Welcome to National Update
This e-publication is exclusive CHBA Member content. If there is a colleague in your company or a fellow CHBA member who might find this content interesting, we'd like to help you share it. However, don't just forward this email – that allows other people to unsubscribe you. Instead, please email us with the person's name, company name, and email address and we'll create an account for them and then let them know.
|
CHBA National Meetings – Working to support your business
This week, CHBA Members from across Canada, along with local, provincial, and national HBA staff, met in Ottawa to address key issues facing our industry and your business as part of CHBA’s Fall Meetings. Here are the highlights from CHBA’s Committee, Council and Board of Directors meetings. For more info, see the committees and councils section on the CHBA national website.
|
CHBA Advancing Member Priorities in a Challenging Market
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
CHBA’s Board of Directors’ meeting focused on the current state of the industry. Members engaged in discussions on the federal political environment, including ongoing advocacy around the GST relief for new homes – CHBA has prepared a two-page fact sheet for members and HBAs to share with your MPs. Meeting participants expressed the importance of continuing to distinguish between housing affordability (market-rate) and affordable housing (social housing), which the federal government is currently conflating. Board members discussed reasons for regional differences in builder sentiment across the country as evidenced by CHBA’s HMI, as well as sector productivity changes and labour force needs, and provided input into BuildForce Canada’s future plans for labour market statistics development. Most of the Board discussions focused on the vast array of government relations activities that are ongoing, and next steps for advancing advocacy on behalf of members.
|
Pursuing Alternative Financing Methods for Development Charges and Working with the Federal Government on Housing Goals
URBAN COUNCIL
CHBA’s Urban Council continued talks on pursuing alternative financing methods for development charges (DCs). Retired professor Mario Polèse, who has studied and written extensively on Quebec’s alternatives to DCs, provided thought-provoking data on how the rest of Canada could pursue such alternatives to help lower housing costs. OHBA rounded out the discussion on DCs by speaking to the work they are doing with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario to address these out-of-control costs. Members of Urban Council also provided their feedback on the next issue of the Municipal Benchmarking Study in order to ensure that the study remains a useful advocacy tool at the local level. The meeting concluded with officials from Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada on Build Canada Homes and how the government sees this entity evolving; extensive feedback was provided, especially on the need to go beyond BCH and put much more effort into supporting market-rate housing.
|
Shaping the Future, One TRC Meeting at a Time
TECHNICAL RESEARCH COMMITTEE (TRC)
The TRC discussed efforts to focus the development of national codes on housing affordability. Members started a dialogue with federal government departments such as CMHC, NRC, NRCan and Health Canada on easier access to relevant housing research. Provincial TRC representatives engaged on CHBA’s idea of creating a National Building Code Interpretation Centre and members learned about a new design concept of ‘Accessibility-Ready Housing’ and the newest code changes on adaptability and visitability. With dedicated Q&A sessions, and ample opportunity to network, the fall meetings gave members from coast to coast an opportunity to connect, contribute, and help find solutions to technical challenges faced by members.
|
Advancements in Supporting Modular Construction for Factories, Builders, and Homebuyers
MODULAR CONSTRUCTION COUNCIL
In the wake of several promising government relations wins as advocated in CHBA’s Sector Transition Strategy, the Modular Construction Council meeting participants discussed the ongoing importance of better data to support the sector, and weighed in on what has been helping or hindering productivity in the last decade. A lot of work is being done on the codes and standards front related to modular construction, including a new dedicated National Building Code task group. Financing for modular continues to be a priority, and members provided critical feedback on implementation of CMCH’s new pilot program for modular multi-units and RBC’s residential mortgage financing to support buyers, builders, and factories. To support builders partnering with modular factories, CHBA is undertaking a new “Moving to Modular” training project, and CHBA-BC president Lisa Lacey shared her company’s experience as a builder who is incorporating more modular construction with success.
|
Capacity Building, Promotional Tools, and Innovative New Programming Supports both Net Zero Builders and Renovators
NET ZERO COUNCIL (NZC)
With all three NRCan-funded projects (Net Zero Renos, Codes Acceleration, and LEEP) having a significant focus on capacity building, attendees learned about new activities helping CHBA’s education efforts gain momentum to support members as they bridge the knowledge gap between what the industry leaders have voluntary been delivering and what’s coming in the new tiered codes. Potential new programming for both GHG emissions and resilience were discussed, continuing CHBA’s role in supporting innovation for early adopters. The upcoming knowledge dissemination activities for the Towards Net Zero Reno project will highlight key lessons learned and help to improve the Net Zero Home Labelling Program for Renovations. A new promo opportunity offering lasting marketing value to CHBA Qualified Net Zero Builders was also introduced.
|
Driving Innovation in the Renovation Industry with RenoMark, Advocacy, and Sustainability
CANADIAN RENOVATORS' COUNCIL (CRC)
At this week’s Canadian Renovators’ Council (CRC) meeting, members received important updates and provided input across several strategic areas. The RenoMark Governance Committee (RGC) reported on its October 2nd meeting, highlighting the successful Renovation Month campaign, a comprehensive audit and update of the RenoMark website, and preparations for the annual renewal process. Council members also heard an overview of the breadth of national renovator advocacy efforts, including the upcoming launch of the Renovation Market Index (RMI), a new tool to measure industry trends. Technical insights were shared by the CHBA Tech Team, focusing on the future of greenhouse gas emissions in the renovation sector and equipping renovators with practical tools for climate leadership. Finally, CHBA Net Zero staff and expert panelists presented lessons learned from the “Towards Net Zero Renovation” initiative, offering resources and strategies to help renovators achieve high-performance results and grow their businesses.
|
Actioning Measures to Support Women in Residential Construction
WOMEN IN RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION COUNCIL
On Wednesday, CHBA’s Women in Residential Construction Council (WIRCC) came together to advance priorities to support local and provincial HBAs in developing, growing, and sustaining their own women in residential construction initiatives. With the help of WIRCC representatives and their HBAs, CHBA compiled a repository of activities going on across the country to support and promote women in the sector for others to leverage. The group also discussed measures to promote women in industry, including through two new CHBA webpages focused on women in residential construction and through CHBA’s communications plan for Women in Construction Week (March 1-8). Finally, the WIRCC participated in an extensive discussion about the proposed development of a CHBA children’s book centred around the careers and experiences of women in industry, an initiative aimed at equipping CHBA members and HBAs with tangible resources for presentations to schools about careers in the sector.
|
Executive Officers Share Resources and Strategies for Stronger Associations
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS' COUNCIL (EOC)
The EOC is comprised of Executive Officers (EOs) and HBA staff members from local, provincial, and national levels of the Association. It focuses on supporting the professional development of EOs, continuous improvement in the administration and management of the Association at all levels and enhancing collaboration and sharing of experience among EOs to strengthen all of our associations. EOs engaged in a roundtable discussion about challenges and opportunities at their HBA, touching on various issues, including membership recruitment and retention, priority advocacy issues for members, and best methods for disseminating information in advance of media engagement. Overall, the meeting reinforced the value of strategic planning, peer learning, and communication among the network of EOs at all three levels.
|
The Canadian Home Builders' Association
141 Laurier Avenue West, Suite 500
Ottawa, ON K1P 5J3
communications@chba.ca
|
|
