment will be based on. This qualifying procedure will reduce your purchasing/refinancing ability by 25%.

Why did the rules change…well, the Federal Government is saying that rates are on the rise. They are also trying to control the overpriced housing market in the bigger cities like Vancouver and Toronto and we all have to follow suit.

The current stress test reduces a new buyer’s purchasing ability by 20% and the Stress test being implemented Jan 1st, 2018 reduces a conventional buyer’s purchasing ability by 25%. So, I can tell you that you could have had a bigger mortgage last summer but those days are changing.

Don’t Panic

Times have changed, but what has not is that owning a home is a fabulous asset in your financial portfolio, and often, an appreciating asset at that! Start shifting the rooms in your dream home and be prepared to get creative. Keep planning and dreaming about home ownership! Owning that home of your dreams is very, very possible. It just might take an extra step to get there.

At River City Financial we believe in financial education, we think that is where the power is. Yes you can still get a mortgage for your new home easily enough and yes you will still find stylish furniture that will fit into your new Edmonton house. Things are just a little tighter in the financing world today than yesterday, and your furniture will still look great in your new place!

Come chat with us at River City Financial and we will a have a full conversation and help you make the best decision for you. Anyone on my team at River City Financial will help you get ready for the next steps of home ownership and understand what you can afford.

Yvonne Wilchewski

River City Financial, Broker/Owner

CFF Bank Center, Owner

Yvonne Wilchewski is an accredited mortgage broker in Edmonton, Alberta. With over 20 years of experience in the Mortgage Industry, she offers mortgage ideas that will be profitable for you and your family. River City will strive to get you the best rates possible along with the best product for your specific mortgage needs.

How do you get around the city? The City of Edmonton wants to get you out of the car and has many initiatives in place including new LRT lines and bike lanes. But what about right now? We looked at the City of Edmonton’s 2016 Census results to get a feel for how our city moves.

As you can see, we are a city that drives. Even in central Edmonton, over half the people get around by driving. That said, you can see how the LRT line increases transit use along the line.

It will be interesting to see what happens to people’s commute choices as more LRT and bike options become available. We can’t wait to see what the numbers say about the new downtown bike network.

So, are we a well-off city with a manageable population that makes driving convenient and the costs associated with it are within our budgets? Are we a bad example of urban sprawl making dedicated transit solutions impossible and we’re being forced to drive? Is it poor transit planning or an unwillingness to invest in infrastructure that could affect this balance? Or are we just an oil city that prefers the comfort and independence of a vehicle?

Let us know what you think.

More on Edmonton’s commuting preferences to come.

It’s important to factor condo fees into your decision when thinking about buying a condo.

Unexpected costs can really mess up a budget. A little miscalculation or a few unknown expenses can compound and either ruin a well laid out plan or stretch your budget to an uncomfortable level. The more of these you can avoid, the more enjoyable buying an Edmonton condo is going to be.

We know you’re busy, and there is an overwhelming amount of information from an equally overwhelming number of sources. How are you supposed to process it all and find exactly what you need to know? Don’t worry about it. We’re constantly collecting this information to support and inform Edmonton’s buyers; so, let us do the hard work for you.

We looked back at the last few years to see what condo fees were for condos for sale in the Downtown and Oliver areas. We took the median price for each condo building, although some only had a single condo. We hope this will give you a general idea of the condo fee per building.

Most of the condos had information on condo fees. However, if you do not see a condo that you’re interested or you have any questions, please contact us so that we can help you get this information. Different condos will provide different services or amenities with these fees, and we can also help you get this information.

Downtown Condo Fees

The lowest condo fee we found in Downtown was at Ultima, which was less than $300/month. The highest fee was at Valley Towers, with a median fee over $1000/month.

Less than $400/month

• Ultima
• Cambridge Lofts
• Fox Two
• River Valley Condominiums
• Fifth Street Lofts
• Fox One
• Melrose Manor
• Monaco II
• River Vista
• The Parliament

$400 – $450/month

• The Residence
• Quest
• Mcleod Building
• Terrace Court
• The Cosmopolitan
• Marquis
• The Legacy
• Railtown Estates
• The Jefferson Lofts
• Railtown on the Park

$450-500/month

• The Madison
• Icon II
• Capital Centre
• Alta Vista in Railtown
• Morris Lofts
• Renaissance Place
• Vivacity One
• Alta Vista North

$500-550/month

• The Monaco
• Seventh Street Lofts
• Peregrine Point
• Liberty on Jasper

$550-600/month

• The Omega
• Phillips Lofts

More than $600/month

• Beatty Lofts
• Churchill Exchange
• The Executive
• Hillside Estates
• The Ten
• The Horizon
• Icon I
• Excelsior Lofts
• Mcdougall Place
• Valley Towers
  

Oliver Condo Fees

The lowest condo fee we found in Oliver was at The Five, which was on average $200/month. The highest single condo fee was at The Carlisle at over $2400/month.

