Public Hearing

July 23–27, 2026

Chaired by Mike Klassen From transcript

Official agenda Transcript

Sessions

Session 1 Thu, July 23, 2026 · 06:00 pm Watch

Agenda reordered to hear Item 4 (downtown towers) first, given 326 registered speakers.
Council extended the meeting past 10 p.m. to hear as many speakers as possible.
Item 4 – 500 Dunsmuir / West Georgia Street towers (downtown): Application by Holborn/Henriquez Architecture for three towers (68, 79, and 68 storeys; tallest at 315 m) on nearly an entire city block bounded by Georgia, Seymour, Dunsmuir, and Richards. Proposal includes ~920 hotel rooms, a 6,500 sq m conference centre, 1,270 strata units, 276 secured market rental units, and a privately owned public plaza. As a community amenity contribution, a separate 25-storey social housing building (237 units, childcare, cultural space) at 388 Abbott Street would be built and transferred to city ownership. Partial heritage retention of the Randall Building (facade only) proposed; full designation to be removed. Site is outside the current Higher Buildings Policy boundary; staff noted the ongoing higher buildings policy review (expected Q2 2027). A referral motion (Recommendation J) was defeated; the main approval motion carried.
Item 1 – 6333–6369 Yukon Street: ODP amendment and CD1 rezoning approved.
Item 2 – 6525–6577 Oak Street: Rezoning application approved.
Item 3 – 2516 Commercial Drive: Rezoning application approved.
Item 5 – 2538–2550 Birch Street: Rezoning application approved.
Public hearing recessed at close; to reconvene Monday, July 27, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. for any remaining business.

Session 2 Mon, July 27, 2026 · 09:30 am–02:49 pm Watch

500 Dunsmuir / 388 Abbott Street (Item 4): Council approved a major mixed-use redevelopment at the heart of downtown, including a proposed 315-metre tower with hotel, residential, retail, and a public observation deck, paired with a 25-storey, 237-unit social housing building on Abbott Street. A motion to defer approval pending completion of the city's taller-buildings policy review was defeated. Key discussion covered NavCan height regulations, heritage facade retention, phasing conditions tying social housing delivery to the residential tower, and the income mix of the social housing units.
6333–6369 Yukon Street (Item 1): A 23-storey, 276-unit rental tower near Cambie Street approved under the Transit-Oriented Areas rezoning policy, with 20% below-market rental units. No public speakers appeared.
6525–6577 Oak Street (Item 2): An 18-storey, 189-unit rental building at Oak and 49th Avenue approved, including a No Frills grocery store and a 160-space private childcare facility. Councillors highlighted the grocery store as a key neighbourhood amenity.
2516 Commercial Drive / 1704 East Broadway (Item 3): A 31-storey mixed-use rental tower at the Commercial–Broadway SkyTrain station approved, including 207 rental units and a ground-floor social services space offered to the city on a 60-year lease. A condition requires further design work with TransLink to protect for possible future station platform expansion.
2538–2550 Birch Street text amendment (Item 5): Council approved converting 202 near-complete rental units to hotel rooms in a building that had received $156 million in BC Housing low-interest financing, while retaining 56 below-market rental units. Multiple public speakers opposed the change as a bait-and-switch; a representative of an Indigenous non-profit said their organisation had been used to advance the project and then excluded. The amendment is contingent on BC Housing agreeing to discharge its covenant requiring the building operate as rental housing.

From official documents

Item 4 (heard first): Downtown towers — 500 Dunsmuir / West Georgia / Richards / Seymour & 388 Abbott St. Council approved in principle a landmark Henriquez Architecture proposal by Holborn Group to redevelop the former Bay Parkade block in the Central Business District. The project includes three towers (68, 68, and 79 storeys) with 1,546 residential units, 920 hotel rooms, commercial space, a public observation deck, and retention of the Randall Building's Georgia Street heritage façade. A companion 25-storey social housing building (237 units) with childcare and cultural space at 388 Abbott Street in Gastown would be dedicated to the City. A motion to refer the application back to staff pending completion of the Higher Buildings Policy review was defeated; the main approval carried with Councillors Fry, Maloney, and Orr opposed.
Item 1: 6333–6369 Yukon Street (Oakridge area) — Approved unanimously. A 23-storey, 276-unit all-rental building near 49th Avenue and Cambie. Requires an Official Development Plan amendment (Residential Mid-Rise to Residential High-Rise 1). Includes roughly 56 below-market rental units. Public benefits: $5.5 million in DCLs and public art.
Item 2: 6525–6577 Oak Street (Cambie Corridor) — Approved unanimously. An 18-storey mixed-use building with 189 rental units (20% below-market), a ground-floor grocery store, and a 160-space private childcare facility. ODP amendment from Mixed-Use Mid-Rise to Mixed-Use High-Rise 1 required. Public benefits: $2.8 million.
Item 3: 2516 Commercial Drive / 1704 East Broadway (Commercial-Broadway) — Approved unanimously. A 31-storey mixed-use building with 207 rental units, office space, ground-floor retail, and 805 sq. m of social services space on a long-term lease. ODP amendment from Business District to Mixed-Use High-Rise 2. Public benefits: $12 million including the in-kind social services space.
Item 5: 2538–2550 Birch Street / 1290–1298 West Broadway (Fairview) — Approved with Councillors Fry and Orr abstaining. A text amendment to convert 202 previously approved rental units in the nearly complete "Northern House" tower to hotel rooms for medical travellers, retaining 56 below-market rental units. Generated significant public opposition over lost rental housing commitments and the use of public subsidies.
Item 6 (not heard): CD-1 Rezoning at 111 East 5th Avenue / 2060 Quebec Street was already referred back to staff at a prior Council meeting and did not come before the hearing.

