On September 16, housing industry leaders gathered in Vancouver at the Fairmont Waterfront hotel for Dealmakers, Zonda’s inaugural Canadian event. The forum brought together experts to share insights on regional housing market trends and challenges.
What is Dealmakers?
Dealmakers is one of Zonda’s signature event series, designed for builders, developers, and industry leaders who need to stay ahead of market shifts. Its goal is to equip professionals with the knowledge, relationships, and tools to move their businesses forward.
“Zonda’s Dealmakers Canada was a fully attended event that included notable development professionals and leaders in our industry,” said Jon Bennest, vice-president of product development at Zonda Urban.
“The strong attendance today tells us that despite the challenging market conditions, the industry is committed to learning, collaborating and finding ways to deliver homes to the people of British Columbia,” Bennest added.
Key Takeaways from the Vancouver Dealmakers
Dealmakers Vancouver featured speakers including Ali Wolf, Zonda’s chief economist; Peter F. Block, vice-president, real estate finance at CIBC; Alex Messina, managing director, Nicola Real Estate; and others.
One of the central themes that emerged was clear: Without demand, there can be no supply. Significant policy reform across all levels of government will be critical for meeting Canada’s housing needs.
Possible changes could include revisiting rental caps and reassessing restrictions on foreign buyers, and measures that could help spark more activity, support growth in the industry, and improve affordability.
Elisa Caputo, Zonda Urban’s director of business development, underscored the difficult environment the housing market is facing.
“A key takeaway from the event regarding the broader housing market and economy: Everything remains under pressure, and the reality is that conditions may worsen before we see improvement,” she said. “Recovery will depend on alignment between real estate stakeholders and policymakers to ensure the right strategies are in place to support future stability and growth.”
Still, she pointed to reasons for optimism. “While the market is facing real challenges, our discussions highlighted that with the right policy framework and the creativity of the development community, we’re still seeing inspiring success stories, mainly in suburban areas.”
Future of Dealmakers in Canada
For Zonda, bringing Dealmakers to Vancouver was an important milestone.
“Launching Dealmakers in Vancouver was a proud moment for Zonda. The energy in the room confirmed the need for a dedicated space where Canadian housing leaders can connect, learn, and grow together,” said Matthew Slutsky, Livabl’s vice-president of national builder partnerships.
Slutsky says Zonda plans to expand Dealmakers to other Canadian cities in 2026, underscoring its long-term commitment to supporting the country’s housing industry.
“This event was more than just a conference; it was a statement of Zonda’s long-term commitment to Canada. We are here to build something enduring, relevant, and impactful for the housing industry.”
