People Who Perform - The Real Estate Careers Podcast
The real estate industry plays a major role in Canada's economy and offers some of the most interesting and rewarding careers paths available. Each episode, we bring you conversations from business leaders and up and coming stars in the real estate industry in Canada. Our guests share their unique career journeys, passions and advice on what it takes to be successful in this industry. If you’re passionate about real estate and want to learn more about what it takes to be successful, then this podcast is for you!
People Who Perform - The Real Estate Careers Podcast
John Brendan McEown: Building a New Era of Housing in Burnaby
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