Grants Approved in 2007

One hundred and eighteen grants were approved from January to December 2007. The total amount of grants approved was $6,502,283. This summary lists the recipients and a brief description of their projects. Grants are organized according to the Foundation's purposes, as described in the Real Estate Services Act (i.e., research, public education, professional education, law reform, and other real estate related projects). Those approved under the Communities in Transition program are highlighted in blue.

Research

INVENTORY & MAPPING

$10,000 - Habitat Acquisition Trust for mapping and analysis of Greater Victoria's urban forest to determine the extent and value of the community resource.

$20,000 - Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen to conduct a Sensitive Ecosystem Inventory (SEI) in rural Princeton.

$24,000 - Columbia Shuswap Regional District to assist with inventory and mapping of the Shuswap Lake watershed and foreshore.

$40,000 - City of Kelowna for a Sensitive Ecosystem Inventory (SEI) to support sustainable land management decision making.

HOUSING-RELATED STUDIES

$15,000 - Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee to conduct an affordable housing needs assessment.

$15,000 - SFU Centre for Sustainable Community Development for post-occupancy evaluation of green building projects.

$20,000 - District of Invemere to undertake a housing review and needs assessment to enable the District to address recommendations on the need for attainable housing.

$30,000 - City of Kelowna to undertake a study to help the City define socially and economically feasible inclusionary housing policy, in order to address the need for affordable housing in Kelowna.

$40,000 - Community Arts Council of Vancouver for research addressing the gentrification of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside and affordable market housing for low income residents.

$50,000 - School District 64 (Gulf Islands) to assess housing need and demand on Salt Spring Island and determine housing options for a site in Ganges.

$50,000 - Smart Growth BC to support the development and implementation of a province-wide affordable housing strategy.

$55,000 - Society for Affordable Housing Education, Awareness & Development in support of a strategy to assist the non-profit housing sector in planning for future development by identifying opportunities for densification to maximize land use for affordable housing.

IMPACT OF RESORT & RECREATION LAND USE

$16,500 - Nature Conservancy of Canada to analyze recreation uses on conservation sites in the Elk Valley and Rocky Mountain Trench, and inform planning and land management.

$40,000 - Wildsight for year three of the "Healthy Water, Healthy Communities - Lake Windermere" project, as well as coordination of the East Kootenay Integrated Lake Management Partnership.

OTHER STUDIES

$10,000 - The Land Conservancy of BC for a feasibility study on enabling affordable access to farm land.

$16,550 - Similkameen Valley Planning Society for a study on amenity migration in the area, providing detailed demographic information and helping develop strategies to manage future growth and preserve the region's environmental and social values.

$20,000 - District of Peachland for a comprehensive geotechnical assessment, as well as creation of guidelines and standards to address the impacts of increasing hillside development in the area.

$25,000 - Invasive Plant Council of BC in support of the research project, "Establishing the economic context of invasive plant impacts in BC to enable successful and efficient invasive plant management."

$25,000 - O.U.R. Community Association for research to establish finance, ownership, and governance models for the Shawnigan Lake ecovillage and properties elsewhere which have multiple owners and land uses.

$25,000 - Vancouver Island Providence Community Association to conduct a detailed feasibility study for the proposed Village at Providence Farm in Duncan.

$35,000 - Real Estate Foundation of BC for a feasibility study on sustainable and integrated approaches to waste management and resource recovery for BC communities.

$75,000 - District of Saanich for a "proper functioning condition" assessment of the Colquitz River watershed, and associated education activities.

Public Education

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

$2,100 - The Nature Trust of BC for speaker costs associated with the East Kootenay Conservation Program's workshop, Picture It: Planning Tools to Protect Our Quality of Life.

$5,000 - City of Surrey for the Salmon Habitat Restoration Program, which employs students to educate landowners and other public audiences about watercourse protection.

$5,000 - UBC Program on Water Governance for a conference on the importance of effective water governance, focusing on best practices to ensure sustainability of water resources.

