iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 04/03/2026

Those of you interested in Winter City issues should follow Edmonton’s Winter City Group.

Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 02/11/2025

I’m explaining the whole “we change time twice a year” thing to my cat (because she thinks it’s feeding time) and realizing that my cat is more sensible on this than our governments are (Saskatchewan is also sensible like my cat).

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

Everything is up and working! We are a go!

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 13/09/2025

The federal government should be working with provincial governments and Universities across Canada to recruit targeted clusters of researchers to each major institution. This is a once in a centre to rapidly advance Canadian innovation.

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 31/07/2025

Canada is in a tough spot now. Had other nations and institutions (Harvard , Law firms, CBS, etc) held firm, the economic and other consequences of Trump’s bullying would have started to really hurt the USA, but we find ourselves rather alone in the fight now which is not a great situation.

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

There are folks who are upset that Edmonton councillor Tim Cartmell is on a vacation with his family. Being a councillor takes a huge amount of time in one’s life. I think it’s perfectly reasonable that these folks get a break to spend time with their family. It’s a non issue.

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 08/07/2025

This is a great example of why I prefer not having parties with party-line voting in local politics. Councilors are free to vote as they see fit and you get very unusual mixed outcomes like this. Nobody would speak about a Janz, Knack, Principe, Rice, and Salvador voting block.

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 08/07/2025

Two things are true about Edmonton's zoning bylaw. There is no 'right' decision today in council. It's amazing that nearly every speaker is taking positions between 4 and 8 units across most of the city. I wouldn't have believed this could happen 5 years ago.

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 08/07/2025

The relatively 'flat' RS (small residential) zone in Edmonton may (or may not) need to shift to allowing more or fewer units (perhaps per square meter). If that turns out to be the case, maybe a 'U' modifier gets added. RS u4, RS u6, RS u10...

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 08/07/2025

Lots of discussion today in Edmonton City Council about the 'right number of units per lot'. Here is my take. There needs to be a huge surplus of potential sites for denser forms of development (towers, walks ups, row housing, etc).

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 08/07/2025

Aspiring planners should watch today's questions to administration from City of Edmonton council. Today's issue is a tough one with political and practical concerns. Admin is doing a really solid job at responding to the complexity if the issue.

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

"Nobody is going to want to live in these 8-plex units. They have no yard, and the rooms are small, and where will they park all of their cars"

media.tenor.com

a woman is sitting at a table in a living room talking to a man .

ALT: a woman is sitting at a table in a living room talking to a man .

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

I presented to City Council today. My goal was to ensure that everyone was a little angry with me. I think I achieved that successfully. #jobwelldone

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

With regards to the decision being made today at Edmonton City Council. I indicated a mild level of support for a reduction from mid-block developments from 8 to 6. This change will almost certainly reduce the number of units that are built as infill in mature neighbourhoods.

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

Edmontonians. If you are wanting to watch the fireworks, make sure you can see the High Level Bridge. Otherwise you miss a lot of them. Many people are on the North side of the Legislature and they will miss most of them.

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

For those who follow Edmonton City Council hearings, I’m listed as “in favour” on item 3.1. That’s an error, I’m registered for item 3.32. If I were speaking to 3.1, I might be opposed (but I haven’t taken the time to fully evaluate it).

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Jens von Bergmann @jensvb.bsky.social · 21/06/2025

In BC, like in most places, zoning is a regulatory tool, not a fiscal tool. Selling zoning is illegal. For good reason. To get around that, municipalities ask for “voluntary” payments in exchange for changing zoning, but that’s a delicate line to walk. One judge thinks Langley Township crossed it.

surreynowleader.com

Film studio wins lawsuit with Langley Township over millions in fees

Township will consider appealing, mayor says

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

Other members of yegcc are free to like this in their heads if they don't want to publicly click 'like'.

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

Left wing, right wing, populist, or whatever. I'd appreciate it if Councilor Rice's ward would elect someone who has the slightest clue as to how municipal governance and council meetings work. It would also be nice if they appeared to pay attention to the issue being discussed.

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

I am not in favour of 4 units for mid-block because that would not allow for MLI Select financing.

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

This may upset some people, but I don't feel that Edmonton's zoning bylaw needs to stay at 8 units per site. Anything above 5 gets us CMHC MLI select & will still significantly drive densification. We may lose some important micro suites but it still will allow a lot of change.

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

I'm back from soccer. I'm happy to geek out about Edmonton's zoning bylaw if others have questions/comments.

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 03/06/2025

I’ll miss speaking at today’s UPC meeting due to my role as a soccer coach. Here are my thoughts. Keeping housing affordable affects all aspects of life. It provides economic stability, improves mental & physical health, and helps people build stable families and lives.

