ULI BC: AI & The Housing Crisis
How Artificial Intelligence Will Transform the Approvals Process, Clear the Way For New Development, & Unlock Vital Housing Supply
Find out more about your recent engaging LIVE Panel With Ryan Smith (Divisional Director of Planning and Development Services at City of Kelowna) & Kirsten Sutton (Home Designer and Founder of D3 Dimension Drafting and Design Inc.
Tegan is a respected Development Consultant, Development Approvals Process Review (DAPR) expert, leader in Canadian real estate, and winner of the Urban Land Institute of British Columbia’s 2022 Outstanding Leader Award.
With more than 25 years of urban planning and land development experience, Tegan has an innate ability to listen, connect, and uncover innovative, resourceful solutions to even the most complex issues.
As the leader of Channel Consulting, Tegan prides herself on having built the most talented and well-versed development consulting team in the industry to meet the needs of both private landholders and municipalities in Canada.
Whether supporting development clients through getting their projects across the line, or helping government officials iron out complex permitting processes—Tegan’s reputation is for leading teams of subject matter experts to deliver complex and difficult projects.
She brings an authentic and engaging style to help project teams have direct discussions, be adaptive, and effectively manage risks, costs, and timelines.
Learn From Tegan Smith on the Channel Consulting Blog
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Looking For an ExpertIn Land Use, Development Feasibility, Urban Planning, or Canadian Real Estate to Speak at Your Next Event?
Tegan’s speech topics include:
Impacting the Housing Crisis With Artificial Intelligence
Canada is facing an unprecedented housing crisis. Recent immigration commitments by the feds, archaic permitting processes, and chronic municipal staffing issues have combined into the perfect storm, leaving citizens, landholders and municipal staff alike wondering: How will we ever create the housing supply needed to mitigate this issue?
Serendipitously, we are also in the midst of a significant technological boom. For the first time ever, Artificial Intelligence is being looked at not just as a tool for the super-techy or for specific niches—but as a resource that can be leveraged by nearly any industry, land use and development included. Through her work with municipalities, private landholders, developers, and real estate investors, Tegan has seen firsthand the massive impact AI can (and will continue to) have on the housing crisis, if implemented responsibly.
Listening & Connecting to Find the Truth
This is an extremely challenging time for anyone looking to develop land in Canada. Between environmental factors, stakeholder engagement, a total lack of “easy” properties, and challenges around financing, it can be easy for landholders to feel like their back is against a wall.
However, there are still plenty of creative solutions to be found. Tegan’s expertise is in connecting the right dots (and the right people) to find the truth about what’s possible for piece of land—and in many cases, to guide the landholder through the design, permitting, and development process.
Overcoming Challenges Around Capital
One of the biggest struggles landholders face is that the value of their property is wrapped up in the land. The property they own is a virtual goldmine, but they don’t know how to access the capital they need to actually develop the land and tap into its true value.
Tegan’s breadth of experience and connections make her the perfect guide to help landholders create value through the permitting process—so landholders can get access to funding sources they may not even realize are an option.
Vision-First Development Feasibility
So many families, non-profits, and small business owners have dreams of developing or redeveloping their property, but they have no idea where to start. Tegan’s unique development feasibility process puts an emphasis on the landholders vision and values first.
Whereas most developers are concerned primarily with a project’s bottom line, Tegan works with her clients to develop land in a way that both optimizes the value of a property AND honors the family’s vision for the project. As a mentor, she guides her clients step by step through the development process from day one, all the way through to opening day, so they’ll never feel confused, alone, or like they’re being shuffled from one “expert” to another (as is often the case when working with larger consulting firms).
Speaking at Events
Tegan is available to speak at in-person or virtual events.
Recent Engagements
Urban Land Institute of British Columbia
How Artificial Intelligence Will Transform the Approvals Process, Clear the Way For New Development, & Unlock Vital Housing Supply – November 2, 2023
University of Calgary
Human Centred Design, Social Innovation, & Entrepreneurship Panel – July 13, 2023
Western Canada Apartment Investment Conference
Managing construction costs and development costs in turbulent market conditions Panel | Blog – April 4, 2023
Urban Land Institute of British Columbia
Winner of the 2022 Outstanding Leader Award | Interview & Article – November 24, 2022
Surrey Board of Trade
Surrey Development Industry Forum: Challenges and Solutions to BC’s Housing Crisis | Recording at 1:25:32 – October 28, 2022
Canadian Housing & Renewal Association
Leadership and Housing Panel – November 22, 2021
Urban Land Institute BC
A Conversation with Tegan Smith – November 4, 2021
The Globe & Mail
Land Use Approvals & Government Relations – October 29, 2021
Metro Vancouver Board
Land Use Approvals – October 29, 2021
University of the Fraser Valley
Indigenous Engagement – October 8, 2021
Metro Vancouver Planning Committee
Land Use Approvals – October 8, 2021
City of Burnaby Planning & Development Committee
Land Use Approvals – March 30, 2021
3 Uniques Podcast
Tegan Smith On Leadership – January 31, 2021
Urban Land Institute BC
Government Engagement and Land Use Approvals – July 2020
Vancouver Real Estate Forum
Industrial Panel – Land Use Approvals – April 2019
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