$10,000 a pop, and VIP Tables included: how BC Housing has been funnelling taxpayer money ($62,500 in less than 5 years) into the UDI, a registered lobbying organization for development and real estate, through $10K sponsorship agreements.

Government Funding Received Report – Lobbyists Registry – Office of the Registrar or Lobbying of BC

The cost of a single “email blast” from BC Housing to real estate professionals, listed under various signed sponsorship agreements, amounted to $1500. With an email list set up using blind carbon copies, the send outs could be achieved with a single click of a mouse, for which BC Housing would have to transfer $1500 of taxpayer money (the cost of many wood splitters) directly to the development/real estate lobby coffers each time such an “email blast” was made.

To put this all into perspective, there was $62,500 of funding provided from BC Housing to the UDI lobby in less than 5 years, which would amount to about 20 legislative wood splitters.

Infamous B.C. legislature wood splitter seized again by RCMP | Globalnews.ca

Warning: The bewildering amount of sponsorship money heading from government to industry including through advertising initiatives may trigger a sense of déjà vu:
Sponsorship scandal – Wikipedia

Corporate welfare: How the Federal Government of Canada provided one lobby for development and real estate (the Urban Development Institute), hundreds of thousands of dollars in emergency response aid, during the pandemic. – CRD Watch Homepage

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By Sasha Izard
Dec 10, 2025

When following the money, costs money; that would be the best way to describe, how following BC Housing’s dealings with the development/real estate lobby of which it is a paying member, have been during the last couple years.

At one point, your intrepid investigator, even had to fend off a full 44-page quasi judicial attempt by BC Housing to deny me access to information, whereby BC Housing failed miserably, on all counts.

You can read about this and more, in the Index of Crown Corporations and Statutory Entities that have acted evasively about their UDI memberships. – CRD Watch Homepage

You may recall that BC Housing estimated charging me over $1700 combined, for 3 FOI requests.

BC Housing estimates charging an outrageous $1768.50 combined, for 3 Freedom of Information Requests to do with basic financial and other information regarding payments to a registered lobbying organization that represents development and real estate interests. – CRD Watch Homepage

Since then, that estimate has increased by an additional $108.

I paid for one of the FOI requests so far (292-30-12924) $480 ($186.00 for a deposit of what was estimated to be half the price and then an additional $294.00 as the price increased further, after paying the deposit) .

The almost $500 charged to me, resulted in a mere 85 pages in response, but it’s quality, not quantity that I was charged for apparently.

The results of this article came from the least expensive FOI of the 3. Although it yielded a mere 85 pages, those 85 pages are pages that BC Housing doesn’t seem to have wanted me to receive.

I have officially sent a complaint that I was overcharged to the OIPC.

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The following are the results of that FOI response:

The FOI request to BC Housing, that cost me almost $500 was for the following:

“I am submitting an FOI request for all information regarding this annual sponsorship to the UDI and how it was set up including communications regarding it between BC Housing and the UDI. Comms – Annual Sponsorship Agreement for the year 2024-2025 ($10,000). Also records regarding, any previous annual sponsorship agreements for the UDI by BC Housing and how they were setup including communications related to them.”

The FOI response letter is below:

The following are the documents in the FOI response. I have added some of my own commentary in addition. I have indicated my added commentary with the word “Note” in front of it.

Out of the 85 pages that I received in the FOI response some of them were duplicates. I’ve tried not to include duplicates of documents in the following article, but there might be some.

“Hi Arlene:

Thanks for your help to process this UDI invoice No: 428614. We have renewed our BC Housing – UDI Annual Sponsorship

Agreement for 2019‐2020 (please see attached). It outlines the partnership agreement between BC Housing and the Urban Development Institute for the commitment period April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020 with a contribution from BC Housing of $10,000.

Business Unit Budget: 9086 LCS Comm Budget
Account Code: 85220 Industry Sponsorship

Thank you!”

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Note that they have an entire account code for Industry Sponsorship…

Note also that my FOI request was for “any previous annual sponsorship agreements for the UDI by BC Housing“. The earliest sponsorship in the FOI response is from 2019-2020, and yet the email that showed that stated that it was a renewal “We have renewed our BC Housing – UDI Annual Sponsorship”, so if this was a renewal there must have been earlier sponsorships of this type, which were not included in the FOI response.

