Jacob Loo Dawang
@jacobdawang.com
your local data scientist and housing advocate @growtogetheryeg.bsky.social 📍 Edmonton, AB https://www.jacobdawang.com
Imagine being the homeowner of one of 5 lots in this cul-de-sac and claiming you didn't see the redevelopment signs on the lot marked in red which is right next to your house. And then imagine CBC taking them at their word without questioning it. www.cbc.ca/listen/cbc-p...
Some things I've learned about legislative advocacy, and I think my record speaks for itself. 1. Start by asking for everything you want. Stop preemptively negotiating against yourself. The process of passing the bill will whittle it down. Why started with a whittled down product?
Taps sign. Edmonton is moving steadily from the top right to the middle left - and that's a good thing!
Jacob Loo Dawang@jacobdawang.com · yesterday🧵 NEW POST: Edmonton’s $15M infill property tax dividend Matching permits to assessment data shows that small-scale infill from just 2024-26 will grow the tax base by $1.8B, and revenues by $15M. That's equivalent to a 0.7% property tax rate increase! #yegcc www.jacobdawang.com/blog/2026/pr...
All the data points to the evergreen sign:
Jacob Loo Dawang@jacobdawang.com · yesterday🧵 NEW POST: Edmonton’s $15M infill property tax dividend Matching permits to assessment data shows that small-scale infill from just 2024-26 will grow the tax base by $1.8B, and revenues by $15M. That's equivalent to a 0.7% property tax rate increase! #yegcc www.jacobdawang.com/blog/2026/pr...
Edmonton’s broad upzoning has (so far) added $15 million to the city’s yearly property tax revenue.
Jacob Loo Dawang@jacobdawang.com · yesterday🧵 NEW POST: Edmonton’s $15M infill property tax dividend Matching permits to assessment data shows that small-scale infill from just 2024-26 will grow the tax base by $1.8B, and revenues by $15M. That's equivalent to a 0.7% property tax rate increase! #yegcc www.jacobdawang.com/blog/2026/pr...
Legalizing more housing is key to municipal fiscal health and sustainability! Whether your priority is affordable housing, climate resilience, or good ol' potholes and community centres, ending exclusionary zoning is how wr build up the capacity to invest in our today and our tomorrow.
Jacob Loo Dawang@jacobdawang.com · yesterday🧵 NEW POST: Edmonton’s $15M infill property tax dividend Matching permits to assessment data shows that small-scale infill from just 2024-26 will grow the tax base by $1.8B, and revenues by $15M. That's equivalent to a 0.7% property tax rate increase! #yegcc www.jacobdawang.com/blog/2026/pr...
A few anti-infill councillors defended golf courses as necessary because they had tax revenues of 2 million dollars.
Jacob Loo Dawang@jacobdawang.com · yesterday🧵 NEW POST: Edmonton’s $15M infill property tax dividend Matching permits to assessment data shows that small-scale infill from just 2024-26 will grow the tax base by $1.8B, and revenues by $15M. That's equivalent to a 0.7% property tax rate increase! #yegcc www.jacobdawang.com/blog/2026/pr...
Growth pays for growth (complimentary)
Jacob Loo Dawang@jacobdawang.com · yesterday🧵 NEW POST: Edmonton’s $15M infill property tax dividend Matching permits to assessment data shows that small-scale infill from just 2024-26 will grow the tax base by $1.8B, and revenues by $15M. That's equivalent to a 0.7% property tax rate increase! #yegcc www.jacobdawang.com/blog/2026/pr...
I absolutely love that someone did this math! “Every single-detached home that becomes a rowhome, plex, or backyard home multiplies its assessed value.” Not being a NIMBY about new housing where roads and services already exist = more money in your pocket or more services nearby to enjoy
Jacob Loo Dawang@jacobdawang.com · yesterday🧵 NEW POST: Edmonton’s $15M infill property tax dividend Matching permits to assessment data shows that small-scale infill from just 2024-26 will grow the tax base by $1.8B, and revenues by $15M. That's equivalent to a 0.7% property tax rate increase! #yegcc www.jacobdawang.com/blog/2026/pr...
