Michael von Hausen is President of MVH Urban Planning & Design Inc., a firm that specializes in sensitive land development planning, resilient urban design, group facilitation, and community partnerships. He brings over 40 years of public and private land development, planning, and design experience from across North America. He uniquely blends planning, design and economics to find sustainable “soft touch” development solutions that balance higher economic, cultural, and climate change gains.

Since graduating from Harvard University in 1980, Mr. von Hausen has continued to combine his professional practice with research and university teaching to develop cutting-edge solutions.

Mr. von Hausen’s professional work has received national and international recognition. He combines this recognition with proven skills in group facilitation, project approvals and management from feasibility through to construction. He holds a Masters degree in Urban Design from Harvard University with a specialty in land development economics. He is a past Director of the Surrey Foundation and a former member of the City of Surrey Urban Design Panel. Michael was the chief instructor and curriculum coordinator of the Urban Design Certificate Program at Simon Fraser University and is adjunct professor in the graduate Urban Studies Program at Simon Fraser University. Michael is also an adjunct professor at Vancouver Island University in the Master of Community Planning Program.

Michael was honored by the Who's Who for Professional and Executives in 2012. He was honoured as a fellow of the Canadian Institute of Planners in 2016—the institute’s highest honour. In 2019, MVH received the Award of Planning Excellence from the Canadian Institute of Planners for the Cowichan Bay Village Vitalization Strategy. In 2020, Michael received the Research and Innovation Award from the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects for his outstanding leadership, research, and academic achievements.

• Canadian Institute of Planner, National Conference, November 2020, ‘Healthy Communities/Healthy Downtowns with David Witty.

• Ontario Association of Landscape Architects, Annual Conference, May 2020, ‘Small Is Big for the Future of Small to Medium-Size Downtowns.’

• District of Saanich, “Designing Healthy Urban Centres.” Inspiration speaker to kick-off urban centre design and planning. Saanich, B.C., January 2017.
  

• City Summit, “Great City Future: Taking Your City to the Next Level.” Keynote address. City of Fredericton New Brunswick, October 2016.
  

• 8th Forum of Theory and Practice on Healthy Housing, “Designing Healthy Communities Worldwide”. Keynote address. Beijing, China, June 2016.
  

• Alberta Professional Planners Institute, “Growing In and Growing Up”. Workshop for Annual Conference. Jasper, Alberta, October 2016.
  

• Queen’ University Public Lecture, “People Centre: Designing Next Generation Complete Communities”, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, January 2015.
  

• Real Property Institute of Canada, “The Value Edge Potential: Urban Design in Civic Development Projects”, RPIC National Workshop Keynote Address, Ottawa, Ontario, November 2014.
  

• Urban Land Institute, “Vancouver as a Laboratory”, Moderator for panel discussion, Urban Land Institute Spring Convention, Vancouver, April 2014.
  

• Building Sustainable Communities Conference Keynote, "Actualzing Plan: 5 Rules for Over-Delivering on Results", Kelowna BC, November 2013.
  

• World Urban Forum Presentation,"Healing Communities - The Next Generation", Naples, Italy, September 2012.
  

• Community Planners Association of Alberta Annual Conference Keynote Address, "Dynamic Complete Communities", Red Deer, Alberta, April 2012.
  

• National Seminar on Design and Planning for Sustainable Habitat Background Paper, "Learning from Vancouver", EF-1.15-EF-1.31 published by the International Development Research Centre, Centre for Sustainable Habitat, Human Settlement Management Institute and Housing and Urban Development Corporation, New Delhi, India, July 2011.
  

• Economic Association of BC 2011 Annual Conference, Presentation with the Mayor of the City of Langley, "Dynamic Pedestrian Magnets: Learning from New Main Streets", Langley, BC, June 2011.
  

• FortisBC Energy Solutions Conference Keynote address, "Energy as Catalyst", Parksville, BC, April 2011.
  

• FortisBC Energy Solutions Conference Keynote address, "Commodity to Community: Energy as a Catalyst to Advance Change", Whistler, BC, September 2010.
  

• Ottawa Forum Keynote Speaker, "Vancouverisms in Ottawa", Ottawa, Ontario, May 2011.
  

• BC Society of Landscape Architects Annual Conference Presentation, "Urban Design Revolution: Voids in the Practice of Bigger Place-Making", North Vancouver, BC, May 2011.
  

• Parksville Chamber of Commerce, Guest Speaker, "Downtown Parksville – Centre First", Parksville, BC, September 2010.
  

• Urban Development Institute of Alberta Annual Conference Facilitator and Presenter, "Innovations in Sustainable Development", Calgary, Alberta, April 2010.
  

• B.C. Land Summit, Presentation, "Learning from New Main Streets: Mixing It Up and Creating Great Sustainable Community Hearts", Whistler, BC, May 2009.
  

• Alberta Development Officers Association Annual Conference, Keynote Speaker, "Downtown Renaissance", City of Red Deer, Alberta, September 2009.
  

• Nova Scotia Planning Directors Conference, Keynote Speaker, "Downtowns Renaissance", Halifax, Nova Scotia, May 2009.
  

• Nova Scotia Planning Directors Conference, Professional Training Workshop, "ACT PLAN", "GATEWAYS", Halifax, Nova Scotia, May 2009.
  

• Town of Amherst, Downtown Workshops, Amhurst, Nova Scotia, May 2009.
  

• Urban Development Institute Alberta, Conference Speaker Sustainable Developments, Edmonton, Alberta, April 2009.
  

• MD of Rocky View, Commercial Development Potential, Public Lecture, Calgary Zoo, Calgary, Alberta, May 2008.
  

• National Radio Spokesperson, Guest on CBC Radio “IDEAS” aired January 2005 on “Designing Complete Communities in Western Canada”. Michael has also spoken on CBC Radio on “Green Infrastructure” and sustainability in 2004 as well as about Downtown Revitalization in 2007.
  

• Western Infrastructure Conference, “Sustainable Development in Vancouver’s North False Creek” Calgary, Alberta, November 2006.
  

• Alberta Institute of Planners, “Effective Visual Communications Workshop”, Lake Louise, Alberta October 2006.
  

• Real Estate Institute of BC Annual Conference, presentation: “Innovative Rurban Tools for Rural and Resort Development”, Nelson, BC., September 2005.
  

• Canadian Institute of Planners National Conference, presentation: “100 Year Vision for Midtown Calgary”, Calgary, Alberta, July 2005.
  

• Value-Added Urban Design for Prairie Cities, presentation to senior management, City of Regina, June 2005.
  

• Green Building Seminar, Kelowna, BC: Green Building seminar presenter, March 2005.
  

• "Implementation Case Study - the Lower Twelfth Street Area Plan", Planning Institute of British Columbia Annual Conference, Victoria, B.C., April 2005.
  

• Environmental Design Research Association National Conference, Vancouver, (EDRA):
  panel coordinator on Green Cities and Eco-Benefits, April 2005.
  

• "Calgary Midtown - Actively Shaping a 100 - Year Vision" von Hausen, M. et al, Plan Canada, pgs. 46-49, Spring 2005.
  

• CBC Radio "Ideas" guest speaker on "Complete Communities" in Calgary, Alberta, October 2004 and aired on CBC radio in January 2005
  

• Shanghai Land Company, “Sustainable Urban Landscapes”, Shanghai, China, May 2006.
  

• "Real Estate Economics in Urban Design: Civic Economics Role in Place-Making" von Hausen, M., September 2004.
  

• Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) Calgary Seminar on Downtown Intensification in Vancouver, B.C., October 2004.