Renewal Development

2025 Governors Awards

Little Yellow School House | Renewal Development

The National Trust for Canada’s Board of Governors has presented Renewal Development with a Governors’ Award for their work to rescue and repurpose heritage buildings.   

Since its founding in 1956, Renewal Development has specialized in relocating and modernizing quality structures slated for demolition – giving them a new purpose in communities that need them, while preserving the architectural character, reducing environmental impact, and extending the life of existing buildings.  

Over the years, Renewal Development has saved and adapted a wide range of structures, including many with heritage value. One notable example is the relocation and transformation of the Little Yellow School House, a 1912 building now serving as an early childhood language immersion Learning Nest in partnership with the Squamish Nation. Projects like this show how existing buildings can be thoughtfully reused to meet community needs while retaining connections to local history. 

The Governors have chosen to highlight Renewal Development’s work as an excellent example of how saving existing buildings, including heritage buildings, is worth the investment.