From left to right: Kevin Albers (BCNPHA Board Chair, CEO of M’akola Housing, Newly appointed President of CHRA), The Hon. Alfred Moses (Minister Responsible for the Northwest Territories), The Hon. Selina Robinson, (Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing), Margaret Pho (CEO of Aboriginal Housing Management Society), Stéphan Corriveau (Former President of CHRA).
Thank you to all of our delegates, partners and sponsors for helping us make this year’s Vancouver Island RENT a great success! We were proud to partner with the Canadian Housing & Renewal Association, which was hosting its 51st annual National Congress this year. It was a jam-packed three days with over 700 delegates learning from housing experts across the country.
The first day of the Congress and BCNPHA RENT on April 3rd kicked off with a traditional welcome from the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations. The song and dance greeting was both a moving and inspirational way to start the event, and was followed by a range of speakers on local, provincial and national housing issues. Delegates participating in the RENT sessions learned new strategies and approaches to engaging their municipalities to addressing housing affordability and homelessness, as well as how to access new funding opportunities and methods for resolving tenancy issues. The day concluded with a President’s Reception at Government House, where BC’s Lieutenant Governor, the Honourable Janet Austin (and a former BCNPHA award winner), addressed the crowd.
Over the three days of the Congress, delegates heard from a variety of housing experts, including Selina Robinson (Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing), Evan Siddall (President and CEO of CMHC), Kevin Albers (BCNPHA Board Chair and CEO of M’akola Housing) and Margaret Pho (CEO of the Aboriginal Housing Management Association).