Celebrating Women In Development
This past week, Terra Housing sponsored and attended the Urban Development Institute's sold-out “Celebrating Women 2026: Navigating the Shift: Leading Through Complexity” — an evening that illustrated the importance of diverse voices and cross-sector collaboration to the future of real estate development in BC.
Now in its twelfth year, UDI's biennial Celebrating Women event has become one of the industry's most anticipated gatherings, bringing together leaders, innovators, and peers from across British Columbia's development community for an evening of storytelling, connection, and inspiration.
We were especially grateful to have several Terra staff participate in the event and bring a non-profit lens to those discussions about collaboration across sectors. Representing Terra at the event were Rebecca Seldon and Mark Docherty (Development Managers), Juliet Koyiet and Lydia Howard (Development Coordinators), and Kelly Lin, Principal Advisor at Terra and Interim Chair of the Women of UDI committee.
This year's speaker panel — featuring Deana Grinnell (Canada Lands Company), Jennifer Podmore Russell (Nch'kay Development Corporation), Jennifer Woolley (Warrington PCI Management), and Jenny Chan (BGO) — explored what it means to lead when the old playbooks no longer work. Panelists made a strong case for deeper connection and collaboration across private, public, and non-profit real estate development. In an industry typically driven by spreadsheets and bottom-line profits, the path forward requires breaking down barriers and learning from each other's approaches.
Multiple speakers emphasized the importance of companies investing in their people and preparing the leaders of tomorrow. In challenging times, organizational strength comes from developing internal capacity and transferring knowledge to the next generation.
The conversation also challenged operators to think differently about the services they offer residents and tenants. Now is an opportunity to reconsider what services are being provided, how buildings can stand out through thoughtful amenities, and how consistent attention to cleanliness and upkeep creates lasting value.
Panelists urged the industry to question "that's how it's always been done" and find innovative solutions that serve communities while remaining financially viable. With the current economic climate paired with regulatory complexity and high construction costs, successful projects will require pragmatic financing and design solutions. While viability can mean different things to the for-profit and non-profit development sectors, we have to continue to approach affordable housing delivery with creative (and realistic) financial structuring, as well as advocacy at the provincial and federal levels to ensure clear and consistent funding opportunities for our clients.
These themes resonated deeply with Terra's work. For more than 40 years, we've operated at the intersection of mission and market, translating between collaborative, values-driven cultures and bottom-line development realities. The cross-sector partnerships and long-term thinking the panelists championed aren't aspirational for Terra — they're how we've always worked.
Terra's sponsorship of Celebrating Women reflects our commitment to advancing diverse leadership in development and strengthening the networks that make mission-driven real estate possible. We're grateful to be part of a community working to make real estate development more collaborative, more creative, and more inclusive.