966 W 18th Ave (Balfour Block) rezoning application (906-982 W 18th Ave, 907-975 W 19th Ave & 3403-3415 Laurel St)

The City’s authority in this process is limited to regulating land use through district zoning. Once a property is rezoned, the owner retains the ability to either develop the site themselves or sell some or all of the subdivided lots to third parties, who may then proceed with development in accordance with the approved zoning.

With respect to construction-related impacts, all builders operating in the City of Vancouver—regardless of who owns or develops the lots—must comply with the City’s regulations and requirements, including but not limited to:

• City Noise By-law
• Traffic Management Plans, which must be submitted to the City for review and approval
• The City’s “Road Ahead” website, which provides public information on traffic impacts and construction projects

These requirements apply consistently to ensure construction activities are managed in an orderly and predictable way across the city.

The applicant provided the following: 

The corner park was an in-kind public benefit contemplated to be delivered with the previous CD-1 development concept. As with all in-kind public benefits, these public benefits are ultimately contingent on the viability of the proposal. Due to the deterioration of the project’s overall viability, the ability to deliver this public benefit also became unviable, despite the desire to advance the proposal as originally envisioned.

The applicant is required to continue fulfilling the Tenant Relocation Plan (TRP) commitments secured through the 2021 rezoning for this site. This means that all tenants who were confirmed as eligible at that time will retain the right to return to a unit in the new building at their current rent once it is completed. This right to return applies even if the new building does not include designated below‑market rental units. Eligible tenants will be offered housing at their current rents (plus annual allowable adjustments in accordance with the Residential Tenancy Act) for as long as they maintain their tenancy; however, no below‑market rental units would be available for new tenants moving into the building.

The applicant has submitted a revised proposal for the Balfour Block site which includes a six-storey rental building and multiplex zoning for the remainder of the site. This represents a shift from the previously approved development in terms of the scale, mix of uses, and overall floor area. The applicant is proposing the 6-storey rental building under the RR-2C district schedule, but with the removal of the below-market rental component. While the proposal is currently under review, the applicant indicates that this aligns with the City’s forthcoming work related to supporting development viability of low-rise developments in challenging market conditions, to ensure the continued delivery of much‑needed housing. Refer to Section 1A of the Report Back on Supