Jack Wong
Land Awards Gala Highlights Sustainability Leaders, Innovative Projects in BC
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he Real Estate Foundation of BC welcomed over 200 guests to the 2018 Land Awards Gala, held October 11 at the Roundhouse Community Arts and Recreation Centre in Vancouver.
Erica Sigurdson, a Vancouver comedian known for her appearances on CBC’s The Debaters, emceed the event. A hit with guests, Erica’s sharp comedy poked fun at Vancouver’s housing prices, dating realities, and upcoming election.
2018 FINALISTS AND WINNERS This year’s award winners are helping to drive systemic change in how we value land, design buildings, and govern freshwater resources.
LAND USE AND CONSERVATION Winners: Municipal Natural Assets Initiative (Smart Prosperity Institute, Brooke and Associates, David Suzuki Foundation, and the Town of Gibsons)
An environmental lawyer, a real estate agent, and a university professor walk into a community centre and find out they have more in common than they thought. The Land Awards unites a diverse guest list of professionals, activists, and public officials. Those unusual dinner companions share a love for British Columbia’s land, water, and communities. At the 2018 Land Awards Gala, the Real Estate Foundation of BC (REFBC) presented three Land Awards for projects, as well as the Land Champion Award and Emerging Leader Award that recognize individuals. The awards help shine a spotlight on impactful projects and unsung heroes making a difference in BC communities.
Gerry Martin, Real Estate Council of BC (L) with Jack Wong, REFBC
Renu Bakshi, a communications professional and business journalist, hosted the awards ceremony and shared stories from her childhood growing up on a blueberry farm. The Land Awards Gala also featured live performances by local jazz band Van Django, a thoughtprovoking series of BC maps, and a plants-first dinner menu.
Gala Highlights Using dramatic lighting, native grasses, and cartographic accents, our events team transformed the Community Centre into an earthy, industrial space for guests to mingle and be inspired.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Sam Sullivan, MLA The Society of Notaries Public of British Columbia
From left: Roy Brooke, Brooke and Associates; Emanuel Machado, Town of Gibsons; and Stephanie Cairns, Smart Prosperity
Natural features and ecosystems like marshes, forests, and shorelines can deliver services like stormwater absorption, water filtration, and erosion control to communities. The Municipal Natural Assets Initiative helps communities to “count” those natural assets and assign a value that’s equivalent to the service a human-built asset would provide. By counting nature as an asset, municipalities can make a strong financial case for protection and conservation, while relying less on engineered assets. Volume 27 Number 4 Winter 2018
