Index of articles regarding lobby events and other meetings between government and lobbyists.
A number of articles have looked at lobby events and the intersections of lobbyists and elected officials. An enabled democracy requires knowledge about who and what is meeting with elected officials and government staffers, and what they are discussing.
Plane Flights and Helijets, where taxpayer dollars go from the City of Victoria, for Development Lobby Events – CRD Watch Homepage
An Expensive Party: Victoria Employee flew to Nashville and back, to hang out with developers at their “Social Event”. Cost to the taxpayer: almost $2000 – 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
$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. – CRD Watch Homepage
BC Housing’s out of control spending spree: $82,249 spent in only 3 and a half years, on costs related to a single lobby for real estate and development. – CRD Watch Homepage
The proposed “Permanent Provincial Housing Policy Roundtable” is an astroturfing effort by the Real Estate Lobby in BC, with the help of a complicit media in the province. Questions must be asked about close to $100 in value gifts to numerous MLAs. – CRD Watch Homepage
Public release of UDI March 10, 2022 presentation slides, agenda, and lobbying letters to David Eby. – CRD Watch Homepage
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
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
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 population is educated that there are consequences over time if LG [Local Governments] don’t do, otherwise public will throw councils out over elections.” “Some council members who approved [the Arbutus development] 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.” – CRD Watch Homepage
“We need to take the approach of all areas potentially supporting up to six storeys to ensure we have a pivotal opportunity to arrive at where we will inevitably need to get by 2050” – Quote from Sept 19, 2024 UDI Workshop on City of Victoria Official Community Plan (OCP) update. – CRD Watch Homepage
Housing need in a proposed update to the City of Victoria Official Community Plan (OCP) – make them up as they go? City staff and the Development Lobby discussed potentially shifting goal posts in the future. – CRD Watch Homepage
Upcoming UDI event at the Union Club featuring Saanich staffers, sponsored by Rennie the company of the so-called “Condo King” in Vancouver. – CRD Watch Homepage
FOI reveals content of discussion regarding Bill 44 and ‘missing middle’ upzoning at the Union Club between Saanich Staff and the UDI, a registered lobbying organization that advances development/real estate interests. “For background, in June 2024, we rezoned approximately 25,000 lots in Saanich.” “Neighbours may not know until they see signs of construction”. “Saanich wanted similar outcomes as Province” – CRD Watch Homepage
The development lobby proposed decoupling the Saanich Local Area Plans from the Official Community Plan. They got what they wanted 2 years later. – CRD Watch Homepage
Saanich and a lobbying organization for development and real estate discussed decoupling the Local Area Plans from the Official Community Plan in the spring of 2022 – CRD Watch Homepage
FOI Request to BC Transit yields information about the UDI event: “Pathways to Progress: Uniting Land Use and Transit Strategies for Sustainable Growth” which took place the same day that Saanich adopted its new Official Community Plan and rendered its Local Area Plans legally non-binding. – CRD Watch Homepage
More Freedom of Information data surfaces, this time from Saanich, regarding the May 7, 2024 UDI event at the Union Club: “Pathways to Progress: Uniting Land Use and Transit Strategies for Sustainable Growth” – CRD Watch Homepage
Letter to Mayor Murdock regarding your Chairing at the Feb 11, 2025 Saanich Special Council Meeting – CRD Watch Homepage
Motion for Basic Transparency by Councillor Chambers at the May 12, 2025 Saanich Council Meeting that all meetings between the District and groups of developers and other stakeholders be publicly posted on a calendar. The motion did not a receive a seconder from the rest of the council, including mayor Dean Murdock – CRD Watch Homepage
District of Saanich staff appear to have posted misinformation, in regard to city staff working with the Citizen’s Assembly for potentially years to come, as excuse for the District to put a hold on a potential lobby register. – 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
Notes from UDI Exec – CRD Watch Homepage
“Sold out” event… – CRD Watch Homepage
“No, we do not have minutes.” – The Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) fails to document meetings that lead to resolutions. – CRD Watch Homepage
In one “Special Council Meeting” (Sept 23, 2024): The Majority of Saanich Council Voted to Eliminate Open Forum, and then Chose to Continue to Allow Unrecorded, Unminuted Backroom Meetings that the Public Cannot Attend Between the District and a Lobby for Developers. – CRD Watch Homepage
UDI ‘education’ course sponsored by FORTIS BC comes with all meals included. – CRD Watch Homepage
City Councillors Hammond and Gardiner put forward Motion to “Terminate Victoria’s membership in the Urban Development Institute” “effective immediately”. – CRD Watch Homepage
Transcript of City of Victoria Council Deliberation on Motion put forward by Councillors Hammond and Gardiner to “Terminate Victoria’s membership in the Urban Development Institute”. (Sept 4, 2025) – CRD Watch Homepage
Letter sent to Victoria’s Mayor and Council and City Manager’s office, regarding the City’s potential withdrawal from the UDI development/real estate lobby. – CRD Watch Homepage
Homes For Living (HFL) and other ‘YIMBY’-oriented groups’ Lobbying Letter to Premier Eby and Housing Minister Kahlon, Mirrors the UDI’s lobbying efforts, raising important questions about the relationship between the UDI and HFL, as they both press the Province for a practically identical agenda, simultaneously being treated as stakeholders by it. – CRD Watch Homepage
Feb 2025 Dialogue with Jack Sandor of Homes for Living provides a fascinating window onto Homes for Living and described lobbying activities to MLAs. Entries for the organization do not appear when searched on on the BC Lobbyists Registry. – CRD Watch Homepage
LETTER: Local governments should distance themselves from lobbyists – Saanich News
David Eby Before and After: How David Eby’s former criticisms of the political influence of the so-called ‘Condo King’ of Vancouver Bob Rennie, when Eby was a member of the opposition; turned once in power, to Eby becoming Rennie’s political follower. – CRD Watch Homepage
The David Eby Confession: Premier Eby talking to the ‘Condo King’ Bob Rennie, finally spilled the beans in front of the camera, on how UDI lobbying played key role in the creation of the Provincial Housing Bills. – CRD Watch Homepage
The Perils of Political Proximity: David Eby’s Reversal on Bob Rennie and UDI Influence – CRD Watch Homepage
BC Ministry of Housing-UDI Freedom of Information response of over 3000 pages, is finally posted publicly on the Province’s website. – CRD Watch Homepage
Presentation by Sasha Izard to the Special Committee to Review the Lobbyists Transparency Act – CRD Watch Homepage
The House that Mayor Dean Murdock built: Why was a UDI Director/UDI Capital Region Chair, appointed by Saanich’s Mayor, to the Saanich Housing Affordability Standing Committee? – CRD Watch Homepage
The Fox in the Henhouse? Chair of Development/Real Estate lobby Chapter/lobby Director, now reappointed to Saanich Mayor’s Committee, voted in favour of phase 2 and 3 of the District’s Housing Strategy. Council followed suit unanimously. – CRD Watch Homepage
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See also: Index of articles about David Eby meeting with Bob Rennie. – CRD Watch Homepage
Index of articles revealing major lobbying influence on B.C. Provincial Housing Bills and Housing Targets. – CRD Watch Homepage
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