In Development Podcast

Today’s guest is Nicholas Rheubottom, the Executive Director of IDEA. If you have questions about IDEA or have been interested in getting involved, this is a great episode to tune into! In this episode Nicholas gives a review on the year 2023, including some big wins for IDEA and then outlines the direction of the association for the upcoming year. He also discusses district planning, zoning bylaw...

Check out the latest episode of "In Development" featuring Jason Cunha, where he shares his expertise on the infrastructure challenges in infill development. Jason discusses this topic through the lens of zoning bylaw renewal, as well as it applies to programs such as the Neighborhood Renewal and Infill Fire Protection. Later on in the episode Jason reflects on his term as IDEA President since May...

Welcome to Episode 40 of "In Development" – where urban planning meets insightful discussion! In this comeback episode, our dynamic new hosts, Lilit Houlder and Allison Rosland , bring a fresh perspective and a wealth of experience to the podcast. Join Lilit and Alison as they delve into their professional backgrounds as urban planners, sharing the twists and turns that led them to the vibrant wor...

Today, Dr. Sandeep Agrawal joins In Development for a very special episode. The conversation kicks off by exploring Dr. Agrawal’s interesting journey into the Planning profession and academia. The audience learns about Dr. Agrawal’s experiences spearheading programs at two prominent Canadian universities. For the first time ever, this episode also features audience-generated questions, in which Dr...

In this episode, Ryan and Olivia sit down with Kristin Tollovsen to discuss the relationship between environmental sustainability and property development. In particular, the influence of embodied carbon, operational carbon and a building’s end of life on our climate. Kristin also highlights various industry resources available, such as educational programs, green building certifications, and free...

In this episode of In Development, Ryan and Olivia sit down with Alessandra Bruni, Principal/Owner of ChalkMark Residential . Alessandra starts by sharing about her nuanced career journey; how her strong background, passion for unique design, and experience with diverse groups of builders and developers allowed her to create a niche in the real estate industry. The conversation explores ChalkMark’...

In this special episode of In Development, Ryan and Olivia chat with Tegan Martin-Drysdale - President of RedBrick Real Estate Services , Founder of Ocheller Homes , Co-Founder of Homestead Coworking and Co-Founder of IDEA; Chelsey Jersak - Founder and Principal of Situate and Past President of IDEA’s executive board; and Mariah Samji - previous Executive Director of IDEA . In recognition of IDEA’...

In this episode of In Development, Ryan and Olivia sit down with Nancy Surby, Principal of NAKO Design - a full service interior design firm. Nancy dives into how NAKO came to be, the influences of travel and lifestyle on NAKO’s style, the company’s core values and the nuances and challenges of entrepreneurship. Nancy also provides her thoughts on infill design across Alberta and compares housing...

In this episode of In Development, Ryan and Olivia chat with Travis Fong, President and Executive Director of YEGarden Suites. Travis shares about his passion for sustainability, its impact on urbanization and housing, and how YEGarden Suites came to be founded. From building for family proximity, to aging in place, to rental income, Travis dives into the main driving factors for this built form....

In this episode, Ryan and Olivia chat with Jill Lange of Ace Lange Homes . Jill shares her experience of growing up in the home-building industry and how she has seen the Ace Lange business and infill in Edmonton evolve over the years. When it comes to home-building, Jill and the rest of the Ace Lange team operate under the motto of “do it right, or not at all”, emphasizing  quality, sustainabilit...

In this episode, Ryan and Olivia sit down with Hon Leong to chat about all things Chinatown. Hon dives into the changes and challenges Edmonton’s Chinatown has seen over the recent years: from dwindling foot traffic and small business engagement, to advocating for a vibrant and multicultural hub for the future. Hon also discusses the sensitive topic of social disorder in this area and how he hopes...

In this episode, Ryan and Olivia chat with Stephen Raitz, Chair of Paths For People and Law Student at the University of Alberta. Stephen outlines the group's current advocacy work, including: active transportation for all, sustainability and equity when it comes to the public realm, and public funding for community infrastructure. Stephen also dives into how P4P is involved at the municipal level...

