UBC Theses and Dissertations

UBC Theses Logo

UBC Theses and Dissertations

Housebuilding industry in metropolitan Vancouver Price, Edmund Vansantford

Abstract

The major objectives of the study are to determine the nature of the housebuilding industry in Metropolitan Vancouver and to suggest possible reasons for an apparent lack of large-scale builders. The industry in the United States and in other regions of Canada is analyzed on the basis of existing literature and data, and a general industry framework is established. Firms are classified into categories by size, and the existence of large firms is found to be quite general among cities of Vancouver's size. The nature of the metropolitan area is examined, and placed in the context of other Canadian cities. Populations, general topography, and type of government are discussed, and it is found that Vancouver is a fairly typical Canadian city except for its mountainous setting. Most of the information on the Vancouver housebuilding industry is based on a series of interviews and on the data generated by a questionnaire answered by the builders themselves. There is a discussion of the Vancouver builders, and the structure of the industry here. This enables a comparison to be made with the industry elsewhere, and some of the differences and possible reasons for them are discussed in considerable detail. In the final portions of the paper there is a discussion of the most important variables affecting the industry in Vancouver, leading to the conclusions. Suggestions are made for further study.

Item Media

Item Citations and Data

Rights

For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.