$7,000 - Comox Valley Project Watershed Society for educational signage along the Puntledge River, which is intended to raise awareness about sensitive habitat issues and promote watershed stewardship.

$7,500 - Environment Canada for the 2007 Georgia Basin Puget Sound Research Conference, held in Vancouver.

$10,000 - Georgia Strait Alliance for the Clean Marine-BC project, an environmental audit and recognition system which will encourage marinas/boatyards to adopt best management practices for land and water stewardship.

$15,000 - Langley Environmental Partners Society to produce a land management guide focusing on manure management for horse owners throughout BC.

$40,000 - Land Stewardship Centre of Canada to work with the Stewardship Centre for British Columbia to make available updated stewardship bylaws publications for local governments and plan the 2009 National Stewardship & Conservation Conference, to be held in Alberta.

SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES

$1,000 - Community Futures Development Corporation-Cowichan in support of workshops at the 2007 annual conference.

$1,453 - Comox Valley Affordable Housing Society for the Municipalities in Action forum.

$2,000 - College of Applied Biology for a conference that addressed the importance of collaboration between biologists and land use decision makers.

$4,982 - BC Water and Waste Association to help raise public awareness about land use practices through the publication of case study profiles.

$5,000 - Community Futures British Columbia for the Going Global conference, which addressed economic development and land use practices.

$5,000 - Fresh Outlook Foundation in support of the Building SustainAble Communities conference, held in Kelowna in 2007.

$5,000 - Institute for Sustainability Education & Action for the Salt Spring Island Design Charrette, a four-day workshop focusing on the long-term development of villages on the Island.

$5,000 - Light House Sustainable Building Centre for the 2008 forum, Getting to Zero: Defining the Path to Net Zero Energy Home Construction forum, held in Vancouver.

$5,000 - Otter Point and Shirley Residents and Ratepayers Association for public education events intended to assist the community with the development of a strategic vision.

$5,000 - Smart Growth BC in support of the 2007 conference, Building Complete Communities: Developers Leading the Way, held in Vancouver.

$6,820 - Institute for Sustainability Education & Action for a speaker series on Salt Spring Island to help inform the community about values-based planning.

$7,500 - People's Action Committee for Healthy Air for the Prince George Better Air Symposium 2007, which addressed industrial based air pollution.

$11,000 - Langara College for development of additional skills-based courses as part of the Applied Urban and Rural Planning diploma program.

$17,400 - Fraser Valley Real Estate Board to hold a Quality of Life community issues forum on illegal drug operations.

$25,000 - Stewardship Centre for BC for networking and outreach activities.

$30,000 - Islands Trust Fund for production and analysis of sensitive ecosystem maps, and associated public and professional education, with the goal of creating development permit area bylaw guidelines for Gulf Island jurisdictions.

REAL ESTATE INFORMATION

$2,000 - United Way of the Fraser Valley for an affordable housing forum in Abbotsford.

$2,500 - Chilliwack and District Real Estate Board to host The Downtown Strategic Plan Forum.

$5,000 - Tenant Resource & Advisory Centre for distribution of the multilingual Landlord Guide, which aims to educate rental property owners about their responsibilities and tenant rights.

Professional Education

REALTOR PROFESSIONALISM

$5,000 - Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board to assist with the delivery of professional education seminars in 2007.

$5,000 - Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver for speaker costs associated with the 2008 annual conference.

$7,790 - South Okanagan Real Estate Board to support professional education seminars for realtors in 2007.

$8,750 - Kootenay Real Estate Board to support professional education seminars for realtors in 2007.

$15,300 - BC Northern Real Estate Board to support professional education seminars for realtors in 2007.

$29,680 - Fraser Valley Real Estate Board to produce and distribute a video on "ethics in practice".

$40,000 - Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver for a series of professional standards publications.

REAL ESTATE & LAND USE PRACTITIONER EDUCATION

$1,500 - BC Institute of Agrologists to support professional development workshops at the organization's 60th annual meeting in Prince George.

