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A new face on the scene in B.C. is the Building Relocation and Deconstruction Association of British Columbia (BRDA), which was founded recently to promote relocation and deconstruction as alternatives to building demolition.

The BRDA was launched at the inaugural Home Demolition Prevention Forum at New Westminster in May 2025.

The forum brought together more than 100 builders, policy-makers and advocates who want to tackle what they say is the unnecessary demolition of thousands of quality houses across B.C.

Glyn Lewis, one of the BRDA founders, says, “BRDA provides a shared voice for companies and communities committed to reducing demolition waste and maximizing the life cycle of the built environment.

“It will serve as a central resource for municipalities, developers and homeowners seeking a more responsible path forward, and help drive the policies needed to support it.”

Lewis is also founder and CEO of Renewal Development, a Vancouver-based sustainable demolition service for the real estate industry.

“Every year, more than 2,700 single-family homes are demolished across Metro Vancouver,” says Lewis. “As provincial densification policies expand, that number is projected to grow by 35 per cent over the next decade.

“Much of this material ends up in landfills, despite the fact that a significant percentage of these homes could be either relocated or deconstructed for reuse.”

The Home Demolition Prevention Forum’s program included the launch of an updated Municipal Action Plan (MAP), a seven-point policy framework to guide cities and districts toward adopting incentives that promote relocation and deconstruction.

The key points include:

• A responsible building removal assessment;
• a refundable demolition deposit;
• early green removal permits;
• density bonuses for relocated or fully deconstructed homes;
• municipal building removal procurement standards;
• a standard definition of deconstruction; and
• a policy framed as responsible building removal.

Lewis says the jurisdictions in B.C. that would deal with implementing MAP are local municipalities.

“Because they manage the landfills, there is an incentive to look at cost-effective alternatives to them,” says Lewis.

Municipalities have a number of financial incentive tools available to them to encourage alternatives to demolition.

“For example, New Westminster and Vancouver offer density bonuses if a house is relocated or fully deconstructed,” says Lewis. “Another incentive, which Auckland, New Zealand offers, is a development cost charge credit if a house is relocated or deconstructed.

“Another incentive is fast-tracking the permitting process if a house is deconstructed or relocated, which the District of North Vancouver offers.” 

Since 2014, Vancouver has required 75 per cent (by weight) of one- or two-family homes built before 1950 to be reused or recycled, and 90 per cent reuse or recycling of “character homes” (considered to have heritage character merit) built before 1950.

The bylaw also has a wood salvage requirement that applies to one- and two-bedroom family homes built before 1910, or built before 1950 and listed on the Vancouver Heritage Register.

The homes in question must be deconstructed and at least three tonnes of wood (intact, in its original form) must be saved for reuse.

The bylaw requires a deposit on demolition permits with recycling and deconstruction requirements, which is refunded if the reuse and recycling requirements are met.

Paul Henderson, Metro Vancouver’s general manager of solid waste services, says, “We see benefit in there being a unified voice for the building relocation and deconstruction industry, and support the goals that the Municipal Action Plan seeks to achieve in terms of encouraging building relocation and deconstruction as alternatives to demolition.”

Henderson says construction and demolition waste accounts for about one-third of all waste disposed in Metro Vancouver.

“Many of these could be relocated and repurposed or deconstructed to recover valuable materials,” he says. “Upstream circular economy practices – like design for disassembly, off-site prefabrication and modular construction – can also play a role in preventing waste.”

Homebuilders Association Vancouver (HAVAN) has reservations about BRDA’s plans.

“Our industry recognizes the importance of reducing construction and demolition waste, but we are already facing unprecedented pressures in the midst of a housing delivery crisis,” says HAVAN CEO Wendy McNeil.

She cites costs driven by housing policies and regulations, rising material and labour costs and widespread economic uncertainty.

“Introducing additional mandatory measurs…such as a pre-demolition assessment and a refundable demolition deposit would create further financial and administrative burdens at a time when builders are struggling to keep projects viable.

“While we support the intent of the action plan, now is not the right time to impose new requirements. The best path forward is through voluntary, opt-in incentives that encourage participation.”

For more information about BRDA