Celebrating 35 Years of Connecting Western Canada’s Building & Construction Industries

NEW for 2024: Introducing the VRCA Connector Lounge; a new, dynamic and engaging space on the BUILDEX tradeshow floor. Hosted by the Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA), this lounge is a hub for industry professionals, thought leaders and practitioners to network, foster connections, and exchange knowledge.
Visit the VRCA Connector Lounge for a host of events allowing you to engage in meaningful conversations with peers, industry experts, and potential collaborators in a relaxed and inviting atmosphere.

Dates and times: 

Wed., February 14, 9:30am – 5:00pm  

Thu., February 15, 9:30am – 4:00pm 

NEW for 2024: The SHINE Awards of Excellence showcases the work of British Columbia’s professional registered interior designers across commercial, hospitality and residential sectors. The gala evening is ignited with a cocktail hour prior to the awards ceremony and concludes with a celebratory afterparty. Join members of the Interior Designers Institute of BC, industry supporters and our fabulous gala hosts to celebrate excellence in interior design at the 39th annual SHINE Awards Gala.

Dates and time: 

Thu., February 15, 6:00pm – 11:00pm

The BUILDEX Main Stage hosts big conversations, our industry Keynotes, and community partners; all at the heart of the tradeshow floor. Hear from industry leaders, innovators and practitioners as they discuss a range of topics changing the way we design, construct, and manage Western Canada's real estate. All sessions on the BUILDEX Main Stage are free-to-attend for all pass types.

Dates and times: 

Wed., February 14, 9:30am – 6:00pm  

Thu., February 15, 9:30am – 3:45pm 

The Workforce Solutions Centre, sponsored by BC Construction Association provides a hub at the heart of Western Canada’s largest building and construction show dedicated to labour and workforce issues. Employers, employees, young professionals and industry partners will find the information, connections, and solutions they need to tackle workforce related challenges.

Dates and times: 

Wed., February 14, 9:30am – 5:00pm  

Thu., February 15, 9:30am – 4:00pm

Dan Fumano, Vancouver Sun, Oct 24, 2023

The Vancouver area has had a sharp decline in the volume of deals involving residential development sites.

Earlier this month, when Tony Letvinchuk got the latest figures on the volume of residential land deals in Greater Vancouver, he expected a continued drop.

As managing director of Macdonald Commercial Real Estate Services, Letvinchuk hears regularly from brokers at his company and from others in the local real estate industry.

“It’s a real challenge to close deals for residential land. So it wasn’t totally unexpected,” Letvinchuk said. “Having said that, the drop-off was even more precipitous than I expected.” The new figures, from the national analytics firm Altus Group, show that the number of sales of undeveloped residential land in Greater Vancouver declined in each of the past five quarters, plummeting more than 85 per cent in the third quarter of this year from the second quarter of last year. The value of those land sales dropped to $202 million from $1.43 billion in that time.

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press, Vancouver Sun, Sep 14, 2023

LONDON, Ont. — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will announce Sept. 14 that Ottawa is removing the GST on construction of new rental apartment buildings, according to a senior government source. The source spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss matters that were not yet public.

The change would lower the cost of labour and materials for homebuilders, and is one of the components of an affordability announcement Trudeau was set to make in the afternoon, the source said. 

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, Housing Minister Sean Fraser and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne are also to be at the announcement in London, Ont.

That is where most of the 158 Liberal MPs have been gathered for a three-day retreat aimed at strategizing their approach for the return of Parliament next week. Trudeau has said his focus is on hearing what constituents are telling MPs.

Forbes, Laura Begley Bloom, Senior Contributor - July 21, 2023

Looking for the best cities to live in the world, as well as the best places to live in the U.S.? Every year, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) ranks the best places to live in the Global Liveability Index 2023.

This year, the Index covers 172 cities, with rankings based on a number of categories, including stability, healthcare, culture, education and infrastructure.

The Winners: The Best Cities to Live in the World

For the second year in a row, Vienna, Austria, has been named the best city to live in the world. The authors of the report called Vienna out for its “unsurpassed combination of stability, good infrastructure, strong education and healthcare services, and plenty of culture and entertainment.” The rest of the top 10 included three Canadian cities (Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto), two Swiss cities (Zurich, Geneva) and one Japanese city (Osaka).

Joanne Lee-Young, Vancouver Sun, June 11, 2023 

The testing will include how panels respond to different loads of weight and vibration, and how the responses change over time as the panels age. Structural engineer Thomas Wu remembers scribbling his initial calculations for a new kind of floor panel for high-rise buildings on a kitchen cloth. “I did them from a sketching,” said Wu, whose portfolio includes Vancouver projects such as the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel, the Shangri-La Hotel, and the Shaw Tower.

Amir Ali, DH News, June 7, 2023 

A Vancouver business operating on West Broadway for nearly 20 years is shuttering its physical store and suggesting that construction, COVID-19, and rising rent are to blame. Alpine Start Outfitters, located on 68 West Broadway, has been a fixture in that neighborhood since September 28, 2007. The general manager of Alpine Start Outfitters told us that her father started the business when he immigrated to Vancouver from Korea. 

Sammy Hudes, Vancouver Sun, June 7, 2023

TORONTO — Nine in 10 Canadian construction companies say they are dealing with a shortage of skilled labour or trades — and it’s affecting their ability to bid on projects and meet deadlines amid unprecedented demand. The industry widely views digital technology as a solution to addressing those shortages, according to a survey of 275 construction companies released June 6 by KPMG Canada.