How will Burnaby accommodate projected growth?
Burnaby is forecasted to grow by over 100,000 new residents, over 55,000 new homes and over 50,000 new jobs by 2050. For the past 3 decades, the City has chosen to focus new growth in the four Town Centres and in the Urban Villages. While Burnaby will continue with this strategy, the City is considering complementing that approach by allowing different types of housing growth in other parts of the city. This will support more housing choice for residents.
Through engagement we have learned that the community is seeking more choice in the types of housing available, particularly more low-density ground-oriented forms (like townhouses and rowhouses). There is a desire to balance housing growth with the preservation of community character and to see more mixed-use development allowing for local shops and services within neighbourhoods. The community also values convenient and easy access to sustainable transportation and access to green spaces, parks and community facilities.
Provincially-mandated minimum densities
In the Fall of 2023, the Provincial government introduced regulations mandating minimum housing densities for all major cities in BC. The mandates are intended to make it easier and faster to build more housing units to meet the current and future demand of the growing population.
The regulations call for increased density close to transit stations (Transit Oriented Areas of TOAs) and bus exchanges and “Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing” within residential areas that meet the requirements. Find out more on the BC Government’s website.
| Transit Oriented Areas (TOAs) | Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH) | |
|---|---|---|
| 0-200m from SkyTrain Station | Minimum height up to 20 storeys | 3-6 units per residential lot |
| 200-400m from SkyTrain Station | Minimum height up to 12 storeys | |
| 400-800m from SkyTrain Station | Minimum height up to 8 storeys | |
Note: The new minimum housing densities mandated by the BC Government only apply to residential lands. These density minimums have no effect on employment, agricultural, conservation, or industrial lands.
The two proposed Growth Scenarios
One of the goals of the OCP is to lay out the land use framework for the city. In order to assess different ways of distributing residential growth, the city undertook a modelling exercise to evaluate two potential growth scenarios as outlined below. Both scenarios have the same provision of schools, parks and open spaces, employment centres and institutional uses.
Baseline Growth Scenario
Baseline Growth Scenario: Nodal Growth
The Baseline Growth Scenario emphasizes higher density growth in established nodes and locations with high-capacity rapid transit. It also replaces existing single and two-family zoning with Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH).
Approach:
- Continue to focus growth in Town Centres and Urban Villages
- Focus new growth in Provincially-mandated Transit Oriented Areas (TOAs) and Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH) areas.
Key Features:
- Nodal-based land use framework
- Provincially-legislated growth around SkyTrain stations and bus exchanges
- Provincially-legislated Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing permitted in all existing residential neighbourhoods.
- Continued concentration of housing in Town Centres and Urban Villages
See Growth Scenario Sample Scenes below to learn more.
Corridor Growth Scenario
Corridor Growth Scenario: Corridors and Nodes
The Corridor Growth Scenario builds on the Baseline Scenario to include a greater mix of housing types, such as townhouses, rowhouses and low-rise apartment options and supports more gradual transitioning of density between higher density areas around SkyTrain stations and lower density Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing. The Corridor Growth Scenario also includes neighbourhood commercial centres with opportunities for local shops or corner stores, providing places where the community can access services close by.
Approach:
- Continue to focus growth in Town Centres and Urban Villages
- Focus new growth in Provincially-mandated Transit Oriented Areas (TOAs) and Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH) areas
- Focus additional growth on transit corridors
- Add more townhouses, rowhouses and low-rise apartments
- Add neighbourhood commercial nodes
Key Features:
- Nodal and Corridor-based land use framework
- Provincially-legislated growth around SkyTrain stations and bus exchanges.
- Provincially-legislated Small-Scale Multi-Unit housing permitted in all existing residential neighbourhoods
- More gradual density and height transitions between Transit Oriented Areas and surrounding neighbourhoods
- Density to support increased transit on key corridors such as Willingdon Avenue
- Neighbourhood commercial nodes with opportunities for local shops or corner stores
See Growth Scenario sample scenes to learn more.
Growth Scenario sample scenes
Below are descriptions of the forms of development permitted in each area along with sample scenes depicting typical building types and heights.
City Centre: The City Centre of Metrotown will have the highest density forms of development. It will include major institutional uses, community facilities, major shops, urban parks and plazas, and cultural and entertainment uses. Residential development will primarily consist of high-rise buildings.