Less than $300/month

• The Five
• Chancery Lane
• Collage Place
• Marjorie Manor
• The Hargate
• Park Manor
• Seasons on the Park
• Cherry Brooke Court

$300-350/month

• Studio Lanes 1
• Hardwood Plaza
• Neu Manor
• Espania
• Oliver Ridge
• Ellis Lofts
• Grandin Court
• Oliver Gables
• Royal Oak
• Oliver Park Condos
• Oliver Village
• Oliver Manor

$350-400/month

• Oliver Arms
• Gates on Twelfth
• Tudor Park
• Grandin Gates
• Cedar Manor
• Providence 1
• Lord Simcoe
• Whitehall Place
• Kenwood Place
• Glenora Manor
• Panache on 12th
• Dorchester House
• Carnaby Lane
• Inner Town Manor
• The Tuscany

$400-450/month

• Quinn House
• The Meridian
• The Venetian
• The Wesley
• Oliver Gardens
• Centurian Tower
• The Villa
• Tower on the Park
• The Solarium
• Academy Place
• Grandin Manor
• Oakwood Towers
• Tara Woods
• Brandon Court
• Traditions

$450-500/month

• The Fifteen
• Oliver on the Park
• Pearl Tower
• Victoria Promenade
• Concordia Place
• Top of the Valley
• Chanticleer
• Trademark Luxury Condos
• Cedar Village
• Canterbury Place
• Ironwood
• Madison III
• Crestview Towers
• Torrey Pines
• The Marquis
• Park Towers
• The Imperial
• Crofton House

$500-550/month

• Court 112
• Victoria Park Tower
• The Metropol
• Meridian Plaza
• Rosedale Place
• The Luxor
• The Saskatchewan
• Uptown Lofts
• The Athabascan
• Uptown Estates
• Hudson House
• Cardinal
• B and H Towers
• Shaughnesssy House

$550-600/month

• Parkview on 116th
• Fontaine House
• Illuminada II
• Valhalla
• Tretheway
• Oliver Pointe
• Grandin Green
• Westcliffe Arms
• Ravine Mansion
• The Berkeley
• Valleyview Manor
• The Savoy
• Serenity
• Riverview Towers

$600-650/month

• Central Park
• The Gainsborough
• The Westminster
• The Puffin
• The Dakota
• Victoria Court

Greater than $650/month

• The Galleria
• The Glenora
• Park Place
• Eton Park
• Westwind Est
• Grandin House
• Victoria Plaza
• Le Marchand Tower
• Illuminada
• Hyde Park
• Rivercliff Place
• Grosvenor House
• Fairmont
• Arcadia
• The Carlisle
• Lessard House

While this gives a general idea of what each condo charges in condo fees, keep in mind, it isn’t that simple. Not all condo fees include the same things (ex. heat, water/sewer, landscaping, management etc). Each condo also varies based on costs due to long-term maintenance and number of units per building.

At TruHome, we are interested in the makeup of Edmonton, so that we can provide our clients with all the information they need to buy or sell their home.

Which areas of the city do you think are the most dense in Edmonton?

In order to do this, we calculated the density as the number of people living in a square kilometre (km²) in each neighbourhood. So what exactly is a square kilometre? To give you an idea of what a square kilometre is, we measured the area of a typical block in Garneau. Approximately 30 blocks would fit into 1 km². Therefore, in Garneau, about 340 people live in each block. Although city blocks do not stay consistent in size in Edmonton, this gives you a feel for what these numbers mean.

Typically, the more dense communities  have apartments and other higher density living options.

Most Populated Edmonton Neighbourhoods

1) Garneau (11810 people/km²)

With a total population just shy of 10k and a smaller area of only 0.8 km², this neighbourhood is the densest in Edmonton. When one thinks Garneau, the University of Alberta is often talked about. This neighbourhood is a hot location for students, professors and those who like the eclectic energy Garneau offers. Situated along the river valley and surrounded by 109th Street and 82 Avenue, this neighbourhood is a perfect place to enjoy good cafes, great food and be inspired by the historical and modern attributes of the university.

2) Oliver (10647 people/km²)

With almost double the population of Garneau but also double the land area, Oliver is the 2nd most dense neighbourhood in Edmonton. Again with many apartments in this region, this is no surprise. Located on the northern side of the river, Oliver is 1 LRT ride away from the university. In Oliver you will find a diverse population ranging from students, to professors, to business professionals, to young families. People love Oliver for the beautiful greenery, the close walkability to the core, the amenities and quick transportation routes.

