Housing Summit 2024: Program

Welcome and Introductions — Salon A

Councillor Trish Mandewo, UBCM President 

Housing the Next Million British Columbians — Salon A

A panel of local elected officials will discuss how their respective communities will accommodate the current and anticipated population growth in light of recent provincial housing legislation. It will reflect on the challenges ahead, the implications of the housing legislation, and steps going forward. 

Presenters: 

Leonard Krog, Mayor, City of Nanaimo

Mike Hurley, Mayor, City of Burnaby

Nathan Pachal, Mayor, City of Langley

Janice Morrison, Mayor, City of Nelson

Marianne Alto, Mayor, City of Victoria

Malcolm Brodie, Mayor, City of Richmond

A Conversation with Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon — Salon A

Minister Kahlon will discuss the changes his ministry has introduced with the aim of increasing BC's housing supply in a question-and-answer period moderated by UBCM President Trish Mandewo.

Taking Stock of BC’s Affordable Housing Needs — Salon A

Consideration of the scope and role of government in housing, including an overview of new initiatives such as BC Builds and the Rental Protection Fund.

Presenters:

Lisa Helps, Executive Lead BC Builds Project Origination, BC Housing

Katie Maslechko, CEO, Rental Protection Fund

Don Elliott, Senior Manager, Capital Region Housing Corporation

Janice Morrison, Mayor, City of Nelson

Breakout 1: Homeless Encampments and Bill 45 — Salon A

This session will explore local government concerns with Bill 45, and discuss the supports needed from other orders of government to address homeless encampments. Bill 45 will affect local governments’ ability to seek a court injunction to remove or regulate homeless encampments. After strong feedback from stakeholders, the Province delayed implementation until there is more common understanding of the bill.

Presenters: 

Jeff Locke, Legal Counsel, Stewart McDannold Stuart

Cori Ramsay, Councillor, City of Prince George

Tom Dyas, Mayor, City of Kelowna

Ken Popove, Mayor, City of Chilliwack

Michelle Staples, Mayor, City of Duncan

Breakout 2: Exploring the New Regulatory Framework for Short-Term Rentals — Salon D

An exploration of what the new regulatory framework set in place by the Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act means for local governments. Examining issues such as the Provincial principal residence requirement, potential approaches to data sharing and enforcement, and steps going forward.

Presenters: 

Sarah Kirby-Yung, Councillor, City of Vancouver

Doug O’Brien, Mayor, City of Parksville

Julius Bloomfield, Mayor, City of Penticton

Population Growth and Housing — Salon A

British Columbia anticipates an unprecedented level of growth over the coming years, with close to 1 million new residents arriving over the next eight years. Given the already highly pressurized housing system in BC, accommodating growth will require an enormous output of market and non-market housing. This session will dig into the data and projections of the recent report Sustaining Growth by BC Stats, and explore the implications of this growth for housing development in BC’s communities.

Presenters:

Brett Wilmer, Director, Provincial Statistics, BC Data Service

Braden Batch, Lead Economist, BC, Canada Mortgage and Housing

Andy Yan, Director, SFU Cities Program

Heather McNell, Deputy CAO, Policy and Planning, Metro Vancouver RD

Development Finance & Housing — Salon A

Bill 46: Housing Statutes (Development Financing) Amendment Act provides a new regime for development finance in British Columbia. To better understand the legislation and its implications for financing community development, a panel of local government leaders will explore how the new framework will shape development in their communities, and share their thoughts on the legislation’s potential to fund sustainable growth, and on where we go from here.

Presenters:

Johannes Schumann, Director, Neighbourhood Planning and Urban Design, City of Burnaby

Lisa Spitale, CAO, City of New Westminster

Templar Tsang-Trinaistich, Issues Manager, Planning, Urban Design and Sustainability, City of Vancouver

Michael Epp, Director, Housing & Planning Development, Metro Vancouver RD

Lesley Scowcroft, Director, Planning and Land Use Policy, Ministry of Housing

Recent Housing Legislation and the Law — Salon A

A panel of three lawyers, whose practices focus on local governments, will zero in on the requirements for local governments created by Bills 44, 46, and 47, touching on topics such as interpretation of the Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing policy manual, public notification and hearing requirements, and more. Brief presentations followed by Q&A. 

Presenters: 

Don Lidstone, K.C., Managing Partner, Lidstone & Company

Peter Johnson, Stewart McDannold Stuart

Guy Patterson, Young Anderson

Breakout 1: Transit-Oriented Development Under Bill 47 — Salon D

Examination of what Bill 47 means for municipalities and regional districts, including what the changes mean for development finance, the delivery of affordable housing, alignment with regional growth strategies, parking and other critical implementation considerations.

Presenters: 

Brad West, Mayor, City of Port Coquitlam

Don Luymes, General Manager, Planning and Development, City of Surrey

Emily Sinclair, Senior Manager, Regional and Strategic Planning, Capital Regional District

Breakout 2: Transforming the Planning Framework with Limited Capacity — Salon A

Now that the provincial government has embarked on a suite of housing changes, what are the capacity implications for smaller, rural, and remote communities? It will be particularly confounding for communities that maintain a low staff complement. One-time provincial grant funding is being allocated to support local governments to meet the new legislated requirements—but what is the reality on the ground? What are some of the biggest concerns, and what might local governments do to address these concerns?

Presenters: 

Paul Gipps, CAO, District of Lake Country

Ashley Murphey, General Manager of Development Services, Peace River Regional District

Emilie Adin, President, Planning Institute of BC

A Conversation with Federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser — Salon A

Minister Fraser will give an address in person to local governments, and take questions from local elected officials. The afternoon session will provide a federal voice to the multi-government challenges surrounding BC’s housing crisis.

Local Government Summit Survey Results and Next Steps — Salon A

Councillor Trish Mandewo, UBCM President