BC: Hear the Latest Trends, Insights and Industry Forecasts at the ULI's Spring Meeting

Building healthy communities that meet the shifting needs and preferences of different generations, accommodate new economic drivers, and which are more resilient to environmental changes will be the key focus of the Urban Land Institute’s 2014 Spring Meeting, set for April 9-11, in Vancouver, B.C., at the city’s Convention Centre.

The spring meeting, which will draw top industry leaders from around the globe, represents the first time one of ULI’s two major annual all-member meetings is being held outside the U.S.  The Vancouver location reflects ULI’s growing international presence and is also indicative of the strong business relations between the host city and many markets throughout Asia – where ULI’s membership is growing rapidly.

CNN host and foreign affairs columnist, Fareed Zakaria, and Bentall Kennedy, president and CEO, Remco Daal, will be among the many keynote speakers headlining the meeting.

An emphasis on health and land use: Real estate developers in Canada and the U.S. are looking for market-driven principles of successful developments that incorporate health and wellness into the overall design.  Likewise, real estate investors are looking for cutting-edge opportunities to tap into increased awareness of healthy living, hoping to find the right response and models for capitalizing on this cultural shift in thinking. The Spring Meeting will look at what works  — and what doesn’t  — in design and development practices that are conducive to healthy living, economically prosperous, and environmentally sustainable.

Lessons from Vancouver’s Olympics experience: The program will also focus on how Vancouver has successfully leveraged the community building investments related to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games to create a legacy of high liveability.  Panelists will explore how Vancouver measures up globally, in terms of quality of life and attracting both economic investment and talented workers.

A deep dive into a range of real estate issues:  The Spring Meeting’s real estate sessions are renowned for providing journalists with the most timely and relevant analyses of where the industry is heading, offering unprecedented access to some of the globe’s most influential real estate leaders. Real estate education sessions will address a wide variety of industry issues, ranging from how demographic trends determine business strategies to how the Canadian public-private partnership model can be applied to the United States. Industry topics include:

• Building for success: myth or reality
• Building healthy places
• Capital markets
• Market trends
• Real estate deals
• Vancouver story 

This ULI meeting, open to Institute members and the media, brings together the top thought leaders and practitioners for candid discussions about what works, what doesn't, and what's next for the industry. Join us in Vancouver to hear prominent guest speakers, knowledgeable panelists, and attend content-rich real estate sessions.