3) Boyle Street (7647 people/km²)

Boyle Street is situated to the east of downtown, Edmonton. The city of Edmonton has large aspirations for this neighbourhood and are actively developing The Quarters here as well as the new LRT line. Boyle Street offers a wide range of options when it comes to affordability of homes. While still largely apartment style, there is a mix between newer high-rises along the river to low rises. This neighbourhood is walkable to the Stadium and provides a quick commute to downtown.

4) Callingwood South (7132 people/km²)

With West Edmonton Village, one of Edmonton’s largest multi-unit complexes, this neighbourhood is the most dense area outside of the city’s core. However, it is still almost half the density of the top spot Garneau. Callingwood South is close to West Edmonton Mall and boasts an excellent farmer’s market each week during the summer/fall months.

5) Cromdale (5737 people/km²)

Cromdale is the smallest region of the top 5 densest neighbourhoods, at only 2059 km². So even though only about 2000 residents call this neighbourhood home, many live in more dense homes such as apartment buildings. Situated to the east of Boyle Street, it too offers great commutability, close to the Stadium LRT, Save-On Foods, the river valley and more.

Some other neigbhourhoods were just shy of the top 5, including Downtown (with over 12,000 Edmontonians calling it home), Strathcona and South Terwillegar (both with almost 9000 residents).

Least Populated Neighbourhoods

Excluding industrial areas as well as areas on the outskirts of the city not yet fully developed, the least dense neighbourhoods in the city in 2016 were:

1) Cloverdale (839 people/km²)

With large portions of this neighbourhood covered by park space, it makes sense that Cloverdale is the least dense area of the city. Beautiful Gallagher park, with it’s amazing views of downtown, is the setting for the prestigious Edmonton Folk Music Festival. Located just south of the river, with a mix of condos and single detached houses, this is a beautiful neighbourhood for those that want to live in the centre of the city, close to Downtown.

2) Westbrook Estates (928 people/km²)

Again most of this neighbourhood is occupied by green space, this time by The Derrick Golf and Winter Club. This private club provides family friendly year-round activities, including golf, tennis, swimming, cross country skiing, and curling. Most of the architecturally designed homes in this neighbourhood are situated on large lots backing onto either the golf course or the picturesque Whitemud Creek Ravine.

3) Rossdale (954 people/km²)

Although debatable to include in the top 5 since a large portion of the neighbourhood is taken up by the power and waste water treatment plants as well as the RE/MAX baseball field, we included it since this is a well known mixed residential area in the heart of Edmonton. Rossdale is one of Edmonton’s oldest neighbourhoods, now mostly made up of apartment buildings with a small portion of single detached homes. Some of these homes are over 50 years old!

4) Prince Rupert (1128 people/km²)

With the old municipal airport to the east, it will be interesting to see how this older neighbourhood changes as the Blatchford Area is converted to residential. The innovative Blatchford Area design is focused on sustainability and community, with about 30,000 residents expected to live there at it’s completion. Prince Rupert is an affordable option for people looking to live central right now. It is especially close to Kingsway Mall, NAIT, and the Royal Alexandra Hospital.

5) Richford (1282 people/km²)

With a population of only about 760 people and a land area of only 0.6 km², this area is again low in density because of lots of green space. Richford has Ellerslie Rugby Park plus the Blackmud Creek Ravine along its boundaries. Close to the Anthony Henday for commuting around the city, this neighbourhood has a mix of apartments and single detached homes.

What do you think of the most and least dense regions of Edmonton? Would this affect where you decide to live? If you have questions or are looking for guidance on buying or selling Edmonton Real Estate, get in touch and let’s chat.

Data Source: 2016 census data from the City of Edmonton

Disclaimer: The data included on this website is deemed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate as we are relying on data insight from 3rd parties. 

Understanding Edmonton’s Flood Maps

At TruHome, we aim to provide our clients with the information needed to make educated choices about buying a home in Edmonton. In 2017 there has been much talk about the release of the Edmonton flood maps and what they mean. One of the most common questions we get related to this topic is: What are the chances of my house flooding?

Of course, the reality is that no one can fully predict the future. However, it is possible to understand how at risk your home may be and what you can do to reduce the chances of flooding.

Understanding Drainage Systems

Flooding can be caused by a variety of factors. The first factor to look at is the City of Edmonton’s drainage system.

During severe rainstorms, the City’s current drainage system can be overwhelmed, leading to potential basement flooding and/or dangerous amounts of water pooling on streets and roads.

After severe storms in recent years, the City of Edmonton decided to proactively study flood mitigation. This research completed by the City primarily concentrated on Edmonton neighbourhoods built before 1989. The reason newer communities were not reviewed is because they have different drainage systems that are expected to be able to handle more severe storms.

