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Inside the UDI scandal and why Victoria had to be pushed to cut ties with its own lobbyists.


Arthur McInnis
March 9, 2026


Victoria’s decision to end its membership in the Urban Development Institute (UDI) did not happen in a vacuum. After years of public scrutiny over the structural conflict of a municipality paying dues to a private development lobby, Councillors Gardiner and Hammond brought a formal motion to Council to cancel the City’s membership.

A substantial share of the credit belongs to Sasha Izard and CRD Watch for keeping the issue in public view. By assembling records, mapping memberships, and explaining how these relationships work in practice, they turned what could have remained a quiet line item into a larger debate about accountability and democratic governance.

The concern deepens when the UDI’s influence is viewed beyond Victoria. Investigative reporting by CRD Watch described the UDI as instrumental in promoting and shaping British Columbia’s Bill 44, which curtailed municipal zoning authority, mandated province-wide upzoning, and substantially reduced the role of public hearings.

Backroom dealing and NDAs kept the public in the dark

Compounding the problem, the provincial government sought to limit public scrutiny of the underlying modelling and consultations. Municipalities and analysts were reportedly required to sign strict non-disclosure agreements before the Bill was passed, insulating key assumptions and negotiations from public review.

How the UDI astroturfed the Bayview project through a “student” front group

The UDI’s local influence was on clear display during the Bayview Roundhouse rezoning in Vic West. Focus Equities, the developer behind the skyline-altering proposal, is a prominent UDI member. During the rezoning process, the City subordinated the protected E&N rail corridor to accommodate a nine-tower building massing.

At the public hearing, the UDI leveraged the University of Victoria (UVic) Real Estate Club to speak as a bloc in support of the developer’s luxury-condominium vision. Research by Sasha Izard reported that, despite presenting as a student group, the club was heavily financed by the UDI and governed by a board composed entirely of industry professionals, including the Executive Director of the UDI Capital Region.

The UDI reportedly went further, circulating newsletters to corporate members advertising the club as a resource to provide “project support” at public hearings. In other words, the City was paying dues to a lobby organisation that was actively engineering manufactured “grassroots” pressure in favour of a major private development.

Public pressure and the petition that forced a decision

Community organising also mattered. Larry Wartels’ petition, “Withdraw the City of Victoria from Development Lobby Membership,” gave residents a direct and concrete way to register dissent and demand action from elected officials.

Councillor Matt Dell’s defence of the developer lobby

In early March 2026, Council voted 8–1 to withdraw from the UDI. The sole dissenting vote was Councillor Matt Dell, who had previously defended the relationship by stating, “We are in the pocket of trying to build more housing in the city.”   Clearly he went to the Matt on this one.

The petition’s “Victory” update is worth celebrating. But it also leaves an uncomfortable question and that is should it really take a sustained watchdog campaign and a public petition for the City of Victoria to stop funding industry lobbyists with taxpayer dollars?

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See also:

The City of Victoria withdraws its UDI lobby membership. – CRD Watch Homepage

Victoria quits the UDI: Why is Vancouver still funding the developer lobby? | CityHallWatch: Tools to engage in Vancouver city decisions

Index of articles about lobbying influence on the City of Victoria and deliberations regarding it. – CRD Watch Homepage

Index of Articles regarding Jet Flights for City of Victoria Staff to development lobby events, that were charged to the City. – CRD Watch Homepage

Index of documentation covering the UVic Real Estate Club and development industry influence over it. – CRD Watch Homepage

Index of articles, letters, and other material in regards to the Bayview/Roundhouse Property in Vic West. – CRD Watch Homepage

Index of articles regarding lobby events and other meetings between government and lobbyists. – CRD Watch Homepage

Index of articles revealing major lobbying influence on B.C. Provincial Housing Bills and Housing Targets. – CRD Watch Homepage

“Statement from View Royal Mayor Sid Tobias on Bill 15 and Bill 7” “Secrecy, NDAs, and the Collapse of Trust” – CRD Watch Homepage

The Government of British Columbia had top figures in the most powerful lobbying organization for development and real estate interests in the province, sign Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) as they advised the Province on adopting mandatory/enforceable targets for municipalities and for other upcoming housing legislation to be able to override local government autonomy. – CRD Watch Homepage

Presentation by Sasha Izard to the Special Committee to Review the Lobbyists Transparency Act – CRD Watch Homepage