At Concert Properties, building communities has always meant more than the physical spaces we own and manage. It also means creating opportunities for people to connect, build relationships and feel a genuine sense of belonging where they live.
That’s the idea behind Community Connectors, a program piloted across our British Columbia rental communities that brings neighbours together through shared interests, workshops and activities. Originally launched in 2021 and reintroduced this spring, the refreshed program gives residents a greater role in shaping those connections by encouraging them to organize and host activities of their own, alongside events supported by Concert Properties.
“This version of Community Connectors is about empowering residents to lead,” says Romina Gonzalez, Community Engagement Specialist and leader of the program at Concert Properties. “When someone says, ‘I can do this,’ we help create the space for that to happen. Residents are stepping up with ideas like yoga, arts and crafts or walking clubs; and they’re excited to get to know their neighbours.”
The program is designed to stay flexible, shaped by the interests of residents in each building. To get it started, boards were set up in building lobbies where residents could share ideas for activities they wanted to join or host. Romina and site teams also held in-person engagement sessions to hear directly from residents. From there, Concert Properties can help bring those ideas to life through planning support, access to common spaces and, in some cases, microgrants to help cover supplies.
Sometimes, creating that space is all it takes.
At The Bradford, a young student who is passionate about drawing discovered through one of the program’s lobby boards that a neighbour works as an animator. What started as a casual conversation turned into the two sharing their work, exchanging feedback and making plans to connect again.
“There’s more energy in the buildings now,” says Romina. “You can feel a bit more buzz. Residents aren’t only looking for a place to go home and shut their door; they’re looking for ways to interact with the people around them.”
Since resident-led activities began in June, communities have hosted everything from diamond-dot magnet-making and financial literacy sessions to rooftop yoga and FIFA World Cup watch parties. Ideas continue to come in, from mahjong and community quilting to coffee chats, Zumba and art therapy.
But the activities themselves are only part of the story.
At Collingwood Village, a gardening workshop with Collingwood Neighbourhood House gave resident Jon practical advice for his first garden plot — and someone in his community he now knows he can turn to.
“The gardening workshop was great!” he says. “This is the first time I have a garden plot, so I was unsure about many things. Now I can reach out to [my neighbour,] Irene, because she gave me so many great tips. She even offered to help me stabilize my tomato plants.”
The importance of those relationships is increasingly recognized as part of overall health. While physical activity and nutrition are well-established contributors to well-being, the World Health Organization has elevated social connection as a global public health priority, estimating that one in six people worldwide experiences loneliness and pointing to the significant impacts loneliness and social isolation can have on both physical and mental health.
For Concert Properties, creating opportunities for those connections is part of our ESG commitments and an extension of our broader social purpose: to create resilient, inclusive and sustainable communities. Alongside the seasonal events and community workshops hosted by Concert Properties, Community Connectors is one of the ways we bring that purpose to life in the communities we manage.
As Romina puts it, the impact runs both ways: “We see this as something that benefits both residents and our organization,” she says. “When people feel connected to where they live, it creates a stronger sense of belonging and increases overall happiness.”
For residents like Vera, who recently moved into her building, that sense of belonging is already taking shape. “I moved three months ago and I already feel like a part of the community,” she says.
Interested in being part of a Concert Properties community? Visit concertproperties.com/rentals to explore available rental homes across our portfolio.