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

The City of Edmonton undertook a mass upzoning of 1286 properties in key nodes and corridors as part of it's ongoing effort to facilitate the supply of housing and commercial property in the city. Edmonton continues to be the leading city in terms of zoning reform in North America.

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

In cities like Edmonton and Calgary, commercial businesses at transit stations may not be commercially viable, however, they provide significant public benefit in terms of improved safety and vibrancy. As such it makes sense to provide vendors subsidized rents (perhaps payments).

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

Again, back to Edmonton City Council. I didn't mind Councilor Cartmell's suggestion to postpone. I will note that in large part this is an expansion of development rights and not a restriction on them.

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

Please City of Edmonton Council, stop asking about this. If a house was there, you can build a house. Also, what's with the person who said they became a Planner because they didn't like math. That's it, tomorrow we double all of the math in the School of Urban and Regional Planning!

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

This is related to a discussion in Edmonton City Council. It seems to me that if a house was there in 2024, you can build a house there later.

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

Speaker at public hearing: "These highrise condos are driving people out of the city" Me: "What about the people in the tower?"

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

Current speaker in Edmonton's mass upzoning public hearing is noting that investors are buying homes. This is very true in markets with restrictive zoning and slow regulatory processes. Edmonton, on the other hand, has not seen that because supply is keeping up with demand.

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

One thing that's great about Public Hearings is that some people take their 5 minutes and talk about something totally unrelated to the issue being considered, but provided they are civil, they get to have their say.

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

The current speaker, Kevin Taft, is making erroneous assumptions regarding land value increase. Mass rezoning avoids speculation and increased land values that occurs with spot rezoning because it removes the issue of scarcity of land available for higher density.

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

I haven't had a lot of time to focus on the Priority Growth Area discussion in Edmonton, but I'm motivated by the current speaker to note the following: 1. Mass upzoning reduces speculation 2. Increased supply helps affordability 3. Increased density supports sustainability

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

If you were disappointed with season 1 and 2 of Wheel of Time, I suggest continuing to watch. Season 3 is outstanding.

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

Canada really needs to move on this quickly.

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Rick @rickylongthread.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

Don’t overthink this. He’s asking for bribes.

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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

1. Yesterday I wrote a thread about the dire warnings from food professionals on the state of supply chains. Comfortable folk might find it impossible to imagine an end to the current abundance. But we'd better start imagining it fast. THIS thread is about solutions - false ones and sound ones.

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

“Honestly, Erin, we all know that a journalist should never reveal their sources. Where’s the anger at Goldberg for doing that? We are really the victims here.”

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Blake Shaffer 🇨🇦 @blakeshaffer.bsky.social · 23/03/2025

Call me old fashioned, but I don’t think provincial leaders should be working with hostile foreign govts to interfere in a federal election to get their preferred party elected whose “perspective would be very much in sync with, I think…the new direction in America” This is traitorous stuff.

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Karly Kingsley @karlykingsley.bsky.social · 23/03/2025

Fair question.

Mike Rothschild
@rothschildmd
The US is scheduled to co-host the World Cup in 2026 and the Olympics in 2028.
Why would thousands of international athletes and millions of fans from around the world come to a country where tourists, asylum seekers, and visa holders are being disappeared to foreign prisons?

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Bruce Arthur @brucearthur.bsky.social · 23/03/2025

A Vichy Canadian.

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Joel Wood 🇨🇦 @joelwwood.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

There is no subsidy, Trump is just economically illiterate. This is about dominance

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

Maybe save time and just email it China directly.

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

If Lockheed Martin wants to supply military equipment to the democratic nations of the world, they will have to open up significant manufacturing capacity in the EU or Canada.

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 02/03/2025

“Senator, why is the Trump administration seemingly attacking the people who supported him.” Senator Marshall: “God Bless America”* throws smoke bomb and disappears* “POOF!”

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 01/03/2025

Stop using the courts to block Trump’s internal policies. The sooner Americans experience Trump’s policies directly, the better. Close the schools, the hospitals, the parks, etc. As his popularity drops, GOP members of congress (who all hate him) will turn on him.

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Mark Carney @mark-carney.bsky.social · 28/02/2025

Freedom and democracy are always worth fighting for. Slava Ukraini.

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00sCardGuy @00scardguy.bsky.social · 02/02/2025

People also ask Who is the parent company of A&W in Canada? Unilever Canada Limited In 1972, A&W Food Services was acquired by Unilever Canada Limited. Since that time, A&W has always been owned and operated in Canada independently from A&W operations in the United States.

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Bob (Robert) Summers @rjsummers.bsky.social · 01/02/2025

Democrats should raise awareness about Trump’s very harmful policies but shouldn’t block them. Let Americans experience Trump governance. This is key for the midterm elections. Focus opposition and blocking solely to the protection of democracy and freedom.

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