Vancouver Plan

Vancouver Plan
Name	Vancouver Plan
Official name	Vancouver Plan
Settlement type	Strategic planning initiative
Established title	Adopted
Established date	2022
Seat	Vancouver City Hall
Coordinates	49°16′N 123°07′W
Country	Canada
Province	British Columbia
Municipality	City of Vancouver

Vancouver Plan The Vancouver Plan is a city-scale strategic planning initiative adopted by the City of Vancouver in 2022 to guide land use, transportation, housing, and environmental policy through 2050. The Plan builds on prior municipal frameworks such as the CityPlan process, the Greenest City Action Plan, and the Transportation 2040 strategy and interfaces with regional authorities including the Metro Vancouver Regional District and provincial legislation such as the Local Government Act (British Columbia). It emerged from intensive public processes involving neighbourhood associations, advocacy groups, and professional bodies like the Canadian Institute of Planners.

Background and planning process

The Plan’s genesis traces to earlier Vancouver initiatives including the Downtown Vancouver Plan, the Marpole Community Plan, and the Cambie Corridor Plan, and to civic responses to the 2010s housing affordability crisis and climate policy imperatives exemplified by the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change. A city-appointed project team collaborated with consultants, Indigenous partners such as the Musqueam Indian Band, the Squamish Nation, and the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, and statutory bodies including the Vancouver Park Board. Public engagement used workshops, open houses, online surveys, and events with stakeholders like the UBC School of Community and Regional Planning, the Real Estate Institute of British Columbia, tenant advocacy groups, business associations including the Vancouver Board of Trade, and environmental NGOs such as the David Suzuki Foundation. Independent reviews referenced case studies from cities like Portland, Oregon, Copenhagen, and Melbourne.

Goals and policies

Primary goals include increasing housing supply, enhancing transit and active modes, protecting green space, advancing equity for renters and Indigenous peoples, and preparing for sea level rise and heat events. Policy instruments draw on statutory tools in British Columbia and best practices promoted by the Canadian Urban Institute, national standards such as those from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and sustainability criteria from the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI). Equity-focused measures align with recommendations from bodies like the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and human rights guidance from the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Land use and zoning changes

The Plan proposes comprehensive updates to the zoning framework that affect corridors, town centres, and single-family neighbourhoods, integrating concepts from the Vancouver Affordable Housing Agency mandates and precedent plans such as the Kitsilano Neighbourhood Plan. Changes include form-of-development controls, density shifts along frequent transit corridors identified by TransLink, and refined heritage conservation policies referencing the Vancouver Heritage Register. The zoning approach balances infill intensification seen in Oakridge redevelopment and protections for character areas like Shaughnessy, while enabling mixed-use nodes similar to 20-minute neighbourhoods advocated by the Canadian Urban Transit Association.

Transportation and active mobility

Transportation policies reinforce transit-first objectives coordinated with TransLink regional services, with investments prioritized for rapid transit corridors, bus rapid transit concepts, and cycling networks inspired by examples from Amsterdam and Seville. Active mobility expansions include protected bike lanes, pedestrianization of high-retail streets such as in Gastown and Commercial Drive, and micromobility frameworks consistent with provincial rules from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (BC). The Plan emphasizes integration with regional goods movement managed by Port of Vancouver operations and freight planning.

Housing and affordability strategies

Strategies target increased diverse housing forms: rental apartments, multiplexes, social housing, and supportive housing developed in partnership with agencies like the BC Housing and non-profits including Vancouver Affordable Housing Agency and the Vancouver Aboriginal Transformative Justice Services Society. Policies incorporate inclusionary housing considerations, density bonusing, and streamlined permitting to accelerate projects eligible for financing from institutions such as the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). Tenant protection measures reference provincial tenancy law administered by the Residential Tenancy Branch (BC) and complement municipal tools for rental retention and anti-displacement.

Environmental sustainability and climate resilience

Environmental measures emphasize green infrastructure, urban canopy expansion consistent with the Vancouver Urban Forest Strategy, heat mitigation, stormwater management, and coastal flood risk addressed in concert with regional sea-level rise planning and the Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium. Building performance upgrades and net-zero targets leverage provincial codes like the BC Energy Step Code and align with climate agendas pursued by groups such as the Pembina Institute. Natural area protection and biodiversity stewardship draw from partnerships with organizations such as the Stanley Park Ecology Society and academic research from Simon Fraser University.

Implementation, governance, and public engagement

Implementation relies on phased actions, monitoring metrics, and cross-jurisdictional coordination with entities including the Metro Vancouver Regional District, provincial ministries, and First Nations institutions. Governance mechanisms use rezoning processes administered by the City of Vancouver Planning Department and oversight by Vancouver City Council and committees. Ongoing public engagement commitments promise reporting, annual progress dashboards, and continued collaboration with community groups, academia, industry stakeholders like the Urban Development Institute, and advocacy organizations such as the B.C. Non-Profit Housing Association.

Category:City plans in Canada