Motions

Referral – Item 4 Downtown Towers

500 Dunsmuir Street, 619-655 Richards Street, 501-565 West Georgia Street, 620-698 Seymour Street, 388 Abbott Street

Defeated Details

Moved by Sean Orr, Lucy Maloney Vote 4 – 7 Watch

Proposed deferring the 500 Dunsmuir / 388 Abbott rezoning until completion of the city's higher-buildings policy review.
Supporters argued the project, at 315 metres, would set a precedent before policy is in place, and noted the applicant acknowledged the project requires improved economic conditions to proceed.
Opponents noted that deferral would delay 237 social housing units and a new childcare facility, both urgently needed; also noted NavCan regulations may effectively limit the building's height regardless.
Councillors Kirby-Yung and Meiszner opposed deferral; Councillors Orr and Maloney supported it.

Approve Item 4 Downtown Towers

500 Dunsmuir Street, 619-655 Richards Street, 501-595 West Georgia Street, 620-698 Seymour Street, 388 Abbott Street

Carried Details

Moved by Mike Klassen, Lisa Dominato Vote 8 – 3 Watch Public 10 support 35 oppose 3 neutral

Approved rezoning and ODP amendment for a major mixed-use development at 500 Dunsmuir and 388 Abbott, including a proposed landmark tower with hotel, residential, convention space, and a public observation deck, plus a 25-storey, 237-unit social housing building delivered turnkey to the city.
Occupancy of the social housing building must precede occupancy of the residential tower; both rezonings must be enacted together.
NavCan regulations currently limit the buildable height below the bylaw maximum; staff noted this can be resolved through the development permit process without a text amendment.
Heritage retention of the existing facade is a condition of enactment; if retention proves impossible, council must reconsider the entire approval.
Councillor Maloney voted against, citing concerns about the developer's track record and the project proceeding before the taller-buildings review; Councillors Orr and Fry also voted against.

Approve Item 1 – 6333-6369 Yukon Street

6333-6369 Yukon Street

Carried Details

Moved by Lisa Dominato, Sarah Kirby-Yung Vote 8 – 0 Watch

Approved ODP amendment and CD-1 rezoning for a 23-storey, 276-unit rental tower at 6333–6369 Yukon Street under the Transit-Oriented Areas policy.
Proposal slightly exceeds the standard 20-storey TOA limit, supported on the basis of exceptional transit access and urban design performance.
Four existing rental tenants have right of first refusal under the tenant relocation and protection policy.
No public speakers; passed unanimously by all present.

Approve Item 2 – 6525-6577 Oak Street

6525-6577 Oak Street

Carried Details

Moved by Peter Meiszner, Lisa Dominato Vote 8 – 0 Watch

Approved ODP amendment and CD-1 rezoning for an 18-storey, 189-unit mixed-use rental building at 6525–6577 Oak Street, replacing a gas station and sporting goods store.
Includes a ground-floor No Frills grocery store and a privately operated 160-space childcare facility on level 2.
Height and density exceed the Cambie Corridor Plan's 12-storey maximum; relaxation supported to deliver rental and below-market rental housing.
Councillors noted the grocery store addresses a food-access gap and the site's proximity to transit reduces dependence on private vehicles.
Passed unanimously by all present.

Approve Item 3 – 2516 Commercial Drive

2516 Commercial Drive, 1704 East Broadway

Carried Details

Moved by Sarah Kirby-Yung, Lisa Dominato Vote 8 – 0 Watch

Approved ODP amendment and CD-1 rezoning for a 31-storey, 207-unit mixed-use rental building at the Commercial–Broadway SkyTrain station, one of the region's busiest transit hubs.
Includes commercial ground floor, one floor of office space, and one floor of social services space offered to the city on a 60-year lease; no below-market rental units due to pro-forma constraints.
Conditions require staff, the applicant, and TransLink to study whether the building's design can protect for a potential future westside platform expansion; any required changes may come back to council.
Site is designated Business District under the ODP, requiring an amendment to permit residential use.
Passed unanimously by all present.

Approve Item 5 – 2538-2550 Birch Street

2538-2550 Birch Street, 1290-1298 West Broadway

Carried Details

Moved by Sarah Kirby-Yung, Lisa Dominato Vote 6 – 0 +2 abstained Watch

Approved a CD-1 text amendment converting 202 near-complete market rental units to hotel rooms at 2538–2550 Birch Street, retaining 56 below-market rental units.
The building received $156 million in BC Housing low-interest financing and a $3.1 million DCL waiver under the previous rental approval; the hotel portion now triggers approximately $2.7 million in DCLs.
Enactment is conditional on BC Housing agreeing to discharge its Section 219 covenant requiring the building operate as rental; BC Housing has asked to meet with the applicant after council's decision.
Multiple public speakers opposed the change as a bait-and-switch, arguing the extraordinary height and density of the 2020 rezoning were justified solely by the promise of rental housing now being removed.
A representative of Danae House of Healing Society testified that their Indigenous-led medical accommodation project had been displaced from the site after the developer demanded terms the society found unacceptable.
Supporters on council noted the project would comply with the Broadway Plan as a standalone hotel, the BMR units are being retained and the unit mix improved, and the location suits extended-stay medical accommodation.
Councillors Fry and Orr abstained; Councillors Bligh and Zhou were absent.

Agenda documents (34)

Vote matrix

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Ken Sim	Y	Y	Y	N	Y
Rebecca Bligh	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Lisa Dominato	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Pete Fry	N	N	Y	Y	N				A	Y
Sarah Kirby-Yung	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Mike Klassen	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Peter Meiszner	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Lucy Maloney	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Brian Montague	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Sean Orr	N	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	A	Y
Lenny Zhou	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y