In this episode, host Richard Costello welcomes John Brendan McEown, Chief Executive Officer of the Burnaby Housing Authority.

John Brendan (JB) has been a leader in affordable housing for over a decade. As Associate Vice President of Development Strategies at BC Housing, he guided a team of professionals delivering thousands of homes across the province. With a Master of Urban Studies from Simon Fraser University and a track record of shaping housing policy and delivery, JB now steps into the inaugural CEO role at the Burnaby Housing Authority at a pivotal moment for housing in the region.

Key topics include:

• Career influences and lessons – What inspired JB to pursue housing and how his time at BC Housing shaped his approach.
• The Burnaby Housing Authority’s vision – Why it was created, what makes it unique, and its goals for the next decade.
• Balancing perspectives – How JB’s public-sector background informs his leadership and the advantages it brings to a development-focused organization.
• Innovations in housing delivery – The potential role of modular construction, robotics, and new technologies in solving supply challenges.
• Leadership at a young age – Insights on stepping into executive leadership, building culture, and lessons learned so far.
• Looking ahead – What gives JB optimism in a time of cost pressures, permitting delays, and market uncertainty.

Tune in to hear JB’s perspective on launching a new housing authority, the challenges and opportunities ahead, and what it takes to build sustainable, affordable communities in a rapidly evolving housing landscape