What is the cost of densifying your neighbourhood of single-family homes?

Metro Vancouver initiates study on the costs of neighborhood densification as BC government plans to enforce provincial zoning codes to intensify single-family home communities

The study will investigate the expenses of providing infrastructure and services for three different types of housing, including development in existing urban areas, new suburban apartments on “green meadows,” and reconstruction of existing quarters. The provincial government aims to implement infill housing, where a single-family home is transformed into a multi-unit structure or converted into townhouses through a “country assembly,” which local authorities have failed to execute. Eric Aderneck, senior planner in the Division of Regional Planning and Housing Services, will provide insights on the associated costs of different housing types.

Andy Yan, an urban planner and program director for the urban program at Simon Fraser University, believes the study will likely offer essential baseline data on the fees required for development and community facilities. With increased density in neighborhoods across the region, there will be significant physical transportation and social implications, and some cities will adapt better than others. Furthermore, as the population grows and climate change and earthquakes become more prevalent, it is necessary to have the appropriate infrastructure in place. Yan emphasizes that it is preferable to conduct these studies rather than make assumptions.

During this month’s Union of BC Municipalities meeting, cities in BC that have already implemented “soft density” or “missing center” plans, allowing for the redevelopment of traditional single-family homes to include multi-layered units such as duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes or secondary suites, presented their experiences.

Aderneck has shared links to other jurisdictions’ studies and media reports on the same topic.