Highlight
2024 BC Modular Housing Summit a Massive Success
The SOLD OUT 2024 BC Modular Housing Summit held at the Penticton Lakeside Resort and Conference Centre brought together MHABC members, municipality leaders, industry representatives, and interested parties to take part in actionable sessions, networking opportunities, and collaboration on the benefits and necessity of factory-built housing within our province.
The event commenced on Monday, April 29th with the Gerry Brown Memorial Golf Tournament held at the Penticton Golf and Country Club. Players enjoyed a lovely round of golf within a Texas Scramble format, complimentary on-course snacks and beverages, followed by a late lunch in the clubhouse while awarding golfer prizing. This year’s Low Net Winners were Michael Daprocida, Gurleen Kaur, Michael Unger, and Brandon Vigne. This year’s Low Gross Winners were Kirk Fraser, Adryan Techroeb, and Andrew Cuthbertson. The evening concluded with a heavily attended Welcome Social at the Penticton Lakeside Resort where Summit attendees enjoyed light appetizers and beverages while networking.
The BC Modular Housing Summit sessions kicked off on Tuesday, April 30th with opening remarks by acting MHABC President, Chris Andersen. The first session of the day was “Modular for BC – A Roadmap to Housing Solutions”, presented by MHABC Advisors Paul Binotto and Gord Rattray. Delegates then moved to attend one of the following concurrent sessions in nearby rooms featuring Bryan Yu from Central 1 Credit Union and his presentation “Economic Report – Interest Rates, Inflation, and the Housing Industry”, or, Gilles Lesage from Total Home Solutions Inc’s “StepCode and Modular Construction”. These two presentations were then followed by two further concurrent presentations, “Federal Initiatives Update on Supporting Increased Housing, Indigenous Housing, and Support of Provincial Housing Initiatives” presented by Laura Kershaw from Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and “2024 BC Building Code and the Local Government Requirements Impacting Manufactured Housing” presented by Ken Kunka of Flywheel Solutions.
The afternoon continued with a keynote presentation provided by Ryan Smith, Director of Planning at the City of Kelowna, followed by a presentation by Dr. Mohamed Al Hussein (University of Alberta) titled “The Human Benefits of Modular Manufacturing”, and a lively panel session on “Modular & Housing Affordability” with Darren Bassett (SRI Homes), Elizabeth Manhas (FortisBC), Steve Arnold (Building Energy Solutions), and moderator, Paul Binotto (MHABC Advisor).
The day concluded with the annual Presidents’ Banquet. This portion of the event included raffles, a plated three-course dinner, Innovation Awards announcements (Z240 Innovation Award - Orca Solutions for their Northern Flickee Home, A277 Innovation Award – Eagle Homes Sales (Cranbrook) for their Chateau De Vine Home, followed by an array of cashless (all parties provided complimentary chips to play with to win random draw prizes) casino games and entertaining dealers who encouraged attendee networking until late into the evening.
Wednesday, May 1st sessions included a informative presentation on “The BC Builds Program and the Power of Partnerships” by Lisa Helps of BC Housing, followed by a technical presentation on “Innovations in Efficiency and Emission Reduction in the Heating and Cooling of Modular Buildings” presented by Steve Arnold of Building Energy Solutions. The main summit program concluded with closing comments and a buffet luncheon.
The MHABC Annual General Meeting proceeded with members in good standing after the luncheon. Minutes have been uploaded to the Member Google Drive for reference.
Follow-up event survey results revealed a continued support for the BC Modular Summit program and session topics, along with providing some recommended suggested topics for the 2025 event. An announcement on the 2025 event location, venue, and dates will be made in the fall.
The MHABC would like to thank our event partners and sponsor for their support in assisting us in making this event a massive success. We would also like to recognize the phenomenal speakers who provided engaging presentations and comprehensive dialogue during the question and answer periods.
2024/2025 BOARD of DIRECTORS
Meet Our Board
Chris Andersen - President
Iconic Island Dwellings
Todd Plotnikoff - Vice President
Northpoint Commercial Finance
Amanda Hammer - Treasurer
Hammer Ventures
Shawn Donohoe - Director
Shamrock Manufactured Home Services
Ashlee Garratt - Director
Moduline Penticton
Greg Stolz - Director
Gordons Homes Sales
Colin Mullett - Director
Knightway Mobile Haulers Ltd.
Ash Neudorf - Director
Blackstone Homes
Matthew Salmon - Director
Triple M Housing Ltd.
Phil Sensenig - Director
Pineridge Modular
Darren Bassett - Director
SRI Homes - Kelowna
Special thanks to our Key Partner Fortis.
Please visit Fortisinc.com for information on Delivering a Clean Energy Future.
Board Matters
Spring 2024 Board Meeting Schedule
During the Spring, the Board held video conference calls April 16th, April 25th, May 28th, and June 26th. The next meeting is scheduled following the summer break to be held by video-conference call on August 27th, 2024.
Home Shipments
Home shipments at the end of the 1st quarter, ending May 31, 2024, were below plan. The 2024/2025 budget was based upon an average of 53 homes per month with the actual average figure being 49 homes per month for a total of 147 homes.
