What will the future of Vancouver look like?

What the approved Vancouver Plan means for future housing strategies. 

Vancouver remains a rapidly growing region and the Vancouver Plan serves as a policy direction for said growth. This Plan shows that 53% of households in Vancouver rent and that detached homes make up 52% of the City’s land area, something the City is actively working to change to create the highest and best use of land while preserving the character of our City through this Plan.

One of the three primary ideas that emerged from the Plan is equitable housing and complete neighbourhoods. This hopes to allow meaningful accessibility to affordable housing, a choice of a liveable neighbourhood, to support local businesses and arts/culture, as well as allowing easy access to amenities, and more. The three main areas of change that will reflect this across the City are: rapid transit areas, neighbourhood shopping areas, and residential areas in the form of high density in proximity to transit and integrating missing middle housing i.e. 3-6 storey low-rise and mid-rise buildings beyond.

Here’s some other housing facts relating to housing and growth in the Plan:

• The city is expected to grow to 830,000 people by 2040

• Adding more than 345,000 jobs by 2040

• Incomes have not increased at the same pace as housing costs

• Rental housing options are unevenly distributed across the City