Canada faces a home affordability crisis. Our houses are growing in price and size, but our families are shrinking. Edmonton recently removed many barriers to building secondary suites. However, many other Canadian municipalities are hesitating to follow Edmonton’s lead. My Backyard Dream Home is a mini-web series that explores livable spaces in backyards and small lot communities through the perspectives of people who are trying to reduce their consumption by living in, building, and owning garden suites. Whether it is grandma enjoying her own home close to family, avid cyclists looking to reduce their carbon footprint, or an investor looking to grow her financial nest egg, the web series shows that creating independent living with a small footprint is good for the environment and our peace of mind. Join series producer and planner Adam Bentley as we watch several episodes covering topics such as aging in place, zero emissions living, property investment, and barrier-free living. Afterward, we will briefly discuss the challenges and thrills of producing the series, and what the future holds for secondary suite development, regulations, and living in municipalities across the country.
