Episode 27: YIMBY

Dialogue with Drake and Daboo

“NIMBY” is an acronym standing for “not in my backyard”. This term, and its associated movement, NIMBYism, is characterized by residents’ opposition to a certain development in their community, with a general consensus that the development in principle is sound of logic, just not in their locality. The YIMBY movement, meaning "yes in my backyard" is in direct opposition to NIMBYism and originated to show support for increases in housing supply and developments matching community needs. It is particularly popular in cities facing a scarcity of housing and high cost of living. Within PEI, NIMBYism has gained traction over these last few weeks when discussing the relocation of the Community Outreach Centre, which provides essential services to PEI's homeless population, to a new area. To discuss YIMBYism with us today is our panel: Matt Pelletier is an urban planning and policy enthusiast, and Sarah MacEachern is a front-line worker at the Community Outreach Centre, as well as the originator of the YIMBY t-shirt fundraising campaign.