Vancouver Commercial Real Estate Podcast

Providing real-time insight into today's commercial real estate industry.

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March 18, 2026
VCREP #184: From Spec Builds to Strategy: How Vancouver Developers Are Adapting with Ben Temple and Darren Sauer

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Construction activity across Metro Vancouver is changing, with developers adjusting how projects are planned, financed, and delivered.

This week, Cory Wright sits down with Ben Temple, Business Development Manager, and Darren Sauer, Director of Development at Wales McLelland, a construction firm with roots dating back to 1971. They discuss the shift toward owner-user projects over speculative development, as well as emerging demand in sectors like self-storage and data centres.

The conversation closes with their outlook for the rest of 2026, including early signs of improving leasing activity and cautious optimism in the industrial development market.

Guest Information

Ben Temple is the Business Development Manager at Wales McLelland. Ben is a former commercial real estate broker and acquisition manager with over 14 years of experience in a variety of real estate sectors. He helps the team identify opportunities for new partnerships and continued growth, manage the development and execution of market plans, and work to successfully advance projects for our clients.

Darren Sauer is the Director of Development at Wales McLelland. Darren brings over 20 years of expertise in the construction and development industry. He began his career at Wales McLelland, where he served as Project Coordinator and later as Project Manager from 2008 to 2013. Following this, he held a Senior Manager position with a prominent industrial and residential real estate developer until 2019, specializing in land development, including master-planned business parks, project approvals, and overseeing site preparation and servicing.

In 2019, Darren rejoined Wales McLelland, where he focuses on collaborating with clients and project stakeholders to lead the project initiation, development services, and preconstruction stages prior to construction. He also holds an Executive MBA from Simon Fraser University.

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Vancouver Commercial Real Estate Podcast

For all the curious minds interested in commercial real estate investing, grab a coffee and pull up a chair because we have exclusive stories and tips from commercial real estate brokers, investors, developers, economists, urban planners, and everyone in-between. From the successes and failures to the motivations and lessons learned, the Vancouver Commercial Real Estate Podcast is your insight into commercial real estate in Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna, and beyond.

What's the best real estate market to invest in? What are the commercial real estate asset classes and property types? Hosted by Cory Wright, founder of William Wright Commercial, and co-hosts Adam and Matt Scalena of the Vancouver Real Estate Podcast, our podcast opens the door to real estate investing for everyone from beginner investors to experienced real estate professionals. New episodes are released every Tuesday. Follow the Vancouver Commercial Real Estate Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music, or your favourite streaming platforms.

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