Dear Reader, 
 
The benefits of recycling an entire house. An evolution toward condo life. The disappearing parking spot. And the rise of ghost kitchens. 

In the weeks since our Next Metro Vancouver summit, our journalists have explored a range of trends shaping the way we live in the region. 

That summit, the first in a series in partnership with CityAge, brought together innovative thinkers to discuss how to build a vibrant region. It has inspired us to pursue stories that dig into big ideas that represent meaningful change. 

More than 3,000 single-family homes are demolished annually in Metro Vancouver and that number is increasing along with urbanization. By some estimates, according to this feature story by John Mackie, at least 600 of these dwelling could have been saved from the wrecking ball and relocated to become someone else's new home. 

But in a region with nearly two dozen local governments with different regulations on how and what can be moved, the bureaucratic challenges are enormous. That's why there is a push for a Metro-wide policy that could keep many homes out of our limited landfill space. 

Reporter Joanne Lee-Young identified a regional trend driven by a continued slump in the condo market as more and more developers are converting market projects to rental. 

This shift has significant implications for how we live, particularly as more of us move out of single-family homes into apartments. Reporter Alec Lazenby examined what it will mean if current forecasts hold true and more than half of Metro residents are living multiple-unit buildings by 2051. 

Urbanization brings a range of street-level challenges such as parking. 

Douglas Todd concedes that the issue may seem "a bit boring" but goes on to explain in a pair of columns why we should be concerned about a rush to eliminate parking at the expense of families, small businesses and blue-collar workers.

Many of us have benefited from the growth of take-out and food delivery apps. But did you ever stop to think where that burger or noodle dish was prepared?  

Reporter Glenda Luymes did and she discovered that some of these meals are made in uninspected kitchens, private homes and garages. She interviewed local health inspectors about the risk of illness and how to check if a restaurant has a permit before you order.

We can only continue to write about issues critical to the region's health and future with the support of readers like you. Please consider subscribing to the Vancouver Sun or The Province for only 50 cents a week to help us do this work.

As always, I'm interested to hear from you about stories and topics our newsroom might  pursue as part of the Next Metro Vancouver series. I can be reached at hmunro@postmedia.com.  
  
Kind regards,   
  
Harold Munro  
Editor-in-Chief  
Vancouver Sun | The Province