Three sites transferred to the city for housing

More than 670 new affordable rental units planned on parcels of Vancouver's former Expo 86 lands are one step closer to becoming reality.

A land-transfer agreement giving the City of Vancouver three out of six undeveloped sites in False Creek North is now complete, said the city this week, paving the way for the city to move forward with B.C. Housing and housing providers to build non-market housing, as well as a firehall and a child-care facility.

The 673 rental units will be built on three sites that are part of six owned by developer Concord Pacific between the north ends of the Cambie and Granville Street bridges. The city holds the options to purchase those lots.

In February 2023, it announced a land agreement that would see it give up its options for three lots in exchange for three others plus $110 million in cash. Concord Pacific is also waiving an $11 million option price payment due from the city.

The agreement gives Concord Pacific unencumbered ownership of the other three lots — 1502 Granville St., 431 Beach Crescent, and 900 Pacific Blvd. — which it plans to develop as market housing.

“We are thrilled to move forward with these projects, which will create over 670 affordable housing units in False Creek North,” said Mayor Ken Sim in a news release. “This is an exciting step toward building a vibrant, inclusive and sustainable neighbourhood for families of all income levels.”

The city plans to use the $110 million for the new street network planned for Northeast False Creek that'll replace the Georgia and Dunsmuir viaducts.

The three sites will offer non-market housing operated by three separate organizations.

The first, a 28-storey building at 990 Beatty St., will have 283 social housing units that'll be delivered and run by the Brightside Community Homes Foundation. The building will also house a nearly 18,000-square-foot firehall and a 6,259-sq.-ft. child-care facility with space for 44 kids. Construction is expected to start next spring.

The second building, a 29-storey rental building at 1050 Expo Blvd., is slated to begin construction in winter 2025. It will offer 299 units operated by the B.C. Indigenous Housing Society.

The building will be designed by Public Architecture, the same firm that'll design the third site, a seven-storey rental building at 450 Pacific St. run by the Entre Nous Femmes Housing Society in partnership with the Hogan's Alley Society, which will have 91 social housing units.

This project will start the soonest out of the three, with construction expected to begin later this fall.

At least a fifth of the homes will be rented at the shelter rate, which ranges from a maximum of $500 to $1,140 depending on family size.