Ministry of Housing Notes from UDI Executive Committee: “one [of the] potential flaws is that LG [Local Government] has to answer to the electorate and likely continue [to] show NIMBYISM. How do we ensure [the] population is educated that there are consequences over time if LG [Local Governments] don’t do, otherwise public will throw councils out over elections.”
“Arbutus – 3000 letters of objection and some council members who approved will pay the price from public, and may see more political churn as the politicians need to be able to answer. Need a financial consequence.”
By Sasha Izard June 4, 2025
In a recent article, I wrote:
In going through the third and final phase of this Freedom of Information response, which took over a year to receive since my initial FOI request was made, I came upon some interesting records: of notes taken from a meeting between the BC MInistry of Housing and the UDI Executive Committee that the Ministry was meeting with. The UDI (Urban Development Institute) is a registered lobbying group on the BC Lobbyists Registry that advances interests in the development industry and in real estate.
The notes were destined for the Deputy Minister of Housing Teri Collins, which appears to be the Teri that took part in the meeting. The notes can be read in full in the appendix at the end of this article.
The UDI Executive Committee features the top figures in the UDI Pacific Region, the main branch of the Urban Development Institute in British Columbia. It has met with top figures in the Provincial government on a number of occasions, and the government has been very shy, even evasive, in providing any information about this and other UDI Committees unless compelled to by Freedom of Information legislation. The UDI also does not want the public to see information about these committees now.
See: Too much heat: The UDI pulls down its list of backroom committees that meet with the Government of British Columbia and Local Governments – CRD Watch Homepage
In particular, I found the notes of comments of Jon Stovell (who was the UDI Chair at the time), to be of interest:
Note: “SVT” stands for Speculation and Vacancy Tax, how it relates to the content that followed it is a mystery, or perhaps SVT at the beginning is a red herring in regard to the content that followed it.
Stovell’s approach to democracy as evinced by the quotes seems quite opposite to what the reader may be familiar with. It appears that in Stovell’s vision, the public should be conditioned and even made to pay for it, if they don’t make democratic choices in line with what the development lobby would like.
Fines are a type of “financial consequence”. Should the public be fined if they make political decisions that aren’t in accordance with the development and real estate lobby?
In the notes, UDI In-House Lobbyist with the Province Jeff Fisher weighed in immediately after Stovell’s comment about needing a financial consequence.
The Statutory Authority TransLink is a paying member of the UDI and Anne McMullin, President and CEO of the UDI, who took part in the discussion served on TransLink’s External Real Estate Advisory Board. See: A brief look at UDI member TransLink and BC Bill 47 (2023) – Sasha Izard
The following is a lobbying slide provided to David Eby earlier in 2022:
In this regard see also: Public release of UDI March 10, 2022 presentation slides, agenda, and lobbying letters to David Eby. – CRD Watch Homepage
The Urban Development Institute lobbied the Province of BC to implement what they called “Global Housing Targets”. The Province would deliver new Housing Bills in response. – CRD Watch Homepage
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Appendix:
Screenshots of notes from the 2022 meeting between the UDI and the Ministry of Housing (My additional notes regarding the content have been added outside the screenshots.):
(HNR stands for Housing Need Report). The vast majority of the Housing Needs Reports in the Province were created by UDI member company Urban Systems (through its subsidiary Urban Matters).
My note: The fact that Government Officials are meeting with a development lobby group and at the same time having the voice of BC Municipalities under an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) speaks volumes.
The UDI Executive Committee themselves would also be signing NDAs later (something also revealed by the FOI response), as they advised the Province on the housing targets and legislation for municipalities.
RGS (stands for Regional Growth Strategy, something adopted by regional governments), yes the UDI was suggesting that the Minister look at potentially overriding them).
It seems the UDI doesn’t like the Ministry of the Environment, and water act stalling development approvals, and that the Ministry of Housing has been fully engaged with those Ministries.
In this regard see also: The UDI successfully lobbied the government against environmental streamside protection regulation. – CRD Watch Homepage
Jeff’s Fisher’s comments about modifying the Translink tax as a response for in the UDI’s view not providing enough housing, is also worth taking note:
TransLink is a paying member of the UDI.
Zoomed out view of the notes of the meeting:
See also:
Urban Development Institute / Anne McMullin, President & CEO – 12-Month Lobbying Summary – Lobbyists Registry – Office of the Registrar or Lobbying of BC
https://crdwatch.ca/2025/01/04/notes-from-udi-exec/
https://crdwatch.ca/2025/04/03/public-release-of-udi-march-10-2022-presentation-slides-agenda-and-lobbying-letters-to-david-eby/
Index of articles regarding lobby events and other meetings between government and lobbyists. – CRD Watch Homepage
The “Hong Kong Model, transit density – Setting expectations and having clear guidance. MDE [Minister David Eby] First step target approach”. UDI Executive Committee Meeting in April 13, 2022 with David Eby when he was the Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Housing. – CRD Watch Homepage
CRD Watch Homepage 
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