Urban Development Institute

08/25/2026

Vancouver housing starts fell 42% this July compared to a year ago, and while a single month can be noisy, it fits a clear pattern: BC starts are down 10% so far this year and the trend line is still falling.

Urban Development Institute CEO Michael Drummond joined CBC's On The Coast to discuss what is happening behind the numbers: a collapsing presale market, few new condo launches, and purpose-built rental incentives winding down.

This is what the cost-of-delivery crisis looks like in real time. Nearly 42,000 approved homes across BC are sitting unbuilt, not because they're stuck at City Hall, but because the numbers no longer work.

If governments want more homes built, they need to address the government-imposed cost stack, including fees, charges, code requirements, and regulatory burden, that determines whether projects can move forward.

What will it take to get housing moving again?

08/18/2026

UDI is pleased to welcome new members to our Board of Directors:
Brad Jones, Chief Development Officer, Development at Wesgroup Properties
Brian McCauley, President of Terra Pacific Consultants Ltd.
Kevin Johnson, Principal at Bear Land Development Services Ltd., and Okanagan Regional Advisory Committee Chair
Kelly P. Lin, Principal Advisor at Terra Housing, and Women of UDI Chair

Brad Jones has also been appointed to UDI’s Executive Committee.

Together, they bring experience across development, regional project delivery, social-purpose housing, and industry leadership at an important time for housing delivery across BC.

Welcome Brad, Brian, Kevin, and Kelly.

07/30/2026

Even a thunderstorm couldn't dampen the fun at this year's sold-out U40 Lawn Bowling Social.

Members from across the Capital Region came together at the Victoria Bowls & Croquet Club for an afternoon of networking and friendly competition. Congratulations to this year's winners:
Craig Thomas, Blackrete Builders Inc.
Maren Thompson, Pooni Group Inc.
Cole Thomson, BFL CANADA
Heather Thomson, PGL Environmental Consultants

A big thank you to our sponsors for making the event possible.
Lead Sponsor: Canada ICI Capital Corporation
Supporting Sponsors: Travelers Canada, RJC Engineers, Active Earth
Thank you to everyone who joined us.

07/15/2026

Inclusionary zoning is often presented as a no-cost way to deliver affordable housing. But affordability requirements still have to be funded.

UDI’s Director of Policy and Advocacy, Jay Chadha, looks at what Portland learned the hard way, and what Metro Vancouver still has time to get right.

Read the full article below:

Portland's warning for Metro Vancouver.

06/30/2026

Another full house for our UDI’s Spring Social Industry Meet-Up. In a challenging market, opportunities to connect, exchange ideas, and strengthen industry relationships matter.

This event wouldn't be possible without our Supporting Sponsor, Performance Builders Ltd., and our Associate Sponsors, Legacy Environmental Ltd. and Stadga Development Management Corp. Thank you for helping bring the development community together.

06/02/2026

Key takeaways from our Finance Forum: Navigating the Market Reset:
• Purpose-built rental remains difficult to deliver, even in an undersupplied market. With fewer condos being built, an important source of rental supply is also slowing.
• Construction costs remain unpredictable, with growing concern about losing skilled trades as project activity softens.
• Lenders are taking a more cautious approach, with greater scrutiny on underwriting, project viability, land values, and recovery risk.
• Office is showing signs of stability in some markets, though performance remains highly location-specific.
• Population growth, immigration policy, and financing conditions remain critical to long-term market confidence and housing delivery.

Thank you to everyone who joined us online and our panelists for a great discussion:
• Derek Townsend, Citifund Capital Corporation (Moderator)
• Ian Cullen, Managing Partner, SHAPE
• Natallia Dzmitryieva, Vice President, Real Estate Markets, RBC
• Brad Jones, Chief Development Officer, Wesgroup Properties

06/01/2026

We had a fantastic day at the UDI Capital Region Golf Tournament on May 21 at Olympic View Golf Club.

With sunny skies, great competition, and strong turnout from the development community, it was a great afternoon on the course.

Congratulations to the Path Developments team for taking home top honours as this year’s winning foursome.

A big thank you to our Lead Sponsor, Rogers, for supporting this event.

05/15/2026

We are pleased to announce that Michael Drummond has been appointed CEO of the Urban Development Institute

Michael previously served as Executive Vice President before stepping into the Interim CEO role during one of the most critical periods in B.C.’s housing sector. His appointment marks an important milestone for the organization, becoming only the third CEO in UDI’s modern history.

Under his leadership, UDI has strengthened its advocacy efforts and public voice on housing and economic policy issues across the province.

Please join us in congratulating Michael on his appointment.

05/13/2026

What an incredible afternoon at UDI Capital Region’s Spring Social at Craft B**r Market!

The event was sold out and filled with great energy as members of the development community came together to connect, catch up, and enjoy a relaxed late-afternoon in Victoria's Inner Harbour.

A sincere thank you to our sponsors for making the event possible: BTY, Next Environmental Inc., Ingrid Jarisz / Newport Realty Ltd., Aplin Martin, and Powerhaus Mortgage Experts.

We appreciate everyone who joined us and helped make the Spring Social such a success—looking forward to seeing you at the next UDI Capital Region event!

05/04/2026

Here's what you missed at The Future of Rental: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities hosted by the Women of UDI

The market has shifted, and the data tells the story.

New lease-up vacancy is now 10.7%, while stabilized stock remains under 2%. That gap reflects a market adjusting in real time.

Technology is changing the leasing environment as well. Prospects are arriving informed, and digital leasing is no longer optional.

For the first time in decades, renters have real choice. And that's forcing a reset.

The old ways of “build it and they will come” no longer works. Today, the best product absorbs first. That means better unit layouts, livability, and amenities that are designed to perform, not just exist.

It also means bringing the right people into the conversation earlier. Construction, operations and asset management can no longer happen in silos. If the operator isn’t in the room during design, the project pays for it later.

At the same time, the biggest risk has shifted. It’s no longer construction cost uncertainty driving pro formas. It’s revenue. Net effective rents, concessions, and slower lease-up are now what investors are watching most closely.

And increasingly, projects are moving forward through partnerships. Across non-profits, pension funds, Indigenous landowners, and government, collaboration is becoming essential.

There is also a window right now. While many projects are on hold, this is the time to rethink, build stronger partnerships, and be ready for what comes next.

Thank you to our panelists for a thoughtful discussion:
• Andrew Charney, Nch’ḵay̓ Development Corporation
• Vera Liu, KingSett Capital
• Monica Morgan, Community Land Trust
• Barrett Sprowson, Peterson Real Estate
Moderated by Nicole Jerick

And thank you to our sponsors:
Lead Sponsor: BlueCity Construction
Silver Sponsors: VanMar Constructors BC Inc. and dys architecture