While I have been expressing concerns about the negative impacts of certain aspects of the Broadway Plan, I am by no means alone. Indeed, many former City of Vancouver planners, as well as private sector architects, planners, and other experts in planning and urban development also have concerns. However, for various reasons until now, they have chosen not to speak out.
However, with the approval of the first towers replacing older rental apartment buildings and duplexes and triplexes on low-scale leafy residential streets, and forthcoming Council consideration of modifications to the plan, it was decided that it was time for more people to speak out. This led to the preparation of an Open letter to Vancouver Mayor and Council that was issued yesterday, December 9, 2024. The following is the text of the letter, and some additional comments from the signatories.
We, the undersigned, write with concerns about the Broadway Plan and especially the staff report to further expand the Plan. We appreciate and support the good intentions of bringing more housing and affordability to Vancouver’s crippling housing crisis, but as experts with years of high level experience in planning, development and architecture, we write to ask that Mayor and Council pause and consider the many issues with the particulars of the Plan and how it will impact our city.
• The Broadway Plan promised a measured buildout over 30 years, but we are seeing a frenzy of profit speculation, land banking, flipping and land inflation into the heart of vulnerable established, mixed use neighbourhoods due to the plan which, by the city’s own estimates, will demolish thousands of existing, affordable homes, resulting in forced resettlement to thousands of people in pursuit of what may be little if any net increase in affordable housing. This does not meet the City's own affordability needs requirements in the Housing Needs Assessment released last June 25, as required by the Province.
• In a 30 year build out, existing good, affordable housing should be protected, not demolished. Renewal of aging housing can happen later in the plan when replacement housing is there for impacted tenants to transfer directly to.
• The destabilizing impact of evictions extends far beyond the people who are directly impacted as many in similar buildings live in fear of the same outcome. “when am I next?”. This is causing considerable emotional distress for thousands.
• The “Enhanced Tenant Protections” are helpful, but do not consider the many issues being experienced by tenants who are subject to eviction. The disruption and anxiety for many vulnerable renters is considerable and the protections do not adequately compensate or address meaningful failures in the Tenant Protections. Under the plan, many tenants are not being offered anything like equivalent replacement units when they do eventually return at some point in the future. The best ‘tenant protections’ is not to evict tenants!
• The experience of years of good planning practices, which Vancouver has been lauded for, are being ignored in favour of a reliance on one type of housing; small, expensive units in towers. Towers concentrated on Broadway and the immediate areas near transit make sense, but as we move blocks away from transit, we encourage a range of housing which will suit families; low rise apartments, row houses, townhouses and infill which is sympathetic to neighbourhoods and organically enhances the community and social fabric so highly valued, instead of in conflict with it by dropping towers in the middle of RT and RM zones.
• Staff insist that the public consultation was robust, but much of the consultation took place at the onset of the pandemic and the vast majority are only now appreciating the extent and scope of this detailed plan. Residents understood the broad concept of a revitalized Broadway and towers adjacent to transit nodes, but are shocked to learn of evictions, demolition and towers on residential streets many blocks away from the actual transit area. A meaningful public consultation about how the Plan is going so far and where it will go next is vital.
• The 350 page Broadway Plan amendment report was made available on December 4th and subsequently revised further the next day, adding 53 more pages. This leaves a scant 3 business days for public and experts to analyse and respond before Council considers the report for approval on December 11th. This is not a reasonable amount of time to consider the implications of a 353 page amendment document.
• The city signed on to the Regional Planning Strategy which supports job creation across the region. The Broadway Plan’s idea of attracting jobs to the Plan area is counter to the agreed strategy. The Broadway Plan seeks to bring people closer to their jobs in the Plan area, but instead it serves to drive families further away because they seek ground oriented and more spacious housing for their families, something which The Broadway Plan makes less attainable, not more. This means more commuting, more congestion and more emissions, not less.
We write to ask that the city pause the plan and consult more widely with the public and experts with many years of experience in planning, housing and development to discuss how to do the Broadway Plan more effectively to achieve the goals we all share, to build “A Better City” and to truly address our housing crisis.
Signed:
Ralph Segal, Former Chief Urban Designer, City of Vancouver.
David Ley, OC, FRSC, PhD, Urban Geographer, Professor Emeritus UBC, Order of Canada.
Christina DeMarco, Urban and Regional Planner, former lead planner for the Metro Vancouver Regional Growth Strategy.
Dr. Penny Gurstein, Professor Emeritus and Former Director, School of Community and Regional Planning, UBC.
Larry Beasley, CM, FCIP, Former Co-chief Planner of Vancouver, author Vancouverism.
Scot Hein, Former senior urban designer/development planner for the City of Vancouver, led the city’s Urban Design Studio for most of his 20-year career, founding board member of Urbanarium. Adjunct Professor Urban Design UBC, Recipient of the Architectural Advocacy Award from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada.
Brian Palmquist, Award winning architect and auther, AIBC MRAIC BEP CP LEED AP
Arny Wise, B. Comm., M.Sc.(Planning) U of T, Professional Planner MCIP, RPP (retired), Board of Directors, Toronto Economic Development Corporation (1990-1999).
Sean McEwen, Architect, AIBC, FRAIC. Affordable housing advocate.
Patrick Condon, Professor UBC School of Landscape and Architecture, author Broken City. Former city planner, James Taylor Chair in Landscape and Liveable Environments.
Barbara Gordon, Retired Architect AIBC and retired Director of Capital Planning, UBC
Lance Berelowitz, AA Dipl RPP MCIP, Principal Urban Forum Associates.
Elizabeth Murphy, private sector project manager formerly with the City of Vancouver’s housing and properties department, BC Housing and BC Buildings Corp
Michael Geller, FCIP, RPP, MLAI, Ret. Architect AIBC, Adjunct Professor, SFU Centre for Sustainable Development; School of Resource and Environmental Management, Faculty of the Environment.
Bill McCreery, BArch UMan; Sub Lt. RCNR, helped create North and South False Creek and thousands of units of developer & public housing in Vancouver.
Tom Phipps, Retired Senior Planner City of Vancouver (33 years)
Elvin Wyly, Urban Geographer, Housing Researcher
Graham McGarva, Architect AIBC, AIA, AAA, OAA, LEED
Sandy James, LEED AP City Planner, Managing Director Walk Metro Vancouver
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