Community Development Institute

05/04/2023

04/04/2023

The CDI has published two new reports in the Building Foundations for the Future report series. Find the reports here:

The Community Development Institute (CDI) at UNBC was established in 2004 with a broad mandate in the areas of community, regional, and economic development. Since its inception, the CDI has worked with communities across the northern and central regions of British Columbia to develop and implement....

04/08/2022

Marleen shares thoughts on metro migration with Ajit Weekly readers.

It seems more and more British Columbians are leaving the hustle and bustle of urban areas in favour of the quieter lifestyle small towns have to offer. According to a recent study, migration from …

04/08/2022

A new report from the Community Development Institute (CD) at UNBC and the Housing Research Collaborative (HRC) at UBC highlights the impacts of people migrating out of big cities to smaller towns.

Marleen speaks to the Prince George Citizen on this trend of metro migration.

Housing stock in smaller B.C. communities is out-of-sync with community needs

03/08/2022

Thank you Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation for sharing our work! We know this will be a great resource for many.

Have you seen the new Housing Information Portal from Community Development Institute? It contains data reports, webinar recordings, conference presentations, and publications for non-metropolitan communities

Check it out https://www2.unbc.ca/community-development-institute/housing-information-portal

02/10/2022

Greg Halseth, Canada Research Chair in Rural and Small Town Studies, UNBC Geography Professor, and CDI Co-Director, shares insights with The Vancouver Sun readers into the most recent census data released yesterday.

With years of experience researching Northern BC communities, Greg notes that population stagnation wasn't always the story. For years before the 1980's recession, BC's North was growing all the time.

The challenge is that as the global economy changed, the north did not. What had been a successful policy from the 1950s to the 1980s hasn’t been renewed with an updated vision.

Population declines are a symptom of poor government vision for the region, experts say.

02/07/2022

Did you happen to catch Marleen's interview on CBC Daybreak North - Northern British Columbia last week?

Marleen shares how the NEW CDI Housing Information Portal will help communities to identify housing needs and gaps and help to plan for the future when it comes to economic growth and community development.



https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-109-daybreak-north/clip/15893346-new-information-available-help-more-b.c.-communities-housing.

New Information is Available to help More B.C. Communities with Housing.

02/01/2022

For MLA Shirley Bond, the CDI Housing Information Portal confirms "that housing and affordability, and the options that are available are not a metropolitan issue." We need to focus on housing if we want to realize non-metropolitan BC’s economic potential.

PRINCE GEORGE - When you're moving or thinking about moving communities something you may be interested in is ...

01/26/2022

As a follow-up to our reports from the Fall of 2020 - "Building Foundations for the Future: Housing, community development, and economic opportunity in non-metropolitan Canada", and the "BC Addendum", the CDI at University of Northern British Columbia has launched a Housing Information Portal.

On this portal you will find a wealth of information about housing in non-metropolitan BC and Canada. As our research expands and new information comes to light, we will be updating the portal on an ongoing basis to share that information with you.
To learn more, visit https://www2.unbc.ca/community-development-institute/cdi-online-housing-research-portal

A new online housing information portal was launched today by the Community Development Institute at UNBC that provides access to population and housing data for 39 non-metropolitan communities in B.C.
"We highlight the strong links between housing and economic development potential in non-metropolitan B.C.," says CDI Co-Director Marleen Morris. "We need to focus on housing if we want to realize non-metropolitan B.C.’s economic potential.”
Learn more about the portal and study at:
https://www2.unbc.ca/newsroom/unbc-stories/cdi-information-portal-highlights-strong-links-between-housing-and-economic-potential

01/24/2022

In a recent CKPG News interview with a Prince George resident being evicted from his rental unit after 10 years, CDI Co-Director Marleen Morris shares how our research shows this is another example of the challenges regarding housing in non-metropolitan communities.

Did you know that 40% of renters in Prince George spend 30% or more of their income on rent? Tenant vulnerability in non-metropolitan areas is a key housing issue in many communities in British Columbia.

Stay up to date by visiting www.unbc.ca/cdi

PRINCE GEORGE-Glenn Kovach was born and raised in Prince George. After retiring for over a decade, the clock i...

01/06/2022

A second project under this program has just been completed in Williams Lake by local contractor Titan Construction. The four-plex development on Mackenzie Avenue is adding four three-bedroom units to the available rental stock in Williams Lake.
Read the entire release here: https://www.williamslake.ca/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=654

Photo caption: Titan Construction owner Darren McEachen (second from left) accepts a Housing Incentive Program reimbursement cheque for $40,000 from City of Williams Lake Economic Development Officer Beth Veenkamp (from left), Mayor Walt Cobb and City of Williams Lake Grant Writer/Planning Analyst Jessica Ball after recently completing a four-plex development on Mackenzie Avenue featuring four, three-bedroom units available to rent in the city.

12/17/2021