$5,000 - Planning Institute of British Columbia to assist with the 2007 annual conference, held in Kelowna.

$5,500 - Professional Association of Managing Agents to develop a course on "advanced strata management".

$30,000 - Cascadia Green Building Council to create a guide that identifies the costs, long term benefits, and value proposition for sustainable development in terms that are useful to the real estate finance community.

$30,000 - Light House Sustainable Building Centre to deliver green building training and on-site support for construction professionals and field crews.

$35,500 - Society for Affordable Housing Education, Awareness and Development for the Social Housing Management Certificate Program, which will build professional capacity for the delivery of non-profit housing.

$100,000 - Planning Institute of British Columbia for the 2009 BC Land Summit conference, to be held in Whistler.

LAND USE PLANNING

$15,000 - Fraser Basin Council to assist with the delivery of Integrated Community Sustainability Planning workshops, to be delivered in non-metropolitan communities.

$16,000 - Powell River Regional District to support the "Regional Growth Strategy and Development Analysis Session," which was intended to provide an overall context for planning and development in the region.

$35,000 - Ducks Unlimited Canada to provide education for local governments on green infrastructure bylaws, and support for those jurisdictions that wish to adopt such policy.

$45,000 - Grasslands Conservation Council of BC in support of the Planning for Change initiative, which provides local governments with tools and information for planning and protection of BC's sensitive grasslands and species at risk.

$50,000 - BC Water & Waste Association for the professional education objectives of the "Convening for Action on Vancouver Island" (CAVI) initiative in 2008.

$50,000 - UBC Design Centre for Sustainability to publish the book, Sustainability by Design: A Vision for a Region of 4 Million.

Law Reform

$13,500 - British Columbia Law Institute to facilitate a comprehensive review of real property law in British Columbia in order to help protect consumer interests.

Other Real Estate Related Projects

NON-PROFIT HOUSING

$9,000 - Builders Without Borders to renovate a Vancouver building and provide ten units of affordable housing for the Aboriginal Mother Centre Society.

$15,000 - Habitat for Humanity West Kootenay for the construction of a single family home in the City of Nelson.

$25,000 - Sunshine Coast Association for Community Living to create four units of affordable rental housing at the Midtown development in Sechelt.

$36,000 - Habitat for Humanity Boundary Society to construct two single family homes in Greenwood.

$45,000 - Habitat for Humanity Prince George for construction of a duplex in Prince George.

$50,000 - Cowichan Valley Association for Community Living to assist with the construction of a home for adults with developmental disabilities.

$50,000 - Roofs & Roots Housing Co-operative to assist with the purchase a five unit apartment building in Victoria, to be operated as an affordable housing co-operative.

$50,000 - The Salvation Army Langley South to assist with the construction of emergency and transitional housing at a new facility.

$50,000 - Spirit Bear Center to establish a transitional housing and treatment centre for young Aboriginal women in Abbotsford.

$58,658 - Habitat for Humanity Vancouver Island North to build a duplex in Courtenay.

$85,000 - Habitat for Humanity Victoria Society for construction of the Bethune Flex-Plex townhomes in Saanich.

$100,000 - Abbeyfield Greater Trail Society in support of the renovation of an historic house to be used as supportive housing for ten seniors.

$100,000 - Abbeyfield Houses of Fort St. John for construction of supportive seniors' housing in Fort St. John.

$100,000 - Habitat for Humanity Society of Greater Vancouver to build four townhouse units in Burnaby.

$100,000 - New Opportunities for Women Canada Society to assist with the construction of 36 units of housing for women in Kelowna.

$120,000 - Bridges to New Life Society to establish five units of transitional housing for former offenders in Kelowna.

$181,000 - John Howard Society of the Central & South Okanagan in support of renovation costs to create Bedford Place, supportive housing for men with substance abuse issues and disabilities.

$200,000 - Captial Region Housing Corporation to assist with the construction of the 21-unit Parry Place seniors' housing project in Victoria.

