Buddhist Monk's Counsel Guided Canadian Developer to Fortune and Philanthropy
Michael Audain, a Vancouver property developer with a deep passion for visual arts, has built an extraordinary fortune through real estate development while maintaining a firm belief against creating family dynasties. His journey from a wandering professional to one of Canada's most significant philanthropists began with pivotal advice from a Buddhist monk.
An Unlikely Path to Business Success
Audain's early career path was anything but conventional. Before entering the property development world, he worked as an airline pilot, prison guard, campus radical, academic, social worker, and even dabbled in day trading before it became mainstream. At age 43, he faced a critical career decision: pursue his dream of writing a historical novel set in 17th-century Thailand or enter Vancouver's homebuilding industry.
"I had spent much of my 20s and 30s criticizing capitalism and businesspeople," Audain recalled, "but after actually meeting some of them, I discovered they weren't so bad after all."
Monastic Guidance Toward Prosperity
To resolve his career dilemma, Audain consulted with a Buddhist monk whose advice proved transformative. The monk suggested that while Audain might find success in either endeavor, pursuing business offered more reliable financial prospects than the uncertain income of writing books.
"I never did get that book written," Audain acknowledged, but the monk's counsel set him on a path to remarkable business achievement.
Building a Development Empire
As chairman and major shareholder of privately held Polygon Homes Ltd., Audain has overseen the construction of more than 34,000 homes across Metro Vancouver. His company has become one of British Columbia's largest multi-family builders, generating substantial wealth that now fuels extensive philanthropic efforts.
Transforming Wealth Into Cultural Legacy
Through the Audain Foundation, which holds approximately $450 million in assets, Audain distributes tens of millions of dollars annually to cultural institutions across Canada. His philanthropic vision focuses primarily on visual arts rather than the more traditional Canadian philanthropic targets of hospitals and educational institutions.
"Most philanthropy in Canada supports hospitals or education," Audain explained. "But I have a great interest in visual arts, so you tend to want to support something that turns you on."
Major Cultural Contributions
Audain's significant arts philanthropy includes:
- The Audain Museum in Whistler, British Columbia, featuring hundreds of works by British Columbia artists including Emily Carr
- A $100 million contribution toward a new Vancouver Art Gallery building
- A recent $91.3 million gift supporting a new pavilion at the Musée National Des Beaux-Arts du Québec dedicated to Jean-Paul Riopelle's works
These substantial contributions reflect Audain's commitment to making great art accessible to all Canadians while creating lasting cultural infrastructure that will benefit generations to come.
Personal Reflections and Unconventional Beginnings
Audain's journey includes colorful personal anecdotes, such as a butterfly tattoo acquired during a night of heavy drinking in Rotterdam in 1958 that he later paid $50 to remove as a condition of his airline pilot employment. These experiences contributed to what he describes as "an unlikely tycoon's coming of age" during which he explored numerous professions before finding his calling in property development.
Today, Michael Audain continues to balance his successful business operations with substantial philanthropic giving, guided by the wisdom of a Buddhist monk's advice that redirected his career path toward both financial success and cultural contribution.
