Building North Vancouver event keynote speaker Thomas Davidoff with panelists Byron Chard, Pam Chilton, Ryan Blades, and Mark Cooper.
We proudly took the lead on an important housing conversation and engaged a sold-out audience for our Building North Vancouver: What Will it Take? breakfast event at Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier on October 17.
The Pinnacle ballroom buzzed with excitement as attendees gathered to explore the future of local development and growth, ready to engage with industry leaders and visionaries in the private and public sectors about the path forward.
The impactful gathering set the stage for a meeting of like minds, fostering meaningful dialogue among stakeholders about challenges and opportunities to help shape a sustainable future for North Vancouver.
North Vancouver Chamber Board Chair Jonathan Mosley opened the event with a warm welcome and acknowledged distinguished guests, including Chamber governors and municipal councillors.
Mosley highlighted our commitment to addressing the evolving needs of the local business community, particularly in light of findings from a recent North Van Chamber survey indicating housing as a key concern.
Following Mosley’s introduction, Paul Faibish, Senior Vice President of Development at QuadReal Property Group, spoke briefly as the event’s presenting sponsor.
“We’ve been a long-time part of the North Shore community and believe it is a unique place in Metro Vancouver that offers great opportunities for people to live, work, and create fantastic places with access to natural amenities that are, of course, world-class,” Faibish told the audience.
In his keynote address, local housing economist Thomas Davidoff, an associate professor at UBC’s Sauder School of Business, addressed the complexities surrounding provincial interventions in municipal land use, particularly in relation to recent legislative changes in B.C. and new housing targets.
He advocated for a more nuanced approach that considers local context and the unique needs of neighbourhoods, including historic preservation and displacement protections.
Drawing on his extensive background in real estate and public policy, Davidoff illustrated the tension between local costs and broader societal benefits. His insights set the stage for the subsequent panel discussions, which aimed to explore practical solutions for housing development.
The first panel featured Byron Chard, President, Chard Development; Pam Chilton, Founder and Principal Designer, Zimba Building Design + Consulting; Ryan Blades, Associate Vice President, Facilities and Campus Planning, Capilano University; and Mark Cooper, President, Shakespeare Homes & Renovations – each bringing a unique perspective from their respective fields of real estate development, architecture, construction, and education.
Moderator and North Vancouver Chamber CEO Patrick Stafford-Smith led a dynamic discussion, encouraging the panelists to share their perspectives on the most pressing challenges they face in meeting housing demands and how these challenges are influencing their projects and initiatives. The discussion highlighted varying viewpoints on market pressures, regulatory hurdles, and community needs.
The second panel featured perspectives from local government representatives Dan Milburn, General Manager – Planning, Properties & Permits, District of North Vancouver; Bob Sokol, Director of Planning and Capital Projects, Squamish Nation; and Sean Galloway, Director, Planning and Development, City of North Vancouver.
Reflecting on collaboration between the public and private sectors, they shared insights on the government’s role in facilitating housing supply and sustainable community planning.
As the event wrapped up, Mosley thanked all speakers, sponsors, and attendees for their participation, emphasizing the critical nature of the topics discussed. The event concluded with a prize draw, with the winner receiving a complimentary daytime weekday rental of the Polygon Gallery’s Seaspan Pavilion.
Thank you to our event Presenting Sponsor: QuadReal Property Group, and Event Supporters: Aria Savings, Cascadia Green Development, Giesbrecht and Co., Mini Mall Storage, and PGL Environmental Consultants.
