Hundreds rally at Vancouver city hall calling for 'pause' to Broadway Plan

Hundreds of Vancouver residents gathered at city hall Saturday afternoon to urge councillors to "pause and rethink" the Broadway Plan. (CTV News)

Hundreds of Vancouver residents gathered at city hall Saturday afternoon to urge councillors to "pause and rethink" the Broadway Plan.

Adopted in 2022, the policy governs development along the Broadway corridor, aiming to create high-density homes for 50,000 more people along the under-construction Broadway Subway extension.

A petition touted by the organizers of Saturday's event has received more than 2,800 signatures. It describes the plan as "playing out in a way many residents never imagined," with rezoning signs "popping up like mushrooms" and "18- and 20-storey tower proposals on quiet residential streets some distance from rapid transit." 

Towers were on the minds of protesters CTV News spoke to at the rally, including Gordon Yusko, who said one is under construction behind his Fairview apartment building.

"The Broadway plan allows too many high-density towers in too small of an area and it's going to make neighbourhoods unlivable," Yusko said.

Roni Jones said she's been a renter in Kitsilano for decades, and has seen people lose their affordable homes in her neighbourhood so that new towers can be built.

"For instance, across the street from me was a rental of all seniors, and they've all been evicted," she said.

The Broadway Plan includes protections for renters who are displaced by redevelopment. Developers must offer them units in the new building for the same rent they were paying, and displaced renters "may choose to receive a temporary rent top-up," according to the city. 

The forced relocation is still disruptive, however, and market rents are generally hundreds, if not thousands of dollars higher than what long-term tenants are used to paying.

"I'm really concerned about that," said Jones. "I'm concerned about, 'Where do all these people go?'"

Both Jones and Yusko insisted they're not against increasing the density of the Broadway corridor, but argued that the Broadway Plan as it's currently being implemented is not the right way to add density to the area.

"Density is important," said Yusko. "I'm not opposed to density, but it has to be livable density, like, six to eight storeys, maximum."

"Yes, density has to happen, but it can happen within consultation with the neighbourhoods to not lose that character," said Jones.