Toronto could have this.
Jacob Loo Dawang@jacobdawang.com · yesterday🧵 NEW POST: Edmonton’s $15M infill property tax dividend Matching permits to assessment data shows that small-scale infill from just 2024-26 will grow the tax base by $1.8B, and revenues by $15M. That's equivalent to a 0.7% property tax rate increase! #yegcc www.jacobdawang.com/blog/2026/pr...
Edmonton leads the way, showing new infill neighbours means lower taxes for existing residents
Jacob Loo Dawang@jacobdawang.com · yesterday🧵 NEW POST: Edmonton’s $15M infill property tax dividend Matching permits to assessment data shows that small-scale infill from just 2024-26 will grow the tax base by $1.8B, and revenues by $15M. That's equivalent to a 0.7% property tax rate increase! #yegcc www.jacobdawang.com/blog/2026/pr...
The development along the ION line in KW has probably had similar effects by now, and we need to get better at explaining how our urban infill is helping to subsidize better services for our other towns/city, who often tend to look at LRT as a "service we pay for but don't get".
Jacob Loo Dawang@jacobdawang.com · yesterday🧵 NEW POST: Edmonton’s $15M infill property tax dividend Matching permits to assessment data shows that small-scale infill from just 2024-26 will grow the tax base by $1.8B, and revenues by $15M. That's equivalent to a 0.7% property tax rate increase! #yegcc www.jacobdawang.com/blog/2026/pr...
This would be interesting to do for Halifax because new units come in without the cap, driving even more revenue
Jacob Loo Dawang@jacobdawang.com · yesterday🧵 NEW POST: Edmonton’s $15M infill property tax dividend Matching permits to assessment data shows that small-scale infill from just 2024-26 will grow the tax base by $1.8B, and revenues by $15M. That's equivalent to a 0.7% property tax rate increase! #yegcc www.jacobdawang.com/blog/2026/pr...
increased densification of single-family housing is a virtuous cycle that benefits almost everyone. on the other hand, homeowners think increased densification is ugly and don't want to live next to people who live in those denser housing forms.
Jacob Loo Dawang@jacobdawang.com · yesterday🧵 NEW POST: Edmonton’s $15M infill property tax dividend Matching permits to assessment data shows that small-scale infill from just 2024-26 will grow the tax base by $1.8B, and revenues by $15M. That's equivalent to a 0.7% property tax rate increase! #yegcc www.jacobdawang.com/blog/2026/pr...
Lots of great information 👇👇
Jacob Loo Dawang@jacobdawang.com · yesterday🧵 NEW POST: Edmonton’s $15M infill property tax dividend Matching permits to assessment data shows that small-scale infill from just 2024-26 will grow the tax base by $1.8B, and revenues by $15M. That's equivalent to a 0.7% property tax rate increase! #yegcc www.jacobdawang.com/blog/2026/pr...
"To open up the culvert, open up the creek, bring it back up to daylight, connect it with the river and have an opportunity for fish habitat, for birds, for walking paths." - @michaeljanz.bsky.social Let's daylight Mill Creek! www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
What is urban creek syndrome and why might it be making flooding in Edmonton worse? | CBC News
Decades ago, the City of Edmonton covered natural creeks and waterways to make room for expansion and road construction. Now, Edmonton is dealing with the consequences.
cbc.ca
🧵 NEW POST: Edmonton’s $15M infill property tax dividend Matching permits to assessment data shows that small-scale infill from just 2024-26 will grow the tax base by $1.8B, and revenues by $15M. That's equivalent to a 0.7% property tax rate increase! #yegcc www.jacobdawang.com/blog/2026/pr...
Edmonton’s $15M infill property tax dividend – Jacob Dawang
Every single-detached home that becomes a rowhome, plex, or backyard home multiplies its assessed value. Matching 2024–2026 building permits to City assessment data, I measure that uplift directly, al...
jacobdawang.com
Something I'll never understand - if I want to make substantial enough changes to my house, it has to go through a neighbourhood consultation process, but someone on my block can buy a vehicle that significantly increases the chances one of my kids gets run over.
