Sublime&Ridiculous is a new event series aimed at providing a dynamic and diverse discussion on topics that are pulled directly from local headlines.

Vol.1 focuses on Housing Affordability and is presented in collaboration with the City of Vancouver as a part of the Re:Address week.

We have assembled an incredible group of speakers who have first hand experience and expertise in the growing challenges of housing affordability.

SPEAKERS

Kishone Roy – CEO, British Columbia Non-Profit Housing Association

Kishone is CEO of the BC Non-Profit Housing Association where he advocates for the affordable housing sector in BC.During his time at BCNPHA it has doubled in size, seen governments invest over a billion new dollars in social housing, moved it's offices into an innovative co-location and implemented major projects like the Rental Housing Index and the introduction of new professional designation for the sector. BCNPHA has also undergone a major expansion of their events and education programs and acquired an equity stake in Encasa Financial, a mutual fund company owned and managed by the sector.

Janice Abbot, CEO – Atira Women's Resource Society

Janice has been the CEO since 1992, leading the Society through its incredible growth from a single transition house located in South Surrey with a staff of seven to a large multi-service agency with two, for-profit subsidiaries, a development arm and more than 500 staff. 

She has headed up numerous innovative capital projects including Canada’s first multi-unit recycled shipping container housing development, which was completed in August 2013.

Janice was recognized by BC Business Magazine as among one of BC's 35 Most Influential Women in 2016.  

Sarah Hill – CEO, Greater Sydney Commission

Sarah is recognised as a leading expert in the field of housing policy, with specific regard to affordable housing. As the CEO of the Greater Sydney Commission, a new, independent organization, she is  responsible for leading the planning of Greater Sydney. Sarah is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Technology Sydney in the Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building. She was recognized as the Planning Institute of Australia’s current NSW Planner of the Year and also Australian Planner of the Year for 2016. She is also the recipient of two international planning awards including the Mayor of London Planning Award for Excellence and the Royal Town Planning Institute Award for Planning.

David Eddy – CEO, Vancouver Native Housing Society

David is CEO of Vancouver Native Housing Society (VNHS), a non-profit, off-reserve, Aboriginal housing provider in Vancouver, Canada. Under David’s leadership over the last seven years, VNHS has increased its portfolio by nearly 100% and broadened its mandate from strictly housing urban Aboriginal families and seniors to providing supportive housing for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal homeless people and those at risk of homelessness, housing for youth and for women fleeing violence. Since June, 2012 David has taken VNHS in a new direction of entrepreneurialism and self-sustainability, creating two social enterprises which have received international media attention and acclaim, the Skwachàys Lodge (www.skwachays.com) and the Urban Aboriginal Fair Trade Gallery. (www.urbanaboriginal.org)

Jen Muranetz – Filmmaker

An accomplished digital storyteller and journalist, crafting newsworthy, original content for video and print platforms, Jen has over six years' experience producing, reporting, writing, shooting and editing video for lifestyle news and broadcast. She currently works as a video journalist for Simon Fraser University and as a freelancer, creating compelling video and print media for independent clients and online platforms. She has been published in a variety of media outlets, including VICE Canada and Modern Agriculture. As part of Storyhive, Jen is working on a documentary called Better Together which delves into the subculture of co-housing by vignetting some of Vancouver’s most established collective houses.

Kira Gerwing – Community Investment Manager, Vancity

Kira’s work focuses on enabling the development of social enterprise real estate projects that result in community ownership, affordability, and green buildings. Kira’s work at Vancity stems from eight years of urban planning in Downtown Eastside neighbourhoods with the City of Vancouver. She has a passion for finding creative and engaging ways to ensure everyone’s fundamental right to flourish. As such, her efforts have centred on local economic development: crafting deals that create high-value, positive impact in communities and that leverage emerging opportunities in sustainability sectors of the economy. She has worked on projects and policies for affordable housing and social purpose real estate development, as well as local food, materials diversion, the creative economy, community-based forestry, sustainable fisheries, and eco-tourism.

Ouri Scott – Intern Architect, Dialog

As one of the first Indigenous women to graduate from the UBC's Master of Architecture program, Ouri is driven to resolve prevalent, yet often unaddressed design issues that face First Nations people across Canada, and around the world. As a designer, she looks to develop a modern language of architecture that reflects and responds to contemporary First Nations culture. Her most recent work includes an award-winning concept for a net-zero, mixed-use development in Seattle that incorporates renewable energy strategies and intensive vertical farming. As a proud member of the Tlicho First Nation in northern Canada, Ouri works with First Nations communities across western Canada in the areas of community development, traditional knowledge and indigenous governance.

Rowan Arundel – Researcher, University of Amsterdam

Rowan is a researcher within the Centre of Urban Studies and the Department of Geography, Planning and International Development at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. He is embedded within the EU-funded research project HOUWEL and focuses on quantitative research into changing housing careers of young adults, growing housing inequalities and the relationship between labour market divides and housing outcomes. He is in the final stages of completing his PhD. He has recently published on ‘declining homeownership across Europe in the post-crisis era,’ ‘trends in parental co-residence and shared living,’ and has several upcoming publications on ‘boomerang returns to the parental home’, ‘growing inequalities in housing wealth accumulation’, as well as ‘labour market insecurity and the end of mass homeownership.’