Vancouver Plans to Rezone 4,300 Properties to Boost Housing Supply

The City of Vancouver is set to proactively rezone nearly 4,300 properties across the Broadway Plan and Cambie Corridor Plan areas. This initiative aims to expedite the development process and significantly increase housing availability near existing and future SkyTrain stations. A public meeting scheduled for next Tuesday will see the City Council likely endorsing staff recommendations to advance bylaw amendments to a forthcoming public hearing, expected to take place in September or October following the summer recess.

This move follows a public consultation initiated by City staff in March 2025, where the proposal was first introduced. In a recent interview, Josh White, the City of Vancouver’s General Manager of Planning, Urban Design, and Sustainability, elaborated on the changes that are poised to reshape the city’s landscape.

The proposed amendments will introduce a standardized zoning framework for low-rise, mid-rise, and high-rise residential buildings, aligning closely with the existing guidelines under the Broadway Plan and Cambie Corridor Plan. These updates are designed to incorporate contemporary economic factors and enhance financial viability for developers.

In the new zoning classifications, the R3 zones will permit low-rise apartments up to six storeys, or eight storeys if designated as affordable housing, with a floor area ratio (FAR) density of up to three times the size of the lot. Mid-rise buildings will fall under R4 zones, allowing for structures typically around twelve storeys with a FAR density up to 4.0. R5 zones will facilitate high-rise towers reaching up to 22 storeys with a FAR density of up to 6.5, contingent upon proximity to SkyTrain stations and affordability stipulations.

This extensive rezoning initiative eliminates the burden of individual rezoning applications for property owners, developers, and builders. Projects located on City-initiated rezoned sites can directly proceed to the development permit application stage. This streamlined process is expected to save applicants both time and costs associated with City fees and architectural consultations. City staff estimate that these reforms will reduce the overall development timeline by 12 to 15 months.

Additionally, these changes will free up City staff resources, allowing them to shift focus from lengthy reports and public hearings to other pressing tasks. Currently, applications for rezoning within the Broadway Plan and Cambie Corridor Plan represent approximately 40 percent of all public hearings in the city.

In cases where tower developments are permissible but face complex site conditions—such as building shadowing or contaminated soils—a streamlined “rezoning-to-district” process will still be required. This approach aims to be more efficient than the traditional rezoning process.

The majority of the properties affected by this City-initiated rezoning lie within the Broadway Plan area, particularly near future stations on the Millennium Line extension. For the Cambie Corridor Plan, properties are primarily located near the Canada Line’s Oakridge-41st Avenue Station.

This initiative marks the largest standardized rezoning in Vancouver’s history and aligns with the Government of British Columbia’s legislated requirements for transit-oriented development in designated areas. It reflects a commitment to enhance affordable housing through newly authorized provincial inclusionary zoning powers.

Moreover, the real estate sector and provincial authorities have noted that site-specific rezoning applications are often redundant if the intended uses and built forms are already supported by area plans. The changes also adhere to the 2022 Vancouver Plan, which emphasizes sustainable urban development.

Support for the initiative was prominent during public consultations, particularly regarding its potential to accelerate housing availability. Nonetheless, concerns were voiced about the impact on neighborhood character, infrastructure capacity, and construction disturbances. City staff assured that all developments will still undergo design reviews, providing opportunities for public input at the development permit application phase.

Enhanced tenant protections will remain effective in areas with existing rental housing. A temporary transition period will allow current applicants to adjust to the new zoning framework without resubmitting tenant relocation plans, as long as they submit development permits within a year of bylaw enactment. Presently, there are around 40 in-stream rezoning applications that involve tenant relocation plans within the designated rezoning areas.

This zoning overhaul builds upon previous phases of the Broadway Plan and Cambie Corridor Plan and precedes an upcoming city-wide update of Design and Development Guidelines slated for 2026. Earlier this month, City Council also approved a transit-oriented development strategy for the Rupert and Renfrew Station Area Plan, marking significant progress since the Broadway Plan’s 2022 approval. Later this year, City staff will seek further approval from City Council for additional City-initiated rezonings in this newer area plan, aiming to facilitate new low-rise apartment developments.