Decades of change ahead as Vancouver’s Broadway Plan brings new housing, transit, and vibrancy to Kitsilano’s streets

Kitsilano, one of Vancouver’s most beloved west side neighbourhoods, is poised for a transformation over the next 30 years under the sweeping Broadway Plan. This city-led blueprint for growth, approved by Council in 2022 and updated in late 2024, outlines how Kitsilano—alongside nearby Fairview and Mount Pleasant—will evolve in tandem with the arrival of the Broadway Subway. With a focus on integrating housing, jobs, and amenities around rapid transit, the Plan aims to balance growth with community character.

While concerns about towers and gentrification have surfaced, the Plan commits to thoughtful, incremental change in residential areas and strategic densification near transit hubs. In Kitsilano, each sub-area will see tailored updates, guided by resident feedback and neighbourhood priorities.

*Photo by City of Vancouver

A Neighbourhood-Based Approach to Growth

Kitsilano’s inclusion in the Broadway Plan spans 130 hectares, home to over 14,500 residents and more than 8,450 jobs. Nearly 40% of housing is purpose-built rental, with extremely low vacancy rates. The neighbourhood’s tree-lined streets, character homes, and vibrant retail corridors—especially West 4th Avenue—are central to its identity.

To maintain this diversity, the city has divided Kitsilano into several sub-areas, each with its own development vision:

Kitsilano North: Retaining the Leafy Charm While Renewing Rentals

Characterized by older rental stock, heritage homes, and a network of small grocers and cafés, Kitsilano North is seen as a prime location for sensitive renewal. The plan proposes:

• Retaining the area's eclectic architectural mix.

• Gradual densification through rental and affordable housing on existing and new sites.

• Protection for current tenants through enhanced relocation and affordability measures.

• Small-scale commercial additions along walkable corridors.

The Arbutus Greenway, cutting through the area, will continue to serve as a spine for active transportation and local life.

West 4th Village: Supporting Small Business and Public Life

This commercial heart of Kits is cherished for its human scale, local shops, and street-level energy. The Plan aims to preserve the low-rise (1–3 storey) feel of West 4th while:

• Enhancing pedestrian experiences with wider sidewalks and patios.

• Limiting residential development to protect retail vitality.

• Encouraging continuous, narrow-frontage storefronts that create lively streetscapes.

• Introducing new gathering spaces, possibly converting sections of street into plazas.

The maximum permitted building height here will remain at six storeys, in line with its “village” identity.

Broadway/Arbutus South: A Transit-Oriented Mixed-Use Hub

With the upcoming Arbutus Station—the western terminus of the Broadway Subway—this area is set for the most dynamic change. Currently a mix of mid-rise housing, offices, and institutions, it will evolve into a walkable transit village featuring:

• Higher-density affordable and social housing near the station.

• Office and job spaces above retail to support economic growth.

• Public space upgrades along Broadway and Arbutus, improving walkability and greenery.

• Integration with the Arbutus Greenway and the new bus loop.

Specific zones (labeled A through D) will see different levels of intensification, all with an eye on affordability and sustainability.

Kitsilano South: Quiet Residential Evolution

South Kitsilano remains largely composed of detached homes and small strata developments. Here, the Broadway Plan proposes gentle density—not towers:

• Adding rental housing types like multiplexes and low-rise apartments.

• Encouraging infill while preserving heritage homes.

• Supporting new shops and cafés in targeted areas to enhance walkability.

• Allowing incremental, character-sensitive change.

Concerns around towers disrupting community feel are addressed with height transitions, setbacks, and attention to sunlight and views. The city emphasizes that large towers will be concentrated closer to Broadway, not within low-density residential zones.

A Plan Built on Community Input

The Broadway Plan reflects thousands of voices gathered through surveys, open houses, and workshops. Kitsilano residents emphasized the importance of:

• Diverse, affordable housing options for seniors, families, and UBC students.

• Safe cycling infrastructure and better transit connectivity.

• More pocket parks, pollinator gardens, and space for gathering.

• Protecting beloved high streets from becoming impersonal “stroads.”

In response, the Plan includes enhanced tenant protections, prioritizes green and public space improvements, and ensures any redevelopment considers livability and neighbourhood context.

What’s Next for Kitsilano?

Implementation of the Broadway Plan is underway and will continue through 2052. Zoning amendments, development applications, and public realm improvements will roll out in phases, with frequent community engagement checkpoints. The City remains open to adjusting the Plan based on evolving needs, new legislation, and public feedback.

Curious how this could shape the future of Kitsilano? We’re keeping a close eye on projects like this so our clients always stay informed. Want to be one of them?

