City appoints new general manager of Development, Buildings and Licensing, as incumbent retires

Effective May 17, 2024, Andrea Law (she/her), the City’s general manager of Development, Buildings and Licensing (DBL) will retire from her role after 34 years of service. Corrie Okell (she/her) has been appointed to this role effective May 21, 2024.

“Over Andrea’s extraordinary legacy of service, she has made an immeasurable contribution to the City and the incredible physical transformation of Vancouver,” said City Manager Paul Mochrie. “I have very much appreciated Andrea’s steady, thoughtful and caring leadership, and her drive to streamline our permitting and licensing processes. With Corrie taking on the General Manager role, I am confident we will continue to make significant strides in DBL’s transformational work ahead.” 

Okell joined the City in 2018 and currently serves as the director, Development and Building Permitting Services within the department. In that capacity, she has played a key role in supporting the delivery of permitting services and the City’s ongoing efforts to simplify, streamline and expedite development and building approvals. Notable developments under Okell’s leadership include the significant reduction in permitting times for low-density housing, the introduction of expedited permitting for straightforward renovations, and the implementation of expedited issuance for many sprinkler permits. Okell also serves as chair of the Development Permit Board.

“I’m delighted to step into the General Manager role with expanded responsibility for a dedicated team who are committed to making Vancouver a vibrant, safer, healthier and more accessible city,” said Okell. “The City is doing transformational work in steering policies and services that shape and support how people build, work and live in Vancouver, and I’m excited to lead and continue to build on this.”

Okell holds an MBA and additional certifications in conflict resolution, project management, mental health and team performance. Prior to joining the City, she worked with E-Comm 9-1-1 in various leadership roles with responsibility for policy and process optimization, training and operations.