Broadway Plan changes include higher towers, proposal to strengthen tenant protections

Vancouver city council has approved amendments to a 30-year plan along the Broadway corridor.

The revisions in the Broadway Plan passed Thursday, following two-days of discussion. The changes include removing tower limit policies in areas close to transit, shops, services and amenities.

ABC Coun. Peter Meiszner said this revised plan aligns with the province’s Transit Oriented Areas legislative requirements. He added building heights will be determined on a case-by-case basis, and that there will be flexibility.

“The idea is, you’ll have the taller buildings next to the transit station and as you go out further, the building heights will taper,” he said.

Green Coun. Adriane Carr said she supports the original plan, and voted in opposition to some of the amendments in the new proposal. Carr said she didn’t agree with the push to increase the number and height of towers.

“It kind of lost what I felt was this genuine attempt to try and be more like the West End, where towers in a park are two to a block, they are set back, there’s lots of greenery, and it’s really a beautiful neighbourhood” she said. “They moved away from that and I think that’s tragic.”

Carr and her Green Party colleague Pete Fry tabled an amendment to address some gaps and strengthen the existing tenant protections in the plan. Carr said one of the ideas is to require developers to post a bond so if they pull out of the project, the tenants are not left hanging.

“The bond stays with the city and then the city can then provide tenant supports as needed,” she said.

She added there is some worry developers will hold onto properties and not complete them.

“Which is why the increased tenant protections that Pete Fry and I put forward are so important,” she said. “We don’t want this to be Speculation City, we want this to be a city that’s affordable for people.”

Staff will report back to council with a report on this amendment in the new year.

While Carr holds some reservations, she also highlighted positive elements, such as a realignment of 11 per cent of city streets for public use.

Council heard from 139 speakers over the two-day period, some of whom spoke in opposition due to demovictions and fears of displacement.

On Dec. 9, a group of architects and urban planners sent an open letter to council and staff, underlining their concerns about the plan and asking the city to pause it and “consult more widely with the public and experts.” 

Meiszner voted for the Greens’ amendment and said displaced tenants will be able to return to brand new units on the same site at the same rent or less.

“I empathize with them, but I promise it will be worth it in the long run,” he said.

At least 20 per cent of housing units built under the Broadway Plan must be below market. The revisions passed Thursday will build 41,500 homes in the area, as opposed to the plan's 2022 target of 30,000 homes.