$200,000 - Westcoast Genesis Society to create a 35-bed supportive housing project in New Westminster.

$232,500 - Crossroads Treatment Centre Society to support the Society's purchase of a Kelowna property which will house a 23-bed addiction stabilization facility.

$250,000 - Kakawis Family Development Centre Society to assist with construction of a residential addictions treatment centre in Port Alberni.

$275,000 - North Coast Transition Society to build new transitional and second stage housing for women and their children in Prince Rupert.

$300,000 - Aboriginal Mothers Centre Society to assist with the purchase of a property in Vancouver, which will provide emergency shelter, non-profit housing, and social services.

$300,000 - Vernon and District Hospice Society in support of hospice expansion from six to twelve beds.

COMMUNITY-BASED GOOD WORKS & LAND USE PLANNING

$5,000 - City of Port Moody in support of a charrette intended to capture the community's vision for the Moody Centre area.

$5,000 - Douglas College Institute of Urban Ecology to assist with the restoration of damaged habitat surrounding gravel pit operations near the Coquitlam River.

$10,000 - City of Terrace to assist with the development of a master plan for the Grand Trunk Pathway, which will link residential and recreational areas to the downtown core.

$13,300 - District of 100 Mile House to support the development of a trails linkage plan.

$20,000 - City of Merritt to assist with land use related components of the City's "integrated growth strategy".

$20,000 - City of Williams Lake in support of community consultation that will inform the development of an official community plan that supports integrated community sustainability planning.

$22,000 - Somenos Marsh Wildlife Society for boardwalk construction and educational signage as part of the "open air classroom" in Duncan.

$30,000 - The Nature Trust of British Columbia for a landscape-level management planning project for lands in the East Kootenay region.

$32,000 - Allan Brooks Nature Centre Society for public and professional education concerning sensitive ecosystems, and to assist with the incorporation of Sensitive Ecosystem Inventory (SEI) data in the City of Vernon's decision-making processes.

$40,000 - Sunshine Coast Community Services Society to conduct research and educational activities associated with developing a strategic, long-term plan to increase the amount of attainable workforce housing on the Sunshine Coast.

$45,000 - Musqueam Indian Band to assist with the Comprehensive Sustainable Community Development Plan.

$50,000 - City of Kamloops for research, planning, and consultation activities associated with the City's "integrated community sustainability planning" process.

$50,000 - Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team to work with Colwood and Langford, as part of the official community plan review, to develop policies and processes to protect endangered habitats and species.

$75,000 - Nicola Watershed Community Round Table for research and community consultation as part of the Nicola Water Use Management Planning process.

$84,000 - North Central Municipal Association for research and public education intended to help build accessible and inclusive northern BC communities.

$235,000 - UBC Design Centre for Sustainability to support research, implementation, and publications related to the "Sustainability by Design 2.0" initiative.

CAPACITY BUILDING FOR KEY ORGANIZATIONS

$60,000 - Nature Conservancy of Canada for research and education activities of the East Kootenay Conservation Program.

$80,000 - Real Estate Institute of BC for research, public and professional education, and law and policy analysis initiatives in 2008.

$240,000 - British Columbia Real Estate Association for research, public and professional education, and law and policy analysis initiatives during 2007 and 2008.

SPECIAL PROJECTS

$5,000 - Sage Centre to update the "National Green Legacies Project" website, which guides donors and their advisors in effectively making ecological gifts to benefit lands in trust.

$10,000 - City of Vancouver for the 2007 Urban Design Awards, which showcased best practices in land use and development.

POST-SECONDARY ENDOWMENT FUNDS

$250,000 - Malaspina University-College in support of the BC Regional Innovation Chair in Tourism and Sustainable Rural Development.

$250,000 - UBC Okanagan, Barber School of Arts and Sciences as a contribution to the endowment fund for a BC Regional Innovation Chair in Reservoir Ecosystem Management.

$500,000 - BCIT School of Construction and the Environment as a contribution to the "Endowment for the Adoption of Green Value Strategies in Development".