Town Centre: These areas will have high to medium-high density forms of development. They will include district-level institutional and cultural facilities. Residential development in the Town Centres of Brentwood, Lougheed and Edmonds is primarily apartments and ranges from high-rise to mid-rise towers.
*Commercial uses could also be in stand-alone buildings like office towers.
These areas are located at SkyTrain or future Bus Rapid Transit stations. They will include medium-high density forms of development, such as mid-rise and low-rise apartments. These areas may include special use districts such as a university district, arts and entertainment district or hospital district. A Frequent Transit Development Area is a regional designation that lets Metro Vancouver and TransLink know that the area is intended for higher-density transit-oriented development.
These areas are similar to the Urban Village and Proposed Frequent Transit Development Areas but do not include SkyTrain or Bus Rapid Transit stations. They will include medium to medium-high density forms of development, such as mid-rise and low-rise apartments. They may include a main street shopping area, with stores on the ground floor and residential above, such as along Hastings Street in North Burnaby.
These areas have been designated for moderate residential density. They allow for a transition between higher growth areas and those designated for gentle densification. They will be located on the edges of the Town Centres, Urban Villages and along rapid transit corridors. These areas will include low-rise apartments, townhouses, rowhouses and multiplexes. They may also include low-rise mixed-use developments. Growth Focus Areas will also be subject to provincially-mandated minimum densities within 800m of the SkyTrain Stations.
These areas will provide a lower scale of development with minimal change to neighbourhood densities. They will include a mix of lower density housing forms such as rowhouses, single family homes, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes and multiplexes, as well as laneway homes and secondary suites. These neighbourhoods will include local shops in small scale buildings with residential above.
Evaluation outcomes
In the Baseline Growth Scenario, a higher proportion of residential land is designated for Small-Scale Multi-Unit housing forms (like Multiplexes). The Corridor Growth Scenario has a higher proportion of land designated for low-rise and mid-rise apartments townhouses or rowhouses.
Evaluation results show a higher proportion of low-rise and townhouses and rowhouses in the Corridor Growth Scenario. The low-rise apartments and townhouses provide a transition from higher density Transit Oriented Areas and lower density Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing, as well as along key transportation corridors.
The corridor growth scenario allows for more low-rise apartments, townhouses and rowhouses in Growth Focus Areas along key corridors and in the transition area between higher density areas around SkyTrain stations and lower density Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing.
Each scenario was assessed using the same evaluation criteria to determine the advantages and disadvantages of each spatial distribution of housing.
Under both growth scenarios, people living in all areas of the city have excellent access to parks and open spaces (within 400m). Burnaby is well served by transit. Almost all of the population live within a short walk of a bus stop in both scenarios (within 400m).
The Baseline Growth Scenario results in a slightly higher proportion of the city’s population living close to the existing SkyTrain stations (within 800m). The Corridor Growth Scenario results in slightly more people living within walking distance of elementary schools (within 400m).
The neighbourhood commercial nodes proposed for the Corridor Growth Scenario result in a higher proportion of the population living within walking distance of shopping areas (within 400m).
Key differences between the scenarios
Baseline Growth Scenario
- Slightly higher proportion of population within 800 m of SkyTrain stations.
- Less diversity of housing options as more of the growth will either be in high-density TOAs or in Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing forms.
- Potential for faster and easier development since no subdivision or consolidation needed to build Small-Scale Multi-Unit homes on existing residential lots.
- Potential for greater supply of privately-owned rental units in Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing
Corridor Growth Scenario
- Higher proportion of townhouses, rowhouses and low-rise apartments.
- Higher proportion of people living within walking distance of shopping areas
- More gradual transition between high density TOAs and Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing areas
- Transit-supportive growth area along Willingdon and other frequent transit corridors.
- Potential for non-market and purpose-built rental housing within low-rise and mid-rise apartment buildings.
- Small-scale Neighbourhood Centres added throughout to create opportunities for more local commercial uses like local shops and corner stores.
- Proposed Urban Village at Burnaby City Hall
- Proposed new Urban Village and Frequent Transit Development Areas on Willingdon Avenue
Thank you for taking our survey
This survey closed on June 9. Stay tuned for updates as we process the results.
This survey is administered by the City of Burnaby. Personal information collected and used for the purpose of receiving information regarding the Official Community Plan will be managed in accordance with s. 26 (c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. All personal information collected through this survey will remain confidential and de-identified when shared with the public. For questions regarding the collection of Personal Information and receipt of electronic messages please contact: Corporate Communications and Marketing at communications@burnaby.ca.
