Contributor

Industry

EDGAR Development Simplifies Its Strategy As It Faces A Barrage Of Bureaucracy

“We can continue to find solutions, but I don’t feel that we are being heard. It’s cumulative, they are piling it on. It’s just not tenable anymore,” says Peter Edgar, who started the company in 2009.

Industry

PC Urban Founder Brent Sawchyn On Getting Creative In A Conservative Industry

Development is a conservative profession by nature, but out of necessity, it’s also getting more creative in its delivery, says long-time developer Brent Sawchyn, founder of Vancouver’s PC Urban, a merchant development company that builds purpose built rental and industrial strata buildings in Western Canada and soon, Toronto.

Policy

"A Dramatic Shift": Provincial Fund Now The Biggest Buyer In BC's Multi-Family Market

British Columbia’s $500 million Rental Protection Fund has kicked into high gear since it was announced by Premier David Eby more than a year ago, but it's not without its critics.

Profiles

“We Bogged The Whole Thing Down”: Anthem Properties' Eric Carlson Talks Roadblocks In Homebuilding

“The approval process is brutal today," says Eric Carlson, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Anthem Properties, one of BC’s largest developers.

Policy

Municipalities Must Monitor (And Tweak) Their Tenant Protection Policies

While Vancouver and Burnaby have created rigorous tenant protection policies, these approaches are new, and something of a housing experiment. As the redevelopments unfold, and tenants make use of their rights, the question of compliance will be put to the test, say experts.

Policy

How The City Of Vancouver Can Speed Up Its Development Approval Process

A major complaint among developers is that the City of Vancouver takes forever to approve a rezoning application and the development permit that follows. Combining the two processes might be the solution many or looking for.

Development Projects

Vancouver Investment Firm First To Take Up Ladner Village's Density Play

Headwater Projects, a real estate investment firm that’s been around since 2008, heard that the small town of Ladner was amending its official community plan to allow for more density, up to six storeys. Now, their 131-unit, six-storey mixed-use Bridge & Elliott project is ready to sell.

Policy

Are View Cones Facing A Sunset? Mountain Vistas Could Be No Match For Density

Vancouver's world-class views have been protected since 1989 with what are known as view cones, which are protected views from various points of the city that cannot be obstructed. But the need to build more housing could start getting in the way...

Development Projects

Controversial Chinatown Project Heads For The Finish Line, With Help From Legendary Architect

It will be another few years until buyers take occupancy at 105 Keefer, in the heart of Vancouver's Chinatown, making it a 13 or 14-year undertaking from the time of its initial proposal – one of the city’s longest-ever timelines for a condo development to come to fruition.

Development Projects

Signs Of Life? Rezoning Approved For Decades-Vacant Site On Clark Drive

At the southeast corner of 12th and Clark, a developer has figured out a way to build on a lot that’s been vacant for at least 30 years – long enough that many people can’t remember what once stood there.

Renting

Tenant Advocate Calls For Policy Reform For Renters To Avoid "Double Bind"

Canadian law currently stipulates that renting a property from someone who lives outside of the country carries with it special responsibilities and potentially big costs – whether a tenant is aware or not.

Real Estate News

Money Laundering, Terrorism, And More: Why Are Realtors On The Front Line?

In recent years, the amount of paperwork realtors have been required to fill out regarding potential buyers has grown by a substantial amount. This includes forms from the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FinTRAC), designed to protect against money laundering and terrorist financing, among other things.