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This past Tuesday, Vancouver City Council approved a new Development Approval Procedure (DAP) By-law, streamlining the rezoning process by eliminating public hearings for many projects. While the change was prompted by…
DetailsIn a welcome move to improve housing affordability and stimulate the market, the federal government announced last week a new GST rebate for first-time home buyers, effective May 27, 2025. The…
DetailsPrime Minister Mark Carney announced his cabinet on May 13, consisting of 28 ministers and 10 secretaries of state, 24 of which are new faces in cabinet, including 13 first-time Members of…
DetailsFirst, let’s examine what is happening in the world of judicial recounts based on razor-thin vote margins across the country in four separate electoral ridings. Will the recounts change anything?…
DetailsPrime Minister Mark Carney and the Liberals pulled off an election result that was reminiscent of a classic [North] Hollywood underdog story – a federal party recording some of their…
DetailsCanadians head to the polls today, and with a record-setting 7.3 million people casting their vote during advance polls, it will be interesting to see the numbers going to the polls today.…
DetailsAs highlighted in Saturday’s GRU, the City of Vancouver’s byelections took place on Saturday. The byelection saw record advanced turnout and high interest, leaving many voters frustrated as they waited hours…
DetailsWeek One of the federal election campaign is behind us and let’s see how things are playing out. As of March 30th, Ipsos have the Liberals leading over Conservatives with…
DetailsOver the next 36 days, we will take a dive into what a federal election means for Canadians, for British Columbians, for the housing industry, and will keep a close…
DetailsAs mentioned in HAVAN’s GRU newsletter that went out this past Saturday, there have been a flurry of new actions, initiatives, and guidance documents that have been released by the Province and…
DetailsIN CASE YOU MISSED IT HAVAN shared the BC Budget overview in a special notice to members last Tuesday. 1 IN 5 UNITS: ADAPTABLE DWELLINGS; SEISMIC IN EFFECT In an announcement…
DetailsDear HAVAN Members, Like all of you, we are disappointed – although not surprised – that U.S. President Donald Trump re-instated the 25% tariffs on imported goods coming from Canada, and 10%…
DetailsLast Tuesday, Lieutenant Governor Wendy Cocchia delivered her first Speech from the Throne, outlining Premier David Eby’s government’s priorities for the upcoming year. It is no surprise that in the face of the…
DetailsWith increased media attention, industry backlash, and public scrutiny over its well-documented infrastructure project cost overruns, out-of-touch DCC hikes and lucrative paydays, Metro Vancouver will be asking the Province to…
DetailsToday’s late edition of Monday Morning Briefing has been waiting to share the good news (at least for now) that President Trump will be holding off on the tariffs for at least 30…
DetailsAfter the election and last week’s release of Ministerial Mandates, what’s next for the provincial government? With the Throne Speech scheduled for February 18th and Budget Day on March 4th,…
DetailsThis morning, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States of American, and the world is closely watching the implications of his leadership. Trump’s re-election…
DetailsAs HAVAN and its members continue to provide feedback to 21 municipalities and the Metro Vancouver Regional District regarding developer fees and charges, HAVAN is in the process of submitting…
DetailsHappy New Year! I hope you had a chance to disconnect over the holiday season and are ready for a healthy and prosperous 2025. The big news to kick off…
DetailsIt’s safe to say that all of us are looking forward to some well-deserved rest and reprieve during this holiday season. It’s been a tough year for this industry with…
DetailsInstead of writing to the big man in red, maybe it’s time we asked the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure for this year’s holiday wish list. Development Cost Charges (DCCs)…
DetailsHow did we get here? On July 13, 2016, Council approved the Zero Emissions Building Plan that was developed with industry and established a regulatory framework to set and progressively…
DetailsGonna find out who’s naughty and nice. In May 2023, the new Housing Supply Act and Housing Supply Regulation came into effect, giving the BC Government the authority to set…
DetailsWith apologies, that the Monday Morning Briefing didn’t get to your email this morning, we wanted to hold off and share the government announcements that took place earlier today. With…
DetailsResearch, Education, and Advocacy Focus: Trusted Advisors to Municipal Governments This past year has been a pivotal one for housing advocacy, with significant actions taken by government to expedite housing…
DetailsHere we are, nine days post-election day, still waiting for final results in what is a razor-thin margin in which one riding change could mean the difference between a minority…
DetailsHAVAN’s 2024/2025 BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND COUNCIL CHAIRS ANNOUNCED Vancouver, BC – Members of the Homebuilders Association Vancouver (HAVAN) elected Alisa Aragon-Lloyd, founder and CEO, Bridgestone Financing Pros as their 2024/2025 Chair at…
DetailsAs we approach the provincial election, housing remains a critical issue for voters across BC. The ongoing housing crisis, characterized by limited supply, increased building costs, market uncertainty, and regulatory…
