Webinars, Videos, and Podcasts

Thoughtful design and programming

As Canadian cities densify, multi-unit housing is becoming a dominant form for many – if not most – households. These housing types, however, sometimes offer lower levels of connection between neighbours and a reduced feeling of community. This is not a minor issue: our connections with neighbours – and with our immediate neighbourhood – impact our health in significant and measurable ways. 

But multi-unit housing is not inherently isolating: thoughtful design and programming can help to build community, neighbourly connections and resilience. Great examples exist but they are too often the exception, not the rule. 

This webinar series explores the designs, tools, and paradigms that planners and housing professionals can use to ensure denser housing also supports community resilience and social connection.

A team of people stand painting an outside mural at Westridge.

Webinars, video recaps, and videos

Webinar Recap: Design tools to support wellbeing in multi-unit housing with Happy Cities and Hey Neighbour Collective

An illustrated graphic to promote the Happy Cities and Hey Neighbour Collective webinar about the Building Social Connections toolkit.

On October 3rd, 2024, Hey Neighbour Collective hosted Housing That Connects Us #4: Design Tools to Support Wellbeing, as part of the year-long Building Social…

Untangling the affordability puzzle with Happy Cities and Chesterman Properties: webinar recap

Group photo of Michelle Hoar, Robert Brown, and Madeleine Hebert in the third 'Housing that Connects Us webinar' joining by Zoom.

Resources, recordings, presentations, and notable moments from the third in our ‘Housing That Connects Us’ webinar series.

Webinar recap: Housing that Connects Us #2, a conversation with UK innovators

Group photo of the participants in the webinar joining by Zoom.

A round-up featuring video, slides, quotes and other resources.

Webinar recap: Housing That Connects Us

A montage of slide decks including profile photos of Michelle Hoar, Laura Chow, and Madeleine Hebert.

Please enjoy our round-up from the webinar, including a video, slides and other resources, along with a snapshot of a few of the most notable…

Webinar recap: Social Sustainability in Multi-Unit Housing 

Headshots of speakers, and slide deck cover images of the presenters, from the CMHC webinar on March 1.

On March 1st, Hey Neighbour Collective (HNC) and CMHC co-hosted a webinar entitled ‘Social Sustainability in Multi-Unit Housing.’ A diverse audience, including local and federal…

Building resilience and emergency preparedness through social connections: video

The sun sets in the West and the city of Vancouver sits nestled South of mountains, as seen from the air.

Workshop leaders and participants discuss how the Connect & Prepare program helps grow social connections between neighbours that support resilience and preparedness.

Benefits of community building for housing providers: video

People sit around a table at an event put on by a landlord of a multi-unit building.

Landlords and housing operators can help nurture relationships among residents, and the positive returns for everyone involved can be substantial.

The benefits of neighbourly connections for residents in multi-unit housing: video

Painters work side-by-side on the outdoor Westridge paint-in.

Residents share why they became community connectors in their multi-unit buildings, what kinds of activities they helped organize, and what the benefits have been.

How an 11 year-old helped connect neighbours through the pandemic

A young person sits at a laptop smiling and chat with community members from the comfort of her kitchen table.

In contrast to some claims that apartment living is lonely or isolating, the Community Connectors program shows that multi-unit buildings offer a wealth of social support at…