Vancouver Region Planning and Development News – Upcoming Events

Hello. Welcome to my weekly newsletter of curated headlines about city building, urban planning, real estate development, transportation, economy, and other eclectic matters in the Vancouver region and the rest of the world. And upcoming events – please see and share….

Interesting in Studying City Planning - Langara Applied Planning Program

The Langara College Post Degree Diploma in Applied Planning, 12-month in-person program starts in September, where I teach three courses. Attend the online information session to learn more: March 11, Wednesday, 4:00 – 5:00 pm: https://langara.ca/programs-courses/applied-planning-post-degree-diploma-we

Industrial Lands Walking Tour – Mt Pleasant Vancouver

Sunday, March 22, 1:00-2:30 PM, Rain or Shine! https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/industrial-lands-walking-tour-mt-pleasant-vancouver-with-eric-aderneck-tickets-1983414370775 See, hear, and learn about industrial lands in the Mt Pleasant area of Vancouver. Local industrial tourism / working staycation at its best! This walking tour will engage participants about ‘what is industrial’ and what uses are supportive and compatible, or conflicting and incompatible, with traditional and/or modern industrial activities in an urban environment.

Planning Institute of British Columbia - Development Planning Webinar

Practical Knowledge & Skills for Planners - Development Planning. March 25, Wednesday, 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM PST. https://www.pibc.bc.ca/event/pibc-2026-cpl-webinar-3. ‘Practical learning’ to provide a succinct overview of the skills required to understand and facilitate the land development process, for emerging planners and established professionals looking to augment your practical knowledge. Speakers: Eric Aderneck RPP, MCIP - City of Maple Ridge (PIBC Board Member), Thomas Davidoff - UBC Sauder School of Business, Alison Espetveidt - Lidstone & Company

Eric Aderneck, rpp, mpl, bcom, dule / eric@aderneck.ca / 604.721.5528 / www.linkedin.com/in/ericaderneck

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ECONOMY / TAXES

C1 BC Economic Briefing https://www.central1.com/pdf_files/b-c-economic-briefing-for-march-6-lower-mainland-housing-market-business-confidence/

Economic uncertainty must not become financial market instability https://www.biv.com/news/economic-uncertainty-must-not-become-financial-market-instability-macklem-11955051

“A Signal Was Sent”: BC Still Reeling From Budget 2026, Housing To Take A Hit https://storeys.com/bc-budget-2026-developers-reeling/

Maritimers pay dearly for their large governments https://www.fraserinstitute.org/commentary/maritimers-pay-dearly-their-large-governments

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BUSINESS / JOBS

Speaker breaks tie to advance NDP’s mess of a budget https://vancouversun.com/opinion/columnists/vaughn-palmer-speaker-breaks-tie-advance-bc-ndp-mess-budget

Canada GDP: Weak headline but strength under the hood https://www.central1.com/pdf_files/canada-gdp-weak-headline-but-strength-under-the-hood/

Canada’s Entrepreneur Opportunity https://macleans.ca/economy/canadas-entrepreneur-opportunity/

To understand why countries grow, look at their firms https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2026/03/05/to-understand-why-countries-grow-look-at-their-firms

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HOUSING AFFORDABILITY

An abundance of housing approved in Metro Vancouver, despite NDP charges of too much red tape https://vancouversun.com/opinion/columnists/douglas-todd-metro-vancouver-housing-approved-red-tape-claims

Housing affordability improves yet again, though not for the right reasons https://financialpost.com/real-estate/housing-affordability-improves-not-for-right-reasons

How immigration has been a key driver in declining BC rent prices https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-rent-prices-emigration-immigration

BC sidelines housing projects while pushing cities to keep up pace https://www.biv.com/news/commentary/les-leyne-bc-sidelines-housing-projects-while-pushing-cities-to-keep-up-pace-11946341

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RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE

Multi-family market returns to balanced conditions as supply builds https://www.biv.com/news/real-estate/multi-family-market-returns-to-balanced-conditions-as-supply-builds-11922385

