The City of Burnaby is pleased to announce John Brendan McEown as the first-ever CEO for the Burnaby Housing Authority, a City-led platform to increase housing access and affordability for Burnaby residents. The housing authority’s mission is to accelerate the delivery of non-market housing.
Since 2024, the Burnaby Housing Authority has been strengthening the City’s capacity to deliver new housing and deepen partnerships with all levels of government, non-profit providers and the private sector. With ambitious housing targets and a long-term vision rooted in sustainability and equity, the Authority is now entering a new phase of strategic leadership and delivery under McEown’s guidance.
McEown brings over a decade of experience in affordable housing development, most recently as Associate Vice-President of Development Strategies at BC Housing. Throughout his career, he has overseen the delivery of more than 9,000 affordable housing units and secured approvals for an additional 8,000 units across British Columbia. His work has spanned project delivery, complex financing, rezoning, stakeholder partnerships and strategic program alignment with agencies such as CMHC.
McEown holds a Master of Urban Studies from Simon Fraser University and a BA in Urban Planning and Land Economics from Quest University. He is recognized for his collaborative leadership style, ability to navigate complex systems, and focus on results-oriented housing solutions. He is deeply aligned with the Burnaby Housing Authority’s vision of creating repeatable, scalable and community-driven housing models.
“John Brendan’s appointment marks the beginning of a bold new chapter for the Burnaby Housing Authority,” said Aubrey Kelly, Chair of the BHA Board of Directors. “He brings the right blend of public housing leadership, development expertise and long-term vision to build the foundation for a generational shift in how we deliver housing in Burnaby. We are thrilled to welcome him to this critical role.”
The national executive search was led by Richard Costello of HighView Partners, a talent search firm specializing in real estate across Canada.
Learn more: Burnaby.ca/HousingAuthority