Jericho Lands Official Development Plan

Jericho Lands (originally also known as ʔəy҆alməxʷ in the Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh languages, and Iy҆álmexw in the Squamish language) is a property in West Point Grey, adjacent to Jericho Beach Park. It was historically a cultural centre and major meeting location for the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples. It has changed hands several times since it was seized as a military base in 1859, but in 2014, the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh nations, in concert with Canada Lands Company, re-acquired it.

If you would like to comment, please do so here, and select “Jericho Lands Official Development Plan” as the agenda item. If you would like to speak in-person or over the phone, please sign up here and select “Jericho Lands Official Development Plan” as the agenda item.

MST Development Corporation has proposed an ambitious plan to create a community on the site. On January 24, 2024, Vancouver city council approved a policy statement, approving of the project in principle. However necessary, this was but one of multiple steps on the way to making this vision a reality. The next step is tomorrow.

Now, the Jericho Lands proposal comes before council again, this time requesting that the proposal be made an Official Development Plan of the City of Vancouver. This will streamline the application process for each of the buildings that are part of the Jericho Lands proposal.

The City of Vancouver confirmed its commitment to reconciliation in a policy statement on July 8, 2014. This site, among others, was identified as a site with substantial importance for the reconciliation process. This land was not formally ceded.

This proposal will add thousands of rental homes to the area. It will also reserve a minimum of 30% of the floorspace created by this proposal for below-market rentals. The plan will bring new parks, artistic and creative space, childcare facilities, and commercial opportunities.

This project will also align with the province’s goals to extend the skytrain to UBC. One potential alignment is for the skytrain (as a subway) to run through and stop at the Jericho Lands development, connecting people directly to this project, as well as to the nearby Jericho Beach Park.

However, this project has seen a lot of opposition. Critics decry it as “monstrous” and oppose the added density (at 3.5 FSR overall, it is about as dense as a low-rise Vancouver apartment, but individual buildings are taller in order to provide park space). However, the neighbourhood of West Point Grey has been stagnant for decades as the rest of the city has grown.

If you would like to comment, please do so here, and select “Jericho Lands Official Development Plan” as the agenda item. If you would like to speak in-person or over the phone, please sign up here and select “Jericho Lands Official Development Plan” as the agenda item.

Vancouver has a severe housing shortage. CMHC estimate that Vancouver has a rental vacancy rate of 1.6%. This is very low, although it is higher than the extreme lows experienced during the COVID housing crunch. In Vancouver, rents have been falling, but remain extremely high. West Point Grey remains zoned almost exclusively for low-density homes, and is one of the city’s least accessible neighbourhoods.