Metro Vancouver home sales drop nearly 10% as market settles into ‘new norm’ https://realestatemagazine.ca/metro-vancouver-home-sales-drop-nearly-10-as-market-settles-into-new-norm/

Home Prices Are Finally Dropping https://macleans.ca/economy/realestateeconomy/home-prices-are-finally-dropping/

‘Firmly in a buyer’s market’: Fraser Valley home sales see notable decline from 2025 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/fraser-valley-home-sales-drop-10-percent

Greater Vancouver Real Estate board Monthly MLS Housing Market Report https://www.gvrealtors.ca/market-watch/monthly-market-report/february-2026.html

Fraser Valley Monthly Market Report February 2026 https://www.fvreb.bc.ca/statistics/monthly-market-report/

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COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

What the Musqueam agreements mean for private property owners in BC https://www.biv.com/news/economy-law-politics/fact-file-what-the-musqueam-agreements-mean-for-private-property-owners-in-bc-11963348

Goodman 2025 year-end Review https://goodmanreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2025-Year-End-Report_web.pdf

It’s too early to call better home sales a turnaround in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley https://vancouversun.com/business/real-estate/metro-vancouver-home-sales-rise-february

Economic Snapshot: K-shaped Economy Poses Risks for Commercial Real Estate https://urbanland.uli.org/capital-markets-and-finance/economic-snapshot-k-shaped-economy-poses-risks-for-commercial-real-estate

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BUILDING / DEVELOPMENT

Real estate insolvencies are on the rise, and the worst isn’t over https://www.theglobeandmail.com/real-estate/article-real-estate-insolvencies-are-on-the-rise-and-the-worst-isnt-over/

High-End Construction Really Does Help Everyone https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/02/housing-crisis-rich-poor-building/686086/

Why Metro Vancouver’s Role Is Key to the Future of the Molson Lands https://604now.com/why-metro-vancouvers-role-is-key-to-the-future-of-the-molson-lands/

Public inquiry needed into Metro Vancouver’s $3 billion wastewater treatment cost overrun, say North Van mayors https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/public-enquiry-needed-into-metro-vancouvers-3-billion-wastewater-treatment-cost-overrun-say-north-van-mayors

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URBAN PLANNING

Public hearing goes March 10 for Vancouver’s first-ever ‘official development plan’ https://www.biv.com/news/economy-law-politics/public-hearing-goes-march-10-for-vancouvers-first-ever-official-development-plan-11969036

Some BC neighbourhoods don’t want supportive housing for our most vulnerable. So what’s next? https://vancouversun.com/news/bc-supportive-housing-operators-call-for-reform

Surrey 2050 community plan projects city to outpace Vancouver in population https://vancouversun.com/news/surrey-2050-community-plan-projects-city-to-outpace-vancouver-in-population

Farmers, farms and farmland decreasing in Metro Vancouver https://vancouversun.com/news/farmers-farms-and-farmland-decreasing-in-metro-vancouver

Delta, Metro Vancouver agree on UCB change https://www.delta-optimist.com/local-news/delta-metro-see-eye-to-eye-on-ucb-11939225

Regional planning in doubt after half of municipalities cut ties with Winnipeg Metropolitan Region https://www.ctvnews.ca/winnipeg/article/regional-planning-in-doubt-after-half-of-municipalities-cut-ties-with-winnipeg-metropolitan-region/

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TRANSPORTATION

Three Theories About Why U.S. Car Crash Deaths Are Plummeting https://usa.streetsblog.org/2026/03/04/three-theories-about-why-u-s-car-crash-deaths-are-plummeting

Adding Up What Urban Highways Really Cost https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-03/mapping-the-economic-toll-of-downtown-freeways-in-us-cities

‘Difficult decision’: All Vancouver Car Free Days cancelled in 2026 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-car-free-days-cancelled

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RESOURCES / ENVIRONMENT

The high cost of climate alarmism https://nationalpost.com/opinion/the-high-cost-of-climate-alarmism

