Join us on March 4, 2021 as our panel has an in-depth discussion about the growth of Metro Vancouver’s second downtown in Surrey City Centre, what they see for the future and the forces that are driving this growth.

Panel:

Michael Heeney, RI, Principal, C+O Advisory Inc.

A nationally and internationally recognized leader, city builder, architect and urban strategist with over 30 years’ experience leading high-profile organizations. Currently with C+O Advisory, Michael Heeney is the past President and CEO of the Surrey City Development Corporation (SCDC), an independently governed, for-profit real estate company owned by the City of Surrey.  Prior to joining SCDC, Michael was the Managing Principal of Bing Thom Architects (BTA) for over two decades where he oversaw the company’s growth into a leading international practice with offices in three cities worldwide.

Well known for his ability to create a compelling vision and effectively bring disparate groups together, Michael has successfully led substantial local and international projects, organizations and initiatives, often ones without precedent and in highly complex situations and jurisdictions.

Patrick Klassen, Community Planning Manager, City of Surrey

Patrick is the Community Planning Manager at the City of Surrey. He is an experienced planning professional with a focus on building vibrant, resilient, and inclusive communities.

Patrick leads a team of planners that envision the future of Surrey. This leadership role affords an intimate knowledge into one of Canada’s fastest growing Cities. And the region’s next metropolitan core. Success in this context requires a contemporary understanding of the many challenges facing municipalities and the planning profession today.

Beyond land use planning, Patrick has a lens for policy. In his prior role at the City Patrick led the development of the City’s award-winning Parks, Recreation and Culture (PRC) Plan. The Plan is nationally recognized for excellence in policy planning and community engagement.

Before joining the City, Patrick’s interdisciplinary experiences have included work in the fields of social, indigenous and transportation planning. His work draws from local, regional, and international experience. Patrick is a proud alumnus of both Dalhousie and Simon Fraser University.

Bob Ransford – Vice-President Development, Century Group

Bob Ransford is an urban designer who has worked in the urban development business for 33 years, both as a senior executive in real estate development companies and as a consulting professional.

He joined Century Group in 2016 and is Vice President, Development, after having worked closely with the company over more than 15 years as a consultant.  Prior to joining Century Group, Bob operated his own consulting practice, assisting a multitude of clients in the urban development business with project conception and navigating the complex public and regulatory approval processes.

In addition to his keen interest in urban design, Bob has an extensive understanding of public policy development, public issues management and the political process, having worked in senior levels of government in both Ottawa and Victoria and in municipal politics as an advisor to political leaders for more than 40 years. He has also worked as a journalist throughout much of his adult life and for more than 14 years wrote a regular bi-weekly column in the Vancouver Sun newspaper on urban development and housing issues.

He is a former Planning Commissioner in the City of Vancouver and sat on the City’s Urban Design Panel. He is also the past-President of Smart Growth BC, a co-founder of Small Housing BC, the past Chair of Catalyst Community Developments Society—a non-profit developer, and he has been involved with more than 20 non-profit and community service organizations as a volunteer director over the last 44 years.

Bryan Yu, Chief Economist, Central 1 Credit Union

As Central 1’s Chief Economist, Bryan Yu leads a team of economists conducting macro- and regional economic analysis for the organization and the broader credit union system. He is author and editor of many of its flagship research reports and weekly notes published for clients and the public. Bryan speaks regularly at credit union and industry events and is frequently contacted by media to provide national and provincial economic commentary. Within Central 1, Bryan also sits on various committees related to risk and treasury.

Bryan has been with Central 1 for a decade, and previously worked as a housing economist at the BC Real Estate Association and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, as well as an academic researcher in immigration economics.

Bryan holds a MA in Economics from Simon Fraser University and a BA from the University of Manitoba. He currently serves on the boards of the B.C. Paraplegic Foundation and Canadian Association for Business Economics.

Register now for this great webinar.

Registration will close on March 3rd at 4:00 p.m. and the link will be sent out after registration closes.

REIBC thanks the Real Estate Foundation of BC and the Downtown Surrey Business Improvement Association for their support.