Advocacy Program Update
Over the course of the past quarter the MHABC Advocacy Committee has worked alongside the BOABC on the creation of a standardized Permitting Checklist and Inspection Checklist. Final edits to the documents will be made over the course of the current quarter with the intention of holding a series of webinars this fall to present the documents to MHABC members for use within their individual businesses.
2024 BC Building Code Discussions – the Advocacy Committee has reviewed the proposed 2024 Code and noted some changes of items that were removed from the 2028 code. The Committee will be meeting with CHBA on these items to discuss the rationale for these changes further.
The Advocacy Committee, with the help of MHABC’s marketing firm (Fresh Inc) are developing an outreach campaign directed at continuing the branding and enthusiasm for the association/industry that began with the Summit to continue growing our audience, momentum, and credibility. As known, Municipalities have to develop plans to meet the housing commitment at the end of June in regard to Bill 44. The Advocacy Committee will be developing a draft resource for the Part 9 Standardization to ensure modular is included within.
Transportation Update
The MHABC has attended several meetings hosted by Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement staff over the past quarter to learn of CVSE’s directive to better understand frustrations and limitations on permitting procedures. A Transportation Committee through the MHABC was formed and the group is working with CVSE to contribute suggested solutions to the above from an industry transporter perspective.
CVSE released a oversize permit restriction notice for travel on Highway 1 between Duncan and Chemainus commencing June 18, 2024 that is estimated to remain in effect until late August 2024. Construction on the Chemainus River Arch Bridge, Structure No 01298E (on Hwy 1 approximately 10 km North of Duncan) will reroute traffic onto the recently repaired Chemainus River Truss Bridge, Structure No 01298W. Due to the size of available lane on this bridge, the following restrictions were noted:
- Single trip and term oversize permits greater than 3.2m overall width
- Travel times will be limited to 06:00 am to 11:59pm
- Carriers must follow traffic signage and use the designated pullout staging lane. Traffic control personnel on site will assist with restricting traffic in the opposing direction.
- Travel between 12:00am and 5:59am may be possible for single trip oversize permits with prior approval.
Finally, CVSE recently released a summary of responses received on the recent Length and Widths review which was conducted by MNP LLP on behalf of CVSE. The MHABC provided a summary of recommendations during the consultation phase with many of these being addressed in CVSE follow-up on the report.
Marketing Program Update
Efforts to successfully promote the BC Modular Housing Summit were made over the past quarter through use of programmatic advertisements, social media posts, press release creation and distribution, and targeted email campaigns. The creation of a “Become a Member” portal within the website was uploaded prior to the winter holidays and has been gaining strong traction from interested parties.
MHABC Management Transition
The MHABC Board of Directors voted unanimously to transition the role of the Executive Director on May 29, 2024. The Association remains committed to building upon our esteemed momentum forward as we embark on this new and exciting chapter full of opportunity. On June 26, The Board announced that past Executive Director, Gord Rattray, will return to work with the Association on a short-term contract basis working alongside the MHABC Executive Committee and Contract Administrator.
MHABC Group Health Benefits
Please keep the MHABC’s Group Health Benefits Program in mind. Information is available by contacting the office.
Proud Supporters of the Ronald McDonald House Charity
The MHABC is a contributor to the Ronald McDonald House Charity – BC and the Yukon. Contributions are made quarterly based upon the number of homes shipped during the prior quarter. Ronald McDonald House serves the children (and families) of BC and the Yukon requiring treatment at Childrens Hospital.
Whats New?
Grant McDowell 2024 Memorial Bursary Award Recipient Announced
The Grant McDowell Memorial Bursary Award program provides financial support to students who are the son or daughter of a Manufactured Housing Association of British Columbia Member (or Member’s employee) who are graduating from secondary school and registered to continue their educational path at a post-secondary institution. The MHABC has awarded two deserving scholastic and athletic leader candidates each with a $1,500 Bursary this year. Congratulations to Megan Bailie who provided her application under the auspices of SRI Kelowna, and Kennadie Sheppard who provided her application under the auspices of Knightway Mobile Haulers Ltd. A photo of each will be included within the summer update
Housing Targets
B.C. government to set housing targets for 20 more communities
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Housing Market Index Update
This page outlines the Q1 2024 results for the CHBA Housing Market Index (HMI). This informative research and economics product provides a much-needed leading indicator about the current and future health of the residential construction industry in Canada.
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BC Trucking Association – Update
Highway 16 in northwestern BC has become safer for all drivers with the opening of a new commercial vehicle inspection station, located just east of Terrace.
Read ArticleReport
Statistics
Shipments and Certification Type Year to Date Report ending May 31, 2024
DOWNLOAD THE REPORT
Industry News
Press Release: MHABC Applauds Vancouver’s Natural Gas Amendment for Attainable Housing
July 26, 2024
The Northern Flickee – Seamlessly Blending Innovative Building Techniques with Modern Comforts
May 14, 2024
Chateau De Vine - Sustainably Built for Longevity and a Brighter Tomorrow (Naturally)
May 14, 2024