Legal fight over propane terminal clouds Canada’s energy export push https://financialpost.com/commodities/energy/legal-fight-propane-terminal-canada-energy-export-push

BC forestry sector beaten to a pulp https://www.biv.com/news/bc-forestry-sector-beaten-to-a-pulp-11939296

Canada poised to become ‘one of the largest suppliers of LNG in the world’: energy minister. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/tim-hodgson-lng-exports-100-million-tonnes-9.7107519

The nightmare Iran energy scenario is becoming reality https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2026/03/03/the-nightmare-iran-energy-scenario-is-becoming-reality

Fifteen years after Fukushima, Japan faces an energy dilemma https://www.economist.com/asia/2026/03/02/fifteen-years-after-fukushima-japan-faces-an-energy-dilemma

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SHOPPING / HOSPITALITY

A year after HBC’s collapse, some reimagined spaces — and a lot of vacant stores https://www.biv.com/news/retail-manufacturing/a-year-after-hbcs-collapse-some-reimagined-spaces-and-a-lot-of-vacant-stores-11965705

BC retailers aim to bolster e-commerce as national data shows decline https://www.biv.com/news/bc-retailers-aim-to-bolster-e-commerce-as-national-data-shows-decline-11937165

Granville Street to get pedestrian zone, new patios during World Cup https://www.biv.com/news/economy-law-politics/granville-street-to-get-pedestrian-zone-new-patios-during-world-cup-11958629

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OFFICE WORK

Return-to-office math doesn’t seem to add up, commercial real estate brokers say. https://ottawacitizen.com/public-service/return-to-office-space-real-estate

White-Collar Workers Are Not Okay https://macleans.ca/work/white-collar-workers-are-not-okay/

Are departing employees entitled to a reference? https://financialpost.com/fp-work/departing-employees-entitled-reference

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POLITICS / PEOPLE

Musqueam signs Aboriginal rights deals with federal government https://vancouversun.com/news/bc-musqueam-band-signs-deals-with-federal-liberal-government

Eby’s Musqueam denial unravels after Ottawa insists BC was briefed https://www.biv.com/news/commentary/rob-shaw-ebys-musqueam-denial-unravels-after-ottawa-insists-bc-was-briefed-11955086

Ottawa’s deal with Musqueam First Nation raises alarm about property rights in Vancouver area https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-ottawas-deal-with-musqueam-first-nation-raises-alarm-about-property/

Squamish Nation warns it will challenge Musqueam Nation’s federal agreement if territory is affected https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/squamish-nation-traditional-territory-musqueam-federal-canada-agreement

Province, Cowichan begin negotiations over Aboriginal title in Richmond https://www.biv.com/news/economy-law-politics/province-cowichan-table-aboriginal-title-richmond-bc-11946971

American Refugees Aren’t Welcome - Why Canada won’t be a safe haven for U.S. residents fleeing ICE https://macleans.ca/politics/american-refugees-arent-welcome/

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OTHER / MISC

BC is officially moving to permanent daylight time and ending clock changes https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/permanent-daylight-saving-time-bc

Dark days are ahead for BC – literally https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-bc-daylight-saving-time-change

The Iran war is a jolt to Dubai’s business model https://www.economist.com/business/2026/03/03/the-iran-war-is-a-jolt-to-dubais-business-model

Zipline and tree canopy walk attractions proposed for Queen Elizabeth Park https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/queen-elizabeth-park-zipline-tree-canopy-walk-greenheart-vancouver-proposal

LA is Using 500 Goats to Clear Vegetation on Olympic Practice Fields https://www.planetizen.com/news/2026/02/137029-la-using-500-goats-clear-vegetation-olympic-practice-fields

Two decades of pink: Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates 20 years https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/two-decades-of-pink-vancouver-cherry-blossom-festival-celebrates-20-years-11958688

In pictures: War in the Middle East after US-Israel strikes on Iran https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/28/world/gallery/middle-east-iran-attacks

Video: Why This Tiny Apartment is Taking Over American Cities