At a glance (2 minute read)

  • Vancouver council removes rezoning requirement for missing middle housing in Cambie Corridor, saving builders up to 12 months of processing time.
  • The change allows direct development permit applications for townhouses and rowhouses, aiming to add 1,600 new homes.
  • The initiative is part of the Cambie Corridor Plan to create diverse housing options and complete communities over the next 30 years.

At a public hearing on May 9, 2023, Vancouver council removed the need for rezoning in specific areas of the Cambie Corridor by converting existing RS-1 or RT-1 zones to an RM-8A or RM-8AN zone.

This simplifies the development process by allowing applicants building townhouses and rowhouses in specific areas to proceed directly to a development permit application.

The change will save between 10 and 12 months of processing time for builders of family-oriented, missing middle housing in the Cambie Corridor, according to Vancouver mayor Ken Sim.

The city expects up to 1,600 new townhouses and rowhouses will be built because of the reduction in red tape.

This initiative is part of the Cambie Corridor Plan which:

  • guides change and growth over the next 30 years along the Canada Line;
  • specifically allows for new ground-oriented townhouses geared towards families in areas off major streets, adding more diverse housing options, and increasing home ownership options; and
  • builds on the corridor’s neighbourhoods to create complete communities with places for current and future residents to live, work, shop, play, and feel like part of a community.

More info

Your Board has been advocating for missing middle housing for the past decade, including in recent MLA meetings in Victoria earlier this month.

If you have questions about the Cambie Corridor, contact Yardley McNeill at 604-873-7582.