In this episode, Ryan sits down one on one with Olivia Fung, Principal Architect at NORR. Olivia and Ryan chat about her unique journey in architecture — from graduate school in Winnipeg, to her experiences living and working in various major cities all around the world, to her current career in Edmonton. Oliva and Ryan dive into examples of what Olivia has seen done well in the industry, the impo...

In this special episode, Mariah Samji takes on the role of interviewee as she joins Ryan on ‘In Development’ one final time before going on maternity leave. Ryan and Mariah chat about all things IDEA (Infill Development in Edmonton Association): what drew her to the organization six years ago, the passionate people and mentors that have shaped her experience, organizational wins achieved over the...

In this episode, Mariah and Ryan chat with Andrew Laycock. They dive into the differences between EPCOR water and power distribution/transmission as business units and legal entities: how water is regulated at the municipal level, while electricity is governed by the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC), how the different divisions are funded, and how Alberta is unique as a deregulated province when...

In today’s episode, Mariah and Ryan chat with Hani Barzagar, Founder and President of HIBCO and First General Edmonton. After arriving as immigrants to Canada, Hani and his siblings moved from small town Halifax to Edmonton, where he began work in the construction industry as a subcontractor. Along with his brothers, Hani founded HIBCO Construction, and expanded through the acquisition of First Ge...

In today’s episode, Mariah and Ryan chat with Katie Warwa, Owner/Partner and Lead of Design at Urbis Infill Homes , a family-run business. Katie has worked in British Colombia and Alberta on a wide scale of infill development projects. She shares details about an amazing undertaking she was able to be a part of the Oak Ridge Mall redevelopment in the very heart of Vancouver. Transitioning from Van...

In today’s episode, C urtis Power the President of Private Mortgages at KV Capital sits down to talk to Ryan and Mariah all about how interest rates are affecting lending for infill projects. He also shares with them the benefits of both private and traditional lending options, and Ryan shares his own private lending experience. Mariah asks him about infill trends he has seen over his career in pr...

In today's episode, Mariah and Ryan talked to Kimberleigh Wyton, Realtor and Interior Designer about trends she is seeing in the market. Kimberleighs perspective is unique as she has experienced people making big decisions on where to live and how they want to transform their space. Kimberleigh also gives Ryan tips on how to update his home. Listen in to hear about where you live can make s differ...

In today's episode, Mariah and Ryan talk to Don Tolsma, President of Timber Haus Developments. Don teaches Ryan and Mariah about some of the hidden costs of infill, including a surprising cost you may not think of - dirt! He also shares how important it is to be open and upfront when working with clients and the community to build beautiful homes and shares how he learnt that. Ryan asks Don about...

In today's episode, Mariah and Ryan talk to Trevor Hoover, Partner, and Architectural Designer at Habitat Studio. Mariah finds out that one of her all-time favourite homes in Edmonton was designed by Trevor and his team, and they talk about how he came up with the design that has that “hygge” feel. Trevor explains their design process and how context and the client's needs are key to creating some...

In today's episode, Mariah and Ryan talk to Armando Hernandez, Principal and Owner of Dualita Architecture. Armando has built his design style on having no preconceived notions about where he will end up but what is right for the site and the client. He has proven that you can design beautiful projects and make the numbers work which he has showcased in his work in various styles of development. A...

In this episode, Ryan and Mariah talk to Sikander Singh, Principal / Project ManagerPrincipal / Project Manager at Oasis Engineering. Ryan and Mariah get Sikander’s perspective on specific zoning and building code regulations that could be modified to help create more sustainable building opportunities. Sikander teaches Mariah about how different roof pitches can create optimal solar power options...

In this episode, Ryan and Mariah talk to Lindsey Butterfield the City of Edmonton's Director of Open Space and Urban Growth. Lindsey chats with Ryan and Mariah about how the City uses data to make decisions on where to invest in growth, infrastructure and open space in the city. Lindsey also shares more information about how Edmonton is changing its growth pattern over time to be financially susta...

Today's episode is our first episode with a reoccurring guest! Ryan and Mariah talk to Chelsey Jersak, Principal at Situate, Edmonton's first infill-focused planning firm. Ryan and Mariah invited Chelsey to look back at what has happened over the last months in the infill community, most notably a new development-focused newsletter! They also talked about innovative infill zones that we recently s...