Join REIBC for a webinar on the development process through a non-profit lens with David Eddy, CEO of Vancouver Native Housing Society and Katy Fabris, Senior Project Manager at M'akola Development Services.  

David Eddy

David Eddy has been employed in the non-profit affordable housing sector in Vancouver British Columbia for the past 34 years. In January 2001, David Eddy became the Chief Executive Officer of Vancouver Native Housing Society (VNHS), a non-profit, urban Indigenous housing provider in Vancouver, Canada.

Under David’s leadership over the last eight years, VNHS has increased its portfolio by nearly 100% and broadened its mandate from strictly housing urban Indigenous families and seniors to providing supportive housing for Indigenous and other homeless people and those at risk of homelessness, as well as housing for youth and for women leaving abusive/violent situations.

Since June 2012, David has taken VNHS in a new direction of entrepreneurialism and self-sustainability, creating two social enterprises which have received international media attention and acclaim. With the introduction of Skwachàys Lodge (www.skwachays.com) and the Urban Aboriginal Fair Trade Gallery (www.urbanaboriginal.org), the society is guiding new projects to focus on Aboriginal art and culture as a means of revitalizing community pride and leading transformative change, and while doing this providing subsidy for 24 Indigenous artists to live in the community.

David is a former director of the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association (CHRA) and served as its president from 2008 to 2010. He previously served on the Board of the British Columbia Non-Profit Housing Association as a director and as secretary on its executive. He is a founding director of the Metro Vancouver Aboriginal Executive Council (MVAEC) and currently sits on the housing table. In 2014, David was asked to join the Vancouver Mayor’s Task Force on Mental Health and Addictions. He is an active member of both the International Housing Partnership (IHP) and the Canadian Housing Partnership (CHP). David’s latest accreditation is that of a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIHCM).

Over the course of his career David has been asked to make housing related presentations all over North America, in the UK, Europe, Asia and New Zealand and Australia.

He has a master’s degree in Leadership and Training from Royal Roads University in Victoria, BC.

Katy Fabris

Katy is a Registered Professional Planner with over eight years’ experience in the public and non-profit sector. Her previous work includes work as a City Planner in a BC municipality as well as working with an economic development trust providing planning capacity to northern and remote communities in planning. Katy directly manages a variety of new construction projects at different stages, currently managing over 615 units currently in development (between pre-construction and construction) across the province. Katy has a Bachelors Degree in Planning from the University of Northern British Columbia with a focus in Northern and Rural Community Development and a Masters of Planning degree from the University of Waterloo

*Please note you will receive instructions via email the day before the webinar*