Welcome to the CRE podcast, 100% Canadian, 100% commercial real estate. AI is reshaping commercial real estate, but the biggest barrier to adoption may not be technology; it may be fear.
In this episode of the Commercial Real Estate Podcast, powered by First National, hosts Aaron Cameron and Adam Powadiuk welcome Jennifer Podmore Russell, Chief Development Officer at Nch’ḵay̓ Development Corporation, about the Squamish Nation’s ambitious approach to Indigenous-led development. Jennifer shares how Sen̓áḵw’s 6,000-home vision is balancing commercial performance with community, cultural, and economic priorities through a triple bottom line approach.
She also explores car-light development, large-scale rental lease-ups, hospitality-driven property management, and how Indigenous-led development can create generational wealth through procurement, workforce participation, and long-term economic opportunity.
What You Will Learn:
- How Nch’ḵay̓ separates politics from business to move at “the speed of business”
- Why Sen̓áḵw’s 6,000-home build-out reflects both financial goals and a deeper cultural mandate
- The case for car-light development: How to reduce parking demand and boost livability
- Why choosing the right rental operator (like Fitzrovia) matters when scaling lease-ups of 1,000+ units at once
- How Indigenous-led developers are building generational wealth through workforce participation and procurement targets, not just land leases
- Why you need to stay the course on shovel-ready projects now for the next demand cycle 36–48 months out
Jennifer Podmore Russell is a real estate strategist and development advisor with more than 20 years of experience across strategy, portfolio planning, and development in British Columbia. She founded MPC Intelligence and has held senior roles at Rennie and Deloitte, helping turn development and portfolio strategies into successful outcomes. Jennifer also contributes to the broader community through leadership roles with the Urban Development Institute, Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation, and Arrowleaf Real Estate Holdings Board, and previously served as Vice-Chair of the Vancouver Economic Commission.
Episode Reference:
- Jennifer Podmore Russell on LinkedIn
- Nch’ḵay̓ Development Corporation Website
- Adam Powadiuk on LinkedIn
- Aaron Cameron on LinkedIn
- Commercial Real Estate Podcast on Apple Podcasts
- Commercial Real Estate Podcast on Spotify
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