Breadcrumb Trail Links
Letters
Article content
It is good that Premier Smith is finally learning to show some compassion for vulnerable Albertans like the children and their families impacted by the E. coli outbreak. Funny thing is, when 5,818 Albertans were dying from COVID-19 and hundreds of thousands had their health at risk, she had only harsh words against health measures and those trying to stop the spread of infection.
Advertisement 2
Article content
But sure, shed some crocodile tears, hand out $2,000 cheques and carry on as normal while waiting for the next pandemic and E. coli outbreak. Free-dumb, indeed.
Article content
Richard McFarlane, Edmonton
Infill makes homes less affordable
Changes in my Glenora neighbourhood illustrate that infill has done nothing but increase land values, making houses much less affordable. When my husband and I purchased our 1948, 1,300-square-foot house in 1967, the price was $22,900.
Over the years, we have doubled the size of the house and done other renovations as we could afford it. When market value assessment came in the late 1990s, our house was valued at $300,000, then the most expensive house in our part of Glenora (between Stony Plain Road and 107 Avenue). Now the average price is $820,000. Interestingly, all this “densification” has resulted in a smaller population.
Most of the cheapest houses, over $500,000, have been bought by investors/developers intent on building large houses (many over $2 million), subdividing for skinny homes (ranging in price from $800,000 to $900,000), or sitting on empty lots waiting for prices to increase further.
Headline News
Article content
Advertisement 3
Article content
In anticipation of the up-zoning proposed by the city, those empty lots are now advertised for $600,000 to $800,000. Clearly, all this land speculation will not lead to more affordable housing, just more gentrification of older neighbourhoods along with much higher taxes for us old-timers. Is this what the city has in mind by letting developers take charge?
Lynda Somerville, Edmonton
Vancouver infill comparison faulty
Re. “New zoning bylaw will make housing less affordable,” Opinion, Sept. 16
The Coalition for Better Infill should rethink their strategy of comparing the efforts of Vancouver, the most unaffordable city in Canada, to that of Edmonton, the most affordable. Detailing some UBC professor’s analysis of the results of variance in infill rules for a very small portion of Vancouver was irrelevant except to support NIMBY opinions in Vancouver.
It would have been far better for the authors to consider why Edmonton housing and rentals are affordable while those of Vancouver are not. The recently received flyer from the coalition to my house was not mentioned in the opinion piece. In it, the coalition is lobbying for additional requirements in building housing. Hardly the route to increased affordability that they pretend to advocate.
Advertisement 4
Article content
Gerhard Henkemans, Edmonton
Naloxone free, but not EpiPens?
Why is the life-saving naloxone available for free and the life-saving EpiPen can cost north of $100? An EpiPen is also a lifesaver for someone, who could be stung by a wasp or having an allergic reaction. Seems we have our priorities somewhat mixed up.
Those requiring the naloxone are purposefully injecting something into their veins they know could kill them. They are doing this multiple times in a day. They potentially could be in need of, and receive, naloxone several times a day.Those who require the EpiPen need it through no action on their part with the exception of perhaps being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
A.R. Anderson, Edmonton
Letters welcome
We invite you to write letters to the editor. A maximum of 150 words is preferred. Letters must carry a first and last name, or two initials and a last name, and include an address and daytime telephone number. All letters are subject to editing. We don’t publish letters addressed to others or sent to other publications. Email: letters@edmontonjournal.com
Comments
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.
Join the Conversation