After nine years and with our mandate successfully fulfilled, YEGarden Suites will conclude operations on March 15, 2026.

We want to thank the many partners, builders, homeowners, and supporters who joined us on this journey to build greater public awareness, understanding, and industry capacity for backyard housing in Edmonton.

It has been an honour to serve Edmontonians, help build a more sustainable city, and support everyday residents in becoming city-builders in their own backyards.

When Ashley Salvador and I founded this non-profit, there were fewer than 150 backyard homes in Edmonton. Today, there are more than 1,600. 

Ashley canvassed door-to-door across Edmonton and spoke with anyone willing to share their experience, to better understand the barriers people faced. From neighbour appeals tied to discretionary approvals to a wide range of regulatory constraints, YEGarden Suites helped lead the effort to make backyard housing easier to build. This work was always about making it possible for seniors to age in place, families to care for one another, and for people to live in ways that work for them. While Ashley left YEGarden Suites in 2021, her contribution to this movement and organization are immeasurable.

In 2025 alone, 475 backyard homes were permitted in Edmonton, following a record 373 in 2024. At the same time, demand for our direct support in navigating homeowner-led redevelopment has declined, reflecting increased awareness from Edmontonians, and stronger industry capacity to respond to inquiries.

From the beginning, our mission was to improve public awareness, advocate for more enabling regulations, and expand industry knowledge. At the outset, very few people in the sector from bankers to builders knew how to approach this form of housing or support Edmontonians trying to get started. It has been a pleasure to volunteer my time to this organization, and I am proud that our mission has now been largely accomplished.

Sincerely,

Travis Fong

For information about how to get started with your project, visit the City of Edmonton's Backyard Housing How-to-Guide