Land uses and zoning will change in 17 existing low-density residential areas of Vancouver to create “Villages” of new low-rise multi-family density, effectively increasing housing supply.
Today, Vancouver City Council approved City of Vancouver staff’s planning process for creating 17 Villages across the city.
As identified by the 2022-approved Vancouver Plan, such Village areas will generally be within 400 metres from existing minor retail streets. Within these areas, there will be gentle densification, enabling low-rise residential buildings between three storeys and six storeys, along with townhouses and multiplex residential buildings.
This area planning process will be conducted over the next 18 months through 2026. The 17 Villages that are part of this planning process are generally located around the intersections of:
- MacDonald Street and West 16th Avenue
- MacKenzie Street and West King Edward Avenue
- MacKenzie Street and West 33rd Avenue
- Mackenzie Street and West 41st Avenue
- Angus Drive and West 57th Avenue
- Granville Street and West 41st Avenue
- Oak Street and West 49th Avenue
- Oak Street and West 67th Avenue
- Heather Street and West 33rd Avenue
- Fraser Street and East 33rd Avenue
- Knight Street and East 33rd Avenue
- Victoria Drive and East 61st Avenue
- Commercial Street and East 20th Avenue
- Nanaimo Street and East 1st Avenue
- Nanaimo Street and East Broadway
- Wales Street and East 41st Avenue
- Kerr Street and East 54th Avenue
These 17 Village areas span a combined total of roughly 600 city blocks. In contrast, the entire single Broadway Plan area spans nearly 500 city blocks.
Map of 25 Village areas in Vancouver, including 17 (blue) under the main planning process and eight (red) under separate planning process. (City of Vancouver)
In total, the Vancouver Plan calls for a total of 25 Village areas, but the remaining eight Villages that are not part of the 17 will go through other planning processes.
The remaining eight Villages include areas within the forthcoming Rupert and Renfrew Station Area Plan, which will be finalized for City Council’s approval in Spring 2025, as well as three Villages along Main Street and Fraser Street, including the future revitalization of the Punjabi Market in the vicinity of the intersection of Main Street and East 49th Avenue. Other Village areas are located around the intersection of Yew Street and West 1st Avenue, and the intersection of Knight Street and East 57th Avenue.
Artistic rendering of a concept of a retail street under the Vancouver Plan. (City of Vancouver)
The retail streets (retail districts) that anchor these Villages would be at least two city blocks in length, providing neighbourhood-serving retail, restaurants, and services, including the possibility of smaller grocery stores. These retail districts could also be expanded along streets with less vehicle traffic.
For the new housing created, there will be an emphasis on catalyzing the tenures of secured purpose-built market rental housing and below-market rental housing, and social housing.
The planning process will also consider transportation infrastructure, childcare, community and recreational facilities, park spaces, utilities, and public benefits.
City staff are advancing on creating these new Village area plans, following City Council’s direction in October 2023 that approved Mayor Ken Sim’s member motion to accelerate the implementation of the Villages.
Concurrently, as required by provincial legislation, City staff are also working on creating Vancouver’s very first city-wide Official Development Plan (ODP) by 2026.