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Note, the following sponsorship agreement that cost BC Housing $10,000 commenced on April Fool’s Day 2019, but this is not an April Fool’s Joke. The taxpayer can conclude as to whether or not a joke was on them.

“ANNUAL SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT BETWEEN URBAN DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE (UDI) and BC HOUSING
_________________________________________________________________________

This document outlines the 2019-2020 Sponsorship Agreement between the Urban Development Institute (“The Host”) and BC Housing (“The Sponsor”).

PARTNERSHIP COMMITMENT
The Sponsor agrees to contribute ($10,000 towards the Host’s Professional Development and Education Program)

TERM
The term of this sponsorship agreement shall commence effective April 1, 2019

BC HOUSING – SCOPE OF UDI SERVICES AND BENEFITS

A) UDI Breakfast Seminar (Topic & Date to be confirmed)
* Exclusive Sponsorship Recognition ($3000) comprising of: 4 tickets to sit at the VIP table with the speakers
* Verbal recognition by the emcee at the event
* Logo on UDI’s event webpage for this event
* Logo in the rotating pre-event audio-visual loop on the big screen
* Opportunity to erect a sign in the foyer
* Opportunity to distribute a brochure or small gift (e.g. chocolate or pent at the event)
* Acknowledgement on social media (Twitter and Facebook)

B) UDI Breakfast Seminar (Topic & Date to be confirmed)
* Exclusive Sponsorship Recognition ($3000) comprising of: 4 tickets to sit at the VIP table with the speakers
* Verbal recognition by the emcee at the event
* Logo on UDI’s event webpage for this event
* Logo in the rotating pre-event audio-visual loop on the big screen
* Opportunity to erect a sign in the foyer
* Opportunity to distribute a brochure or small gift (e.g. chocolate or pent at the event)
* Acknowledgement on social media (Twitter and Facebook)

C) UDI Luncheon, Seminar or other opportunity (Topic & Date to be confirmed)
* Exclusive Sponsorship Recognition ($3000) comprising of: 4 tickets to sit at the VIP table with the speakers
* Verbal recognition by the emcee at the event
* Logo on UDI’s event webpage for this event
* Logo in the rotating pre-event audio-visual loop on the big screen
* Opportunity to erect a sign in the foyer
* Opportunity to distribute a brochure or small gift (e.g. chocolate or pent at the event)
* Acknowledgement on social media (Twitter and Facebook)

D) Additional BC Housing Outreach to UDI Members

* One (1) BC Housing-exclusive email blast to the UDI membership (approximately 2,500 individual real estate professionals) during the term of the sponsorship agreement ($1000)
* Banner advertisement at the bottom of UDI’s Policy and Advocacy bi-weekly newsletter hyperlinked to sponsor’s website – one (1) issue. Artwork size 600px by 200 px. All artwork is to be provided by the sponsor, and subject to approval by UDI.

Scope of Sponsor Services

The Sponsor agrees to:

1. Pay the Host the amount of the sponsorship by April 30, 2019.

2. Provide necessary materials and information in a timely manner (e.g. logo files, PowerPoint presentations, company descriptions, names of Sponsor representative and complimentary ticket holders, promotional materials for distribution).

3. Acknowledge the Host and this Sponsorship Agreement in appropriate internal and external communications as produced by the Sponsor (e.g. corporate communications (including website). Inform and provide the Host with copies of any relevant materials.

THIS SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT IS ACKNOWLEDGED AND AGREED TO BY: [The signatories as seen above]

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Note: At this stage in the game, the UDI was charging $1000 per email blast, but this changed later on to $1500 a pop.

Note: Invoice for “Annual Sponsorship Agreement for the period April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020” Despite the commencement of the sponsorship, starting on April Fool’s day – it cost the taxpayer $10,000, which is no joke.

“I’ve been working with Yvonne Lo at UDI to renew our BC Housing – UDI Annual Sponsorship Agreement. Attached is the co-signed agreement that Anne has reviewed, ready to share with UDI. It includes a commitment from BCH of $10,000 for the period April 1, 2021 – March 31, 2022. Because the UDI Awards of Excellence are held every two years, the sponsorship amount will increase to $20K in 2022‐23. I’ll forward this final version to UDI today and fast track processing of their invoice for fiscal year end.”

Note: The following logic hurts my brain: “Because the UDI Awards of Excellence are held every two years, the sponsorship amount will increase to $20K in 2022‐23.”

“Happy Friday Karen,

Thanks for making this process so easy for us. Most appreciated as always.