DetailsAround this time last year, it was announced that the Metro Vancouver Regional District was planning to more than double — even triple, in some cases — its Water DCC…
DetailsNext week in Vancouver the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) will be hosting its annual convention, a gathering of over 2,000 local government elected officials, influencers and provincial government representatives. For over…
DetailsEXPANSION OF 30-YEAR AMORTIZATIONS AND INCREASED INSURED MORTGAGE CAP At a press conference this morning, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland announced significant reforms to the Canadian…
DetailsIt is with a heavy heart that I write this guest edition of MMB. Ron Rapp and I knew each other in Toronto, where he held a senior position with…
DetailsAs we look forward to the fall, the pending provincial election is top of mind. HAVAN, with our 1,100 members across the Lower Mainland’s 21 municipalities, collectively represent a powerful…
DetailsThe need for affordable housing solutions has never been more urgent. While advancements in building science have paved the way for more energy-efficient and sustainable homes, they are not a…
DetailsAs we head into a summer lull, we look to local governments that recently are realizing that some of their well-intentioned decisions have consequences that might have been previously considered.…
DetailsHAVAN Members, By now, many of you have heard former HAVAN CEO Ron Rapp passed peacefully last Thursday, July 18 surrounded by family and friends. We are re-posting the following…
DetailsAs the temperatures are soaring across the province, WorkSafeBC’s new Heat stress screening tool is now available on the resources section of the Heat stress page on worksafebc.com. Users can use this interactive tool…
DetailsWell, the June 30th deadline for local governments to enact legislation to align with the Provincial Government Bills 44 and 47, has come and gone. And across the region, there has been…
DetailsIn case you missed the original announcement last week, we announced that Ron Rapp, HAVAN CEO, stepped down to focus on his health and family. As many of you…
DetailsFrom its humble beginnings as a small gathering of builders and suppliers in the New Westminster Legion Hall basement 50 years ago, to becoming the largest homebuilders association in BC…
DetailsThe province launched a new digital Building Permit Hub on May 27 in its next step to help build homes faster and address challenges in B.C.’s housing market. Still in…
DetailsAs we count down—just two weeks and three days left—until HAVAN’s 50th anniversary celebration, we’ve been digging in our archives and discovered an advertisement from 1974 promoting a government program…
DetailsLast week May 23 – May 25 saw the CHBA-BC Provincial Meetings and Georgie Awards taking place at the Hyatt Regency in Vancouver. These meetings include networking, education, special guests,…
DetailsLast week In Saint John, New Brunswick the CHBA National Housing Week took place bringing members, HBA staff, EOs, and sponsors together for a week of committee meetings, AMM Meeting,…
DetailsThe grand halls of the JW Marriott Parq Hotel in Vancouver set the stage for an unforgettable evening of galactic celebration as esteemed members gathered for the unveiling of the…
DetailsSorry, it’s not Santa Claus – it’s Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon. Last week the Ministry of Housing announced the next 20 communities to be issued prescribed housing targets – also…
DetailsOn Friday, April 12, 2024, the Federal government announced and released details for Canada’s Housing Plan. Per the backgrounder provided by the federal government “Through Canada’s Housing Plan, the government…
DetailsThis past week there were no less than 3 major housing announcements from the Federal government totaling $21.6 billion. MAJOR FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENTS Infrastructure Fund Allocation The week kicked off with…
DetailsSAG, Golden Globes, Emmy’s, Tony’s, the Oscars, and a bunch of other awards have all been handed out over the last few weeks, but all are overshadowed by the highly…
DetailsLast week the federal government announced the $4 billion Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) was exhausted, and all funds had been earmarked for about 150 communities across Canada. These monies, specifically…
Details“In Stream” applications are applications that have been duly submitted into the approval process with the goal of satisfying stipulated requirements of the municipality to secure a development permit or…
DetailsDo we have a housing crisis or don’t we? Has this crisis grown to a critical point where the ability to afford a home either purchased or rental is exceeding…
DetailsAs noted in previous Monday Morning Briefings (MMB) and Government Relations Updates (GRU), there has been no end to government consultations on competing fronts of crisis and we encourage all…
DetailsIt was a full house last week as we celebrated our 2024 Legends of Housing (50-Year Retrospective and Future Outlook), as an inaugural kick-off to HAVANs 50th anniversary which will roll…
Details2023 had been a tough year for the construction industry and between rising construction costs, development cost charges, community amenity charges, interest rates, inflation, etc., the private sector continued to…
DetailsHEADWINDS PREVAILING … The prevailing interest rate environment, a key factor shaping the 2024 housing landscape, is poised for the first Bank of Canada Rate announcement scheduled this Thursday, January…
DetailsLooking towards a more sustainable future. As we embark on a new year, a holistic approach to the homes we are building is predicted for 2024 and beyond. Recognizing the…
