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British Columbia’s Housing Crisis To Be Tackled At Small Housing Summit In Vancouver

Grey old house with wooden trim

Building / November 6, 2018 (with mention of BCNPHA)

On November 17, 2018, Small Housing BC (SHBC) will host the Small Housing Summit to explore what role small housing can play in addressing the housing crisis. The first of its kind in Canada, this one-day conference will highlight successful projects and the leading thinkers behind them, covering topics from design, construction, real estate, finance, to policy and outreach.

To be held at the Sheraton Wall Centre (1088 Burrard Street), the Summit will leverage cross-sector expertise to catalyze learning and action that supports the growth of BC’s small housing market.

“There’s little doubt our region is facing a housing crisis. Headlines continue to capture our rising rents and home costs, and many residents question whether it’s time to relocate where housing is more affordable,” said Jake Fry, co-founder of SHBC and a laneway builder/designer. “The housing crisis has impacted our livelihoods and the health of our communities, making us re-examine not only where and how we live, but the ways we build. For years, designers and planners have asked us to consider our overall housing stock, beyond soaring prices.”

Fry and his colleagues at SHBC believe there is space and opportunity to shift BC’s housing paradigm—with the Summit as a launch pad to examine the possibilities that small housing brings as an affordable and sustainable solution to the housing crisis. SHBC defines small housing as units 200 to 1500 square feet, such as row homes, multi-unit dwellings, laneways, cottage neighbourhoods, tiny homes and more.

“The Summit is a great platform to connect leading practitioners and showcase international and local initiatives,” said Jack Wong, CEO of the Real Estate Foundation of BC, lead funder of the Summit. “We need to start implementing solutions that gently densify our cities and keep people here for generations to come. My hope is the Summit will help educate builders, real estate professionals, planners and local governments on small housing options, benefits and zoning.”

Attendees can look forward to insights from keynote speaker Denise Pinkston of TMG Partners, who has successfully championed small housing in California. Attendees can also expect educational and collaborative sessions on design, financing, SHBC city projects and two case study inquiries as part of the Small Housing Challenge series, where presenters will share their small housing barriers and receive valuable feedback from local expert panelists and Summit attendees.

All sessions are eligible for educational points through the Architectural Institute of British Columbia, Planning Institute of BC, and BC Housing. The event will close with a networking soirée in partnership with the BC Non-Profit Housing Association (BCNPHA).

Full program and tickets are available at smallhousingbc.org/summit

Founded in 2012, Small Housing BC (SHBC) is a Vancouver-based non-profit and the leading voice in support of the promotion and development of small homes in BC. It conducts research, engages industry and cities, and convenes big thinkers on ways to do smaller forms.

https://building.ca/british-columbias-housing-crisis-to-be-tackled-at-small-housing-summit-in-vancouver/

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