And it is Official! …
Over 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…
DetailsKEEPIN’ UP WITH THE CHANGES …
As 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 …
IN 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…
DetailsSPECIAL MEMO TO MEMBERS: TARIFFS & BC BUDGET
Dear 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%…
DetailsBC THRONE SPEECH: LACKLUSTER FOCUS ON HOUSING …
Last 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…
DetailsIT’S ABOUT TIME…
With 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…
DetailsNOT WITHOUT A FIGHT …
Today’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…
DetailsWHAT’S NEXT? THE MANDATE LETTERS …
After 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,…
DetailsHERE WE GO AGAIN …
This 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…
DetailsConsistency is Key…
As 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…
DetailsNEW YEAR, NEW LIBERAL LEADER …
Happy 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…
DetailsLOOKING AHEAD TO THE NEW YEAR …
It’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…
DetailsALL WE WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS LOWER DCCs…
Instead 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)…
DetailsAND THE DECISION IS …
How 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…
DetailsHe’s Making A List and Checking it Twice…
Gonna 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…
DetailsBC GOVERNMENT ROLLS OUT THE MINISTRIES AND MINISTERS …
With 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…
DetailsHAVAN GOVERNMENT RELATIONS TEAM: Working for You!
Research, 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…
DetailsPROVINCIAL ELECTION UPDATE…Every Vote Counts!
Here 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…
DetailsA LOOK AT NEW LEADERSHIP…
HAVAN’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…
DetailsANALYZING BC’s PROVINCIAL ELECTION HOUSING PLATFORMS: THE STAKES FOR OUR INDUSTRY.
As 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…
DetailsWhy Are Big-Name Developers Writing Letter to the Metro Vancouver Board of Directors?
Around 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…
DetailsProvincial and Local Government Elected Officials Meet Next Week….
Next 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…
DetailsHOUSING ANNOUNCEMENTS CONTINUE TO ROLL IN…
EXPANSION 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…
DetailsIN RETROSPECT, SOME THINGS CHANGE, AND SOME THINGS REMAIN THE SAME …
It 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…
DetailsUNITING A COLLECTIVE VOICE TO ADDRESS THE HOUSING CRISIS …
As 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 ONGOING QUEST TO BUILD HOMES, AFFORDABLY …
The 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…
DetailsCOMMON SENSE IN CITY HALLS? …
As 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.…
DetailsA FAREWELL TO RON RAPP
HAVAN 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…
DetailsHot Town, Summer in the City …
As 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…
DetailsSome Did, Some Will, and Some Won’t…
Well, 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…
DetailsRON RAPP STEPS DOWN AS HAVAN CEO: ANNOUNCED JUNE 19
In 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…
DetailsCELEBRATING HAVAN: A LEGACY OF BUILDING AND COMMUNITY
From 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…
DetailsHUBBA HUBBA …
The 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…
DetailsJUST BORROW AND BUILD …
As 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…
DetailsTWO-FERS AND TRIFECTAS …
Last 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,…
DetailsWEST MEETS EAST …
Last 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,…
DetailsMAY THE 4TH BE WITH YOU …
The 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…
DetailsMAKING HIS LIST, AND CHECKING IT TWICE …
Sorry, 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…
DetailsPERSISTANCE PAYS OFF …
On 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…
Details$HOW ME THE MONEY …
This 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…
DetailsIT’S AWARDS SEASON …
SAG, 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…
DetailsA BILLION HERE, BILLION THERE … AND SUDDENLY, IT’S GONE.
Last 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…
DetailsIN STREAM, OR UP THE CREEK? …
“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…
DetailsA LASER FOCUSED VIEW ….
Do 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…
DetailsTELL US WHAT YOU THINK, REALLY …
As 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…
DetailsA LEGENDARY EVENING …
It 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…
DetailsTHE COSTS OF BUILDING, AND THE COSTS OF NOT BUILDING…
2023 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 …
HEADWINDS 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…
DetailsBRANCHING OUT …
Looking 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…
DetailsHAVAN END OF YEAR RAPP-UP …
As 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,…
DetailsUNPRECEDENTED … YET AGAIN …
The 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…
DetailsDays at the Legislature …
Submitted 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…
DetailsIT IS BROKEN…AND IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED.
The 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 …
ANNOUNCEMENTS 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…
DetailsVAGUELY ENTERTAINING …
This past Wednesday, HAVAN hosted its annual Connect: Municipal Dinner, presented by BC Housing and Patron Sponsor FortisBC at the Paradox Hotel Vancouver with 190 registered members including 24 elected…
DetailsTHEY CARE … JUST NOT THAT MUCH.
Following 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…
DetailsDCCs and Cs, and Cs, and Cs …
The 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…
DetailsASSOCIATION ELECTS 2023/2024 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Members of the Homebuilders Association Vancouver (HAVAN) elected Henri Belisle, President and Co-owner, TQ Construction as their 2023/2024 Chair at HAVAN’s Annual Election Meeting online, on Wednesday, October 4, 2023. A HAVAN…
DetailsLEVERAGING YOUR MEMBERSHIP
Byline: Dawn Sondergaard, Senior Director, Marketing Communications, first published in the HAVAN Monday Morning Briefing Members-only email, February 13, 2023 Ron is in Banff AB this week at CHBA National…
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