The city modelled a large four-hour rainstorm over each area, which is assumed to be the worst-case scenario for rainfall for Edmonton. Two different issues were looked at in the model: surface ponding and surcharge depths.

We have highlighted the results of this study below. However, more information about Edmonton surface ponding and surcharge depths can be found at the City of Edmonton Data website. 

Understanding Surface Ponding

Surface ponding reflects how deep the water would be on the street during a severe rainstorm. The City of Edmonton’s acceptable standard is <0.35m, which is displayed as green on the map below. Orange corresponds to water that would reach half-way up a car, while red indicates water reaching just over the hood, and maroon reflects an even higher depth.

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Understanding Surcharge Depth

Surcharge depth demonstrates how full the City of Edmonton’s pipes would get during a high volume rainstorm. As the pipe over fills, the extra flow of water may increase the chance of basement flooding. Red indicates that the pipes are at their capacity.

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Historical Flooding

The City of Edmonton has also mapped out all reported historical flooding. To view your Edmonton house with all three pieces of data together, refer to the maps provided by the City related to Edmonton Wide Flood Mitigation. 

While this data provides a general idea of what could result on your street, this does not mean it will work exactly as predicted. That being said, the model seems to match up with flood history, and is still a valuable tool to understand where the problem areas in the city may be.

Future Direction

The City of Edmonton council reviewed the flood mitigation study last month, and have decided to move forward with a further risk-based analysis. This is expected to be released in August 2017.

The goal is to figure out the optimal sharing of risk of these extreme storms between the City of Edmonton, insurance companies, and disaster response to be allocated from the federal and provincial tax dollars.

The City of Edmonton is planning to allocate some level of infrastructure funding to help with flood prevention, but at some point it “might cost less to deal with the problem when it happens, if it happens” stated city councillor Ben Henderson , Ward 8 when he was interviewed by the Edmonton Journal.

Understanding River Levels

Another factor when it is comes to flooding is due to the rise of the river’s levels. There have been occasions where some neighbourhoods have been blocked off to non-residents due to high tides. This can certainly cause some alarm.

You can check out Edmonton’s Flood Hazard map to see where the flood hazards for the river and creeks are. Also, if you live in Cloverdale, Riverdale, or Rossdale, you can sign up for Edmonton’s storm and river level alerts.

Steps to Take

After checking out the potential flooding risks related to your home, what can you do? There is excellent information on the City of Edmonton website about flood prevention tips. You may also be eligible for a backwater valve grant. Finally, you can also get a free flood prevention home checkup by calling 780-944-7777.

Protecting Your TruHome

There is a risk with living in any building anywhere in the world. At TruHome, we want to help you be informed and aware of the risks involved and how to possibly reduce those risks.

Have questions or looking for guidance on buying or selling Edmonton Real Estate, get in touch and let’s chat. 

Tonight, the government of Alberta hosted an Open House to discuss how they can “help guide modern, fair laws to protect condo owners and support responsible governance of vibrant condominium communities”. The Open House provided attendees to learn about specific topics such as:

• Dispute Resolution
• Condominium Documents
• Voting Procedures and Meeting Minutes
• Insurance Requirements
• Financial Considerations
• etc.

Due to the complexity of these amendments, Alberta plans to role these new updates out in phases. As a team that sells a great deal of condos and with some of us choosing to live the Edmonton condo lifestyle, we feel these topics are extremely important both to current owners and potential home buyers.

Stay tuned, as we break down these topics further and/or visit condo.alberta.ca for more info on Alberta’s Condominium Consultation.

Don’t Buy. DIY

If you have an interest in the DIY world, check out the newly opened DIY Workshop, located just outside Edmonton in Nisku. This innovative space allows members of the public to fix and create almost anything. This is an inclusive space, open to people of varied walks of life and abilities.

Put Your Skills to Work

The company’s industrial warehouse is equipped with a metal-working area, woodworking area, vehicle bay, space for machining, electronic lab, 3D printing equipment, and a computer lab. Simply buy a membership and then pay for a selected course or the time you need to use the space.

If you have a project or idea in mind but aren’t sure how to use everything – not a problem! The DIY Workshop offers courses and instruction on all of their equipment and processes.

Get Classy

Need a little more help to get you started? Sign up for one of their ongoing classes. Some of the topics include: Table Saw Basic, Vehicle Maintenance for Ladies, Home Maintenance (replace a toilet , replace a faucet, install a light fixture) Soldering and Electronics, and Parent/Kid Make a Birdhouse. 

Stop By & Create

This company is a true technology innovator in the Edmonton region and valuable resource for anyone who wants to create their own projects . Be sure to visit their website or stop by in person to learn more about how the DIY Workshop can help you complete your own DIY projects to make your space Your TruHome.