Please find attached the signed copy on our end.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Yvonne

Yvonne Lo | Director, Professional Development
Urban Development Institute”

Note: I’ll bet the UDI was most appreciative of always

Note: The renewal for the invoice above was again on April Fool’s Day.

“UDI has reached out to us about renewing our support of the UDI Awards for Excellence as a major sponsor. BC Housing is the longest standing supporter of this biennial event which attracts 900+ attendees. Because this signature event is included as part of our annual partnership agreement, I updated the attached agreement for 2020‐2021. It includes an overall contribution from BC Housing of $20K, with $10K earmarked for the UDI Awards for Excellence, exclusive sponsorship of two UDI Breakfast Seminars and one Luncheon Seminar. A BC Housing‐exclusive email blast to the UDI membership (approximately 2,500
individual real estate professionals) is also included during the term of the agreement. The overall contribution of $20K is in line with our past support.

As soon as I get the green light from you to renew the agreement, I’ll review with UDI to finalize, and process payment before the end of fiscal. The Awards Gala is scheduled for November 25, 2020 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Vancouver, and UDI will share further details closer to the event.”

“Hi Karen! I have started working on the UDI Awards 2020! Having said that, BC Housing is our longest standing supporter of this event and I am hoping that you are interested in be a major sponsor again this year.

Can you please let me know if you are interested? The event is November 25th and is at the Hyatt again this time.

Hope you are well, cheers, Ginny”

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“Join the UDI Board of Directors and their guests for a VIP reception before the Gala”

Note: The champagne socialists at BC Housing and the BC NDP government, probably think $10,000, with champagne reception included is a good deal.

BC Housing paid $12,000 for a Platinum Sponsorship of the UDI in 2024, as I learned from the response to another FOI that I made to BC Housing: 292-30-9825:

That one might even be too rich for BC Housing.

“Hi Adam,

It looks like we have $1400 unused funds remaining from the 2021/2022 Sponsorship agreement that ends March 31.

Cheers”

“Sorry just an additional question, when you say it’s a part of our annual sponsorship funds, I’m just wondering if you can clarify a bit. In our Partnership Commitment it mentions “The Sponsor agrees to contribute $10,000 towards the Host’s Professional
Development and Education Program.” – Is it related to this? We just want to make sure we’re not taking funds away from events or communications that relate more closely to Builders.

Thanks for clarifying.”

Note: The above comment made my eyebrows raise a bit. It was almost as if someone in BC Housing was having some doubts whether all of this money was going into ‘educational’ purposes. Did it look educational in the sponsorship agreement?

Note; an addition to the UDI’s annual April Fool’s offering to BC Housing, “30 complimentary Zoom logins”, as part of $2500-$3500 packages.

Note: And here’s the price jump from the $1000 to $1500 email blast off.

Note: It was kind of the UDI to offer the “Opportunity to distribute a brochure or small gift (e.g. chocolate or pen)” as part of their $2500-$3500 event packages. I’m not sure if the UDI were a travel agency, the client would be getting the best bang for their buck on such offerings.

“Channpreet from our finance team is copied on this email and will be sending you an invoice in the amount of $10,000 for the 2022‐2023 Annual Partnership Agreement.”

Note: That’s sobering.

Note: “Approach to combat affordable housing”. Did I read that correctly, or was that just a slip of the tongue by the UDI?

Note: Who knew government had to pay thousands of dollars to a registered lobbying organization to meet another member of government “In-Person”.

Note: The Luncheon / Virtual luncheon or other opportunity Supporting Recognition fee is up to $4000. Apparently the VIP table tickets don’t apply to virtual luncheon (I guess the food is virtual too, but the price is the same nonetheless).

“Hi Adam,

I am hesitant to outline that specific event on there as we are still in discussion about what it will look like. I did update a piece under the “Partnership Commitment” section which incorporates diversity, equity, and inclusion in our events programming.”

Note: At the prices mentioned, one sure gets the view that these events are inclusive. How many homeless people are invited into these events?

Déjà vu again…

Despite numerous signed sponsorship agreements at $10K a pop, I only received 2 invoices in the FOI response and no receipts, not that missing invoices and receipts is something new, when receiving FOI responses.

Although there were only 2 invoices in the FOI response of $10,000 each, and although BC Housing has made its finance department out of reach to me, the following shows the amount of funds sent from BC Housing to the UDI from the BC Lobbyists Registry:

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