UBCM to host Housing Summit in April

There may be a road trip ahead for some city council members and staffers come April, with the Union of British Columbia Municipalities inviting municipal officials to attend a forum to discuss the Housing situation in the the province. 

UBCM outlined their plans yesterday with and preview of what they have in mind and who they hope to see come to Vancouver to share some thoughts.

Housing policy for all orders of government is evolving in response to the continuing crisis in housing affordability and attainability. 

To support and accelerate further development, UBCM will host a province-wide housing summit at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre on April 4-5, 2023. 

The conference will assist in the identification of solutions to address gaps in current policy, strengthen intergovernmental collaboration, and highlight best practices for local government. 

 The two-day summit is open to local elected officials and staff; provincial leadership and staff; First Nations leadership; not-for-profit leaders; and industry.

The Housing Summit will take place on April 4-5 and will be organized much the same way as the annual UBCM convention takes place, with a mix of keynote speakers, panel presentations and workshops to take in.

Among some of the areas that UBCM officials hope will be addressed include:

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Housing is currently a hot button topic in Prince Rupert owing to a number of factors from the low volume of rental units available in the community, to the increasing use of renoviction by landlords and property owners. 

That process one that is sending more and more tenants off to look for rental space in an already concerning situation.

The details towards the registration process are expected to roll out in the weeks ahead, at which time perhaps we'll hear if the City of Prince Rupert will have plans to RSVP for the event.

At the 2022 convention, Prince Rupert did put forward a resolution for consideration related to housing issues. It did move forward at convention, but with a few changes to the wording.

The UBCM introduction towards the summit plans can be reviewed here.

More notes on Housing in Prince Rupert can be reviewed here, as well notes from around the Northwest are available here.