Vancouver Plan invites all to explore how neighbourhoods can grow and change over next 30 years

THE City of Vancouver wants to hear from everyone who lives, works or plays in Vancouver about where and how it should prioritize its growth to create a more livable, affordable and sustainable city.

The Vancouver Plan has launched public engagement to explore early plan directions and ways Vancouver could grow to 2050. Vancouver is at the centre of a dynamic region that is anticipated to grow by one million people and 500,000 jobs in the next 30 years.

“We know that residents love many aspects of our city, and want a future that is inclusive, diverse and works for everyone,” says Theresa O’Donnell, General Manager of Planning, Urban Design, and Sustainability. “The Vancouver Plan is a holistic and strategic approach to achieve this while tackling the challenges we experience today. In combination with current initiatives to add more housing options across the City, this plan will chart a path for our neighbourhoods to make them more liveable, sustainable, and equitable over the next 30 years.”

Through the first two phases of Vancouver Plan engagement, Three ‘Big Ideas’ emerged:

  • More equitable housing and complete neighbourhoods;
  • An economy that works for all; and
  • Climate protection and restored ecosystems.

Listening and learning from robust community engagement, City staff have combined this knowledge with extensive urban planning research to identify three main types of areas to add growth opportunities throughout the city.

Staff are now seeking community feedback on these areas to gage the public’s opinion on where to grow and how to grow:

  • Rapid Transit Areas are typically within about a 10 minute walk from rapid transit stations and offer opportunities to add housing, retail shops, and jobs.
  • Neighbourhood Shopping Areas are neighbourhood centres and key intersections that ensure more people could live within an easy walk or roll of services and businesses that support their daily needs.
  • Residential Areas are older, low density areas that may have declining populations and fewer shops and services that are walking distance from homes. Adding more housing options in these areas for more families would reinvigorate these areas, schools, and community centres.

The Vancouver Plan is also seeking input on how this future growth can respond to the Climate Emergency, as well as how our job spaces can grow and enhance our economy.

“We have some important decisions to make as a city. How do we ensure the intrinsic values of our community are reflected in our neighborhoods, employment areas, recreational areas, and natural ecosystems? These are the conversations needed to decide where we grow and how we grow.” says O’Donnell. “Over the next month, we are sharing early plan directions for discussion and we want to hear from everyone. Let’s build on what we love most about our city and tackle our challenges head on, together.”

Engagement Schedule:

  • Online survey – have your say on the choices and priorities for different ways Vancouver could grow
  • Virtual open house – learn more about the choices and priorities, growth we expect, and proposals
  • Virtual neighbourhood area workshops – facilitated by City staff for a more in-depth discussion of the choices and priorities from neighbourhood perspectives.
  • Outdoor community pop-ups with unique, socially-distanced in-person booths. No registration required.
  • Drop in open house at City Lab (511 West Broadway, Vancouver), 9 a.m.-6 p.m. (open Tuesday and Wednesday, October 26 and 27, then Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Monday until November 25). No registration required.

The City says that all of the work towards creating the Vancouver Plan is based on the foundational principles the community helped it to identify – Reconciliation, equity and resilience.

The Vancouver Plan will be a strategic, land use plan with supporting policies that will guide growth and change for the entire city to 2050.

Visit vancouverplan.ca to learn more and join the discussion and help create the city you want.