Vancouver says rezoning applications for Broadway Plan 'significantly increased'
A memo from planning staff at the City of Vancouver says the volume of rezoning applications for the Broadway Plan has significantly increased.
Applications are up from 29 at the end of Q4 2023 to 46 at the end of Q1 2024, as per the report.
For context, an annual average of 76 rezoning applications were submitted across the entire city over the last five years, according to the document.
The Broadway Plan is one of the city’s most significant rezoning plans and required years of public consultation, but some residents are not keen on the developments being proposed in their neighbourhoods.
One application sign for an 18-storey mixed-use building at West 11th and Manitoba streets has been defaced with the word "Shame."
Bill Tielemen, a long-time opponent to the plan, said he doesn’t think high-rises belong on certain residential streets.
“Putting a 20-storey apartment building on a block which has single family housing or low rise housing really changes the whole look and feel of it,” said Tielemen.
That’s the point, according to Peter Waldkirch, the director of advocacy group Abundant Housing, who said the development on West 11th is an ideal location to build because it’s in a low density area near transit.
“We need to legalize more housing exactly on places like this on the side streets of the city, so renters can also enjoy our quiet neighbourhoods without having to live on these busy, polluted, arterial roads,” he said.
Waldkirch said while he empathizes with those who are hesitant to the proposed projects, he adds the status-quo isn’t working.
“It’s time that some change be welcomed in and while that can be scary for people, it’s how we’re going to build a better city,” he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus survives vote calling for his ouster
Greg Fergus survived a vote to oust him as House of Commons Speaker on Tuesday, but with close to half of MPs expressing a loss of confidence in him, he faces a precarious path forward in maintaining order in Parliament.
'It was hell': Israeli mother held hostage with her children describes 51 days in captivity
Hagar Brodutch, her three children and four-year-old neighbour were kidnapped by Hamas-led militants from their home in Kfar Aza, Israel on Oct. 7 and held for 51 days. They were released in November, but Brodutch says her thoughts are never far from those still being held in Gaza.
'Unruly passenger' forces WestJet flight to make emergency landing in B.C.
A WestJet flight heading to Calgary had to make an emergency landing in northern B.C. Monday due to an incident involving an 'unruly passenger,' Mounties say.
P.E.I. kiteboarder 'lucky to be alive' after shark attack in Turks and Caicos
A professional kiteboarder from P.E.I. says he has been seriously injured in a shark attack that occurred while he was snorkelling in the Turks and Caicos Islands last week.
Teen dies after being hit by train in N.W. Calgary
A teenager has died after being hit by a train in northwest Calgary on Tuesday afternoon.
Black bear kebabs make family sick with parasitic worms
It was supposed to be a celebration, but one family’s unique meal of black bear meat sent several members to the hospital instead.
'It's his vacation too': Jimmy the baby goat joins 2-week road trip across Canada
After Jimmy the baby goat was shunned by his mother, a New Brunswick man took the kid on a two-week road trip across Canada.
The double-level airplane seat is back. This time, there’s a first-class version
It’s the airplane seat design that launched a thousand memes and kickstarted a media storm. And now the double-level seat is back – only this time, with a twist.
New COVID-19 subvariants become the dominant strains in Canada
More than four years after COVID-19 effectively shut down the world, two new variants of COVID-19 have become the dominant strains of the novel coronavirus in Canada.