FortisBC School of Development 2022: The Art of Approvals

Navigating successfully through the complex municipal process truly is an art form, especially with the power of social media and today's active and well-organized neighborhood groups.
Join us for a two-day dynamic and interactive experience and learn all about "The Art of Approvals?.
Learn strategies for mobilizing communities and winning land use approvals. You will gain insight for your future projects through the approvals process from different perspectives:
? Municipal - the municipal context, development tools, questions a municipality asks itself, questions a home builder should ask
? Consultant - the approvals process, project checklist, new era of engagement and social mobilization
? Home builders - challenges and lessons learned from a current case studies
? Communications Specialist - how to identify your story, communication strategy and tools, media do's and don'ts
Expertly facilitated by Michael von Hausen of MVH Urban Planning & Design, this course is limited to just 60 students and is for UDI members only.
Register early to secure your seat and meet new industry colleagues!
Please join us for this session from the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), and səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh).

Health and Safety: UDI in-person events follow the Provincial restrictions put in place by the Provincial Health Officer under the Public Health Act. Click here to review the Province-wide restrictions currently in place.
Click here to review the Province-wide restrictions currently in place.
 

Featured Faculty Speakers:

Michael Epp, Director of Planning, City of North Vancouver 
Michael is a land use and community planner whose work has ranged from neighbourhood planning and visioning projects in New York City neighbourhoods, to managing the planning department in Gibsons, BC to his current role as Director of Planning for the City of North Vancouver. The current focus of Michael?s work is ensuring that transportation and development are coordinated as the City plans for growth and works to create new housing opportunities for families, seniors and renters.

Gary Pooni, President, Pooni Group
In his role as president, Gary drives the firm?s growth and guides major client projects as strategic lead. With over twenty years of planning-related experience, he has spearheaded some of the country's most significant projects throughout Metro Vancouver, Vancouver Island, the Sea to Sky corridor, Alberta and Ontario. His expertise includes strategic guidance, policy planning, public consultation and entitlement negotiation. Often recognized as the man behind the Lower Mainland's most complex projects, Gary was listed as a ?change-maker and power player shaping our world? in Vancouver Magazine?s 2022 Power 50 List.

Gary sits on the board of the Urban Development Institute Membership Committee, both in Vancouver and the Capitol Regional District, and is an annual instructor for the UDI School of Development. He is also passionate about his community, and has been part of several charitable boards including the Vancouver Canucks Alumni Foundation, Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation, LiveBIG Society, and PacWest Academy Soccer. Gary also has a family non-profit group that works on several community initiatives annually. Gary holds a Master?s Degree in Environmental Design (Planning) from the University of Calgary and a B.A. in Geography from Simon Fraser University, and is a member of the Canadian Institute of Planners.

Katie Maslechko, Director of Development, Beedie
Katie is the Director of Development for Beedie Living, where she focuses on guiding several of the firm?s team members and developments from acquisition, through design, development approvals, marketing, sales, and construction. Her project experience spans a variety of asset classes and includes the new AbCellera biotech campus and GMP facility, the MEC Vancouver Flagship, affordable housing partnerships, and several mixed-use and residential high-rise developments across the Lower Mainland.  Katie is the Americas Co-Chair for the ULI Young Leaders Group (YLG), representing more than 10,000 ULI members under the age of 35 in 54 cities across the US, Canada and Mexico. She is the incoming Chair of ULI?s national Public-Private Partnerships Product Council, and a board committee member for Catalyst Community Development Society. Katie holds a Bachelor?s Degree in Policy, Planning & Real Estate Development from the University of Southern California and is a former member of UDI?s Women of UDI Committee.

Nicole Jerick, Talk Shop Media Nicole Jerick is an experienced public relations professional with a background that spans a variety of industries from Consumer Goods, Technology, and Crypto to Hospitality and Real Estate. As an Account Director on Talk Shop?s Real Estate team, Nicole brings her wealth of experience, ability to work across industries, and expert project management skills to a robust, top-tier portfolio of clients, including Sotheby?s International Realty Canada and Adera Development. Krisann Hamazaki, Talk Shop Media.

Specializing in PR, digital marketing and issues management, Krisann is an established communications professional with a decade of experience across various industries including luxury hospitality, real estate and finance. In her role as Business Director at Talk Shop, Krisann oversees strategic communications for a portfolio of industry-leading real estate brands including Colliers, Peerage Realty Partners, Sotheby?s International Realty Canada, Mosaic, Mission Group and Townline. Krisann has worked in-house at top media brands such as Corus Entertainment and Rogers Sports & Media, and also led successful PR teams at Four Seasons and Canaccord Genuity prior to joining Talk Shop.

Michael von Hausen, MVH Urban Planning and Design