DetailsAs we begin our new fiscal year and look forward to 2024, I wish to extend a warm welcome to our new Board Chair, Henri Belisle of TQ Construction, who,…
DetailsThe fall of 2023 has witnessed an unprecedented surge in announcements and housing-related legislation, surpassing the cumulative measures introduced over the past decade. The sheer scope, scale, and volume of…
DetailsSubmitted by Diana Dilworth, Director of Government Relations December 4, 2023 It was a few long days spent in Victoria last week as HAVAN participated in CHBA-BC’s Day at the…
DetailsThe recent string of housing announcements by the Province since the beginning of November represents the most significant changes in how we approach zoning, approvals, as-of-right zoning, infrastructure financing, short-term…
DetailsANNOUNCEMENTS FOR YOU, … AND YOU, … AND YOU … Over the past few weeks, the Province of BC, with Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon, has made four noteworthy announcements addressing…
DetailsFollowing on last week’s MMB concerning the pending increase in DCCs being considered, a letter sent by Federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser to the Metro Vancouver Regional District Board was…
DetailsThe Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs, one of Aesop’s Fables, is a story of an impoverished farmer and wife who have the good fortune of coming into possession of…
DetailsWith the attendance of the Province’s Premier, Ministers and MLAs, and over 2,000 local government officials debating over 200 resolutions, it was a record Union of BC Municipalities Convention (UBCM)…
DetailsLast Thursday, after a lengthy eight-hour public hearing, the Vancouver Council unanimously passed a motion for lower-density neighbourhoods to allow up to eight homes on a single lot. The new…
DetailsWe are once again in the grips of a heat wave in Metro Vancouver and while a lower order of magnitude than the “Heat Dome” of 2021, it is still…
DetailsOn July 10 of this year, the Township of Langley (TOL) staff presented to council a proposal for increases in DCCs that amount to significant increases in the charges levied…
DetailsThis week, the City of Vancouver will consider staff reports in regard to the program of “gentle densification” and the creation of the opportunity to apply four to six units…
DetailsThe Bank of Canada (BoC) has raised its benchmark overnight lending rates by another 0.25% to 5%, the highest level since 2001, in a continued battle to bring down inflation…
DetailsThe City of Vancouver on May 30 approved a motion to expedite approvals and permits through a triage and prioritization process that will provide the most units in the fastest…
DetailsWith the recent announcements from the province identifying ten municipalities to be focused on in terms of increasing housing supply under the umbrella of the Housing Supply Act (HSA), Vancouver…
DetailsLast Wednesday Housing Minister the Honourable Ravi Kahlon announced the first group of ten municipalities that will be dealt with under the terms of the Housing Supply Act previously enacted…
DetailsFalling on the Victoria Day long weekend there was no MMB last week, but I would like to take a moment to recap the meetings and events that took place…
DetailsWe need to find ways to enhance flexibility and choices, to encourage innovative and creative solutions, and not to reach into the “old bag” of compounding and conflicting regulations as…
DetailsThe 14th annual HAVAN Awards for Housing Excellence gala took place on Saturday night, April 22 at the JW Marriot Parq Hotel in Vancouver, with 550 guests in attendance to…
DetailsThe Province, on Monday, April 3, announced the Homes for People initiative that is focused directly on producing housing for the “missing middle” and includes the concept of extending province-wide…
DetailsThe federal government tabled its 2023 budget last week and in many ways, it was characterized as a relatively light budget seeking to provide some relief for Canadians challenged by…
DetailsIt was widely reported last week that for the first time in this country’s history, our population grew by over 1 million people, year over year in 2022. International migration…
DetailsFollowing up on the last Federal budget on Friday, March 17, Prime Minister Trudeau announced the launch of the $4 billion Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) directed toward funding local governments…
DetailsIt has been extensively reported that the immigration targets set by the federal government will require effectively doubling housing starts, and it has to start now. The number of newcomers…
Details… pretty soon it starts to add up to real money! On Tuesday last week, Finance Minister Katrine Conroy presented the 2023 BC budget, the first budget under new Premier David…
DetailsLast week was Family Day with no MMB, and the week prior I was away in Banff, Alberta, attending CHBA National Home Building Week 2023, from Sunday, February 12, to…
DetailsByline: Ron Rapp, HAVAN CEO, first published in the HAVAN Monday Morning Briefing Members-only email, February 6, 2023 Connect with Ron on Twitter @havan_ceo Last week, City of Vancouver staff…
DetailsUpdated January 23, 2023 MMB CORRECTION In last week’s MMB we highlighted changes coming forward with the adoption of Step Code into the BCBC and spoke of mandating Step 3…
DetailsByline: Ron Rapp, HAVAN CEO, first published in the HAVAN Monday Morning Briefing Members-only email, January 9, 2023 Connect with Ron on Twitter @havan_ceo Happy New Year to all and…
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