Being pet-friendly makes good business sense

Being pet-friendly is good for business!

Kevington Building Corp., a local rental development firm, understands that what is good for their residents is also good for their bottom line.

For many businesses, the bottom line is the bottom line. Kevington Building Corp., a local, family-owned business that develops and operates rental residential, commercial, and mixed-use properties, understands that what is good for their residents is also good for their business. Kevington welcomes diversity in its residents and this includes residents with companion animals.

Kevington is an established, local corporate partner that supports RAPS – but also, more generally, supports households that include animals. The company currently has a total of 144 residential rental suites and, once their new building, The U, Kevington’s new building in Coquitlam opens this spring near Simon Fraser University, this number will increase to 245. They also have 47 commercial units located across the Lower Mainland, with more coming online at The U as well. Pets are welcome in all commercial and residential spaces.

Currently, Kevington properties are home to 43 cats and 65 dogs. In a province where pet-friendly accommodations are in desperately short supply, Kevington’s enthusiasm for pets is very much appreciated.

“We want residents to be able to live their lives in our properties and know that they can expand their circle of people and pets that they live with,” says Michael Gunion, Kevington’s General Manager, Operations and Marketing. “They can have a partner move in, they can get a pet together, their lives can grow and expand.”

Encouraging social sustainability in this way is important for people’s wellbeing, and it also helps keep suites occupied. It seems like a logical strategy that most rental building owners should understand, yet this type of holistic attitude is not yet common.

“Pets generally make a building safer, mostly because of the dogs coming and going. This creates activity at the property and helps to deter unwanted activity. One of the main benefits of our community initiatives is that building tenants get to know each other and that truly makes any property much safer. We see a lot of residents forming genuine friendships with each other and often bonding over pets,” he says. “Many of our residents come to our buildings never contemplating getting a pet. Once they meet other pet owners, they often approach us saying, I don’t have a pet now but it’s nice to know that if I wanted one Kevington would be open to it.”

RAPS advocates with governments and other stakeholders for pet-affirmative housing options. We are honoured to have friends like Kevington that take it upon themselves to build pet-friendly communities!