David Zipper@davidzipper.bsky.social · 5d agoWhich vehicles most endanger the drivers of other cars? Giant pickup trucks — and the Dodge Charger Source: www.iihs.org/news/detail/...
two days after Vancouver city council voted down their own Villages Plan, west side residents who opposed the plan en masse are complaining that Dunbar (!!) doesn’t have any wine bars, boutiques or gyms — the kind of amenities that require neighbourhood density to support
Cutting immigration takes some pressure off the housing market. But it doesn’t change the underlying dysfunctional housing system.
Kevin Wilson@kwilsonhfx.bsky.social · 6d agoThis was something a lot of housing advocates saw coming a mile away when the immigration cuts were announced. The fundamental stance of Canadian cities is that they prefer high prices to building housing. They love high prices. Easing off immigration was never going to change that.
This was something a lot of housing advocates saw coming a mile away when the immigration cuts were announced. The fundamental stance of Canadian cities is that they prefer high prices to building housing. They love high prices. Easing off immigration was never going to change that.
Colleen @cbailey6.bsky.social · 6d agoMany said that we had to cut immigration so governments could "catch up" on housing. I tried to explain, based on my experience in housing advocacy, why I thought that was unlikely. Immigrants were just a scapegoat for governments who didn't prioritize new homes. I wish that I had been proven wrong.
Parking is likely the number one barrier to positive change in our city - from affordable housing to bike lanes, parking is always the complaint. 🚗 Edmonton City Council will be discussing commercial and residential parking in January 2027 - let’s speak up for change!
Matthew Lewis -- living in the era of cults and consequences@mateosfo.bsky.social · last wk.Probably the most difficult thing YIMBYs face -- really, anyone who lives in a city -- is that government-subsidized street parking is one of the single largest barriers to affordability, safe streets, and climate action. That's because drivers view it as an entitlement, like social security. 🧵
I think a lot about how Carney is breaking from the Trudeau pursuing "alternatives" to the hard issues like housing and climate. Removing the carbon tax in favour of 🤷. Being less prescriptive on zoning reform in favour of decreasing immigration and new building tech.
Colleen @cbailey6.bsky.social · 6d agoMany said that we had to cut immigration so governments could "catch up" on housing. I tried to explain, based on my experience in housing advocacy, why I thought that was unlikely. Immigrants were just a scapegoat for governments who didn't prioritize new homes. I wish that I had been proven wrong.
This is why many of us were always skeptical of demand-side housing solutions. It is ultimately just an excuse to move the goalpost and build less housing.
Colleen @cbailey6.bsky.social · 6d agoMany said that we had to cut immigration so governments could "catch up" on housing. I tried to explain, based on my experience in housing advocacy, why I thought that was unlikely. Immigrants were just a scapegoat for governments who didn't prioritize new homes. I wish that I had been proven wrong.
Many said that we had to cut immigration so governments could "catch up" on housing. I tried to explain, based on my experience in housing advocacy, why I thought that was unlikely. Immigrants were just a scapegoat for governments who didn't prioritize new homes. I wish that I had been proven wrong.
Jacob Loo Dawang@jacobdawang.com · 7d agoSurely they made Alberta agree to the conditions of the program right? Right? www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Probably the most difficult thing YIMBYs face -- really, anyone who lives in a city -- is that government-subsidized street parking is one of the single largest barriers to affordability, safe streets, and climate action. That's because drivers view it as an entitlement, like social security. 🧵
Surely they made Alberta agree to the conditions of the program right? Right? www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
![Red Deer, where Wednesday's announcement was held, was previously embroiled in issues with federal housing funding.
Then-housing minister Jason Nixon slammed Ottawa for pulling Red Deer's $12-million Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) grant when the community did not meet requirements for zoning, while only reducing funds for Ontario cities that failed to comply with conditions of their HAF agreements.
When asked, Carney said he "look[s] at it in the round", taking a less prescriptive approach and ensuring there is some funding coming to the area.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:fyuwnqbsptbhffcmqv4ugl5b/bafkreieunemtavvhgdtguya66kqajxnmngahwib3gna6kn2u5p7etvs3bu)
