# Upzoned - Can Rebuilding Make a Town Weaker?

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/think-and-act-locally-7250018/upzoned-can-rebuilding-make-a-town-weaker
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/think-and-act-locally-7250018/upzoned-can-rebuilding-make-a-town-weaker.md
Podcast: [Think and Act Locally](https://stenobird.com/podcast/think-and-act-locally-7250018)
Published: 2026-07-08T10:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/can-rebuilding-make-a-town-weaker/
Audio file: https://go.godcaster.fm/act/e/447/515359/57262530756/https%253A%252F%252Fmcdn.podbean.com%252Fmf%252Fweb%252Fvycfbk4ucupkiu6v%252FUPZ_7-8-26.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/think-and-act-locally-7250018/episodes/upzoned-can-rebuilding-make-a-town-weaker
Duration seconds: 2983

## Resource

Five years after wildfire destroyed most of Lytton, British Columbia, rebuilding remains slow despite more than $140 million in committed public funding. Norm Van Eeden Petersman talks with Michel Durand-Wood, author of You’ll Pay for This, and Graham Watt, who manages strategic initiatives and flood recovery for Grand Forks, British Columbia. They look at what happens when a small town is pushed to rebuild everything at once, while also dealing with hazardous conditions, limited local capacity, consulting costs, modern codes, and the long-term obligation to maintain whatever comes next. The money creates a promise of recovery, but Lytton shows how hard it is to turn that promise back into a town. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES " Inside Lytton’s contentious recovery, where concerns smoulder 5 years after wildfire " by Brenna Owen, Halifax.citynews.ca (June 2026) Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn) Michel Durand-Wood (Site) Graham Watt (LinkedIn) Downzone: The Baby-Sitters Club Human Nature by Kate Marvel (Site) The Blackthorn Key , by Kevin Sands (Site) Theme Music by Kemet the Phantom . This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members . Thank you! Join fellow members discussing this episode in The Commons .

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## Transcript

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