The Broadway Plan is the most ambitious urban transformation in Vancouver since the Cambie Corridor redevelopment. Stretching across 500 city blocks from Vine Street to Clark Drive and 1st to 16th Avenue, it lays out a 30-year vision to turn central neighbourhoods into vibrant, transit-oriented communities. Anchored by the new Broadway Subway, the plan is set to reshape parts of Kitsilano, Fairview, Mount Pleasant, and the False Creek Flats.

A New Urban Core Around the Broadway Subway

With the Millennium Line’s extension underway, the City of Vancouver seized the opportunity to reimagine growth in one of its most connected corridors. The Broadway Plan focuses on densifying areas within walking distance of the new SkyTrain stations — including Arbutus, South Granville, Oak-VGH, Cambie-Broadway, and Mount Pleasant — while enhancing livability, sustainability, and economic opportunity.

Originally approved in June 2022 and updated in December 2024, the plan allows for unprecedented levels of housing and job space, responding directly to the city’s housing crisis and growing population. The December revisions, driven by new provincial Transit-Oriented Area (TOA) legislation, lifted previous tower caps and increased allowable building heights and densities near stations.

More Homes, More Jobs, Better Connections

Housing:
The plan's biggest shift is in housing supply. Originally targeting 30,000 new homes, updates now permit up to 41,500 homes, accommodating up to 64,000 new residents. The focus is on rental housing, with more than 15,000 market rentals and 3,500 below-market or social housing units already in the pipeline. Condo development plays a minor role, underscoring the city's priority on long-term rental supply.

Jobs:
The plan aims to create over 7.4 million square feet of new job space, enabling 45,000 new jobs across key sectors like healthcare, education, tech, and retail. This economic intensification reinforces the area’s role as a growing employment hub — particularly near Vancouver General Hospital and in the False Creek Flats.

Transit & Mobility:
With the Broadway Subway promising 11-minute rides from Arbutus to Commercial Drive, the plan maximizes this investment by promoting Transit-Oriented Development (TOD). Streetscapes will become more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly, with a focus on walkability, reduced car use, and better public spaces.

Land Use Changes: Towers, Mid-Rises, and Village Revitalization

The Broadway Plan introduces a layered land use strategy:

• Station Areas: Tower zones within 400 meters of SkyTrain stations can now accommodate 20+ storey mixed-use buildings, with no limits on tower counts per block — a significant shift post-2024.

• Mid-Rise Corridors: Along Broadway and major arterials, 6–12 storey buildings will add gentle density and transition zones.

• Residential Neighbourhoods: Off-arterial blocks will see 4–6 storey apartments, often rental-only, maintaining a more human-scaled environment.

• Village Centres: Places like West Broadway (Kitsilano) and Main Street will be rejuvenated with modest height increases and active street-level retail.

• Industrial Zones: False Creek Flats and parts of Mount Pleasant remain reserved for job-generating uses, with incentives for multi-storey industrial or office projects.

*Photo by City of Vancouver

Reimagining Public Space: Great Streets and Green Networks

In tandem with the land use changes, the Broadway Public Realm and Streetscape Plans were also approved in 2024. These frameworks envision a more people-centred public realm over the next 30 years, focusing on:

• Transforming Broadway into a “Great Street”, with widened sidewalks, street furniture, art, and patios.

• Creating 25 new acres of public space, including 13 acres of parks, plus Privately Owned Public Spaces (POPS).

• Building green, accessible streetscapes with urban tree planting, climate-resilient rainwater systems, and pedestrian-focused design.

Public feedback — gathered in 2023 and 2024 — strongly influenced the design. Key desires included quiet seating areas, outdoor markets, public art, and nature integration. Indigenous visibility and cultural recognition also play a central role, especially in future design conversations with the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.

What It Means for Property Owners and Developers

For landowners in the plan area, the implications are profound. The rezoning dramatically increases development potential — often doubling or tripling allowable density. Older properties now sit on valuable land that could be consolidated into high-density developments. The city’s tools, including density bonusing, rental-only zones, and tenant protection policies, will shape how redevelopment unfolds.

Owners should consider their site’s new designation, the benefits of holding versus selling, and the timing of redevelopment processes, which can take several years. Partnerships with developers may offer attractive pathways to unlock site value.

A Vision for a More Livable, Connected Vancouver

The Broadway Plan is a cornerstone of the Vancouver Plan and Metro Vancouver’s regional growth strategy. It represents a bold step toward a more sustainable, inclusive, and economically vibrant city — centered around transit, community amenities, and smart land use.

As construction on the Broadway Subway progresses, the stage is set for dramatic change. And with it comes opportunity: for new homes, businesses, and public life to flourish in Vancouver’s new central corridor.

Curious how this could shape the future of Kitsilano, Fairview, or Mount Pleasant? We’re watching this transformation closely to keep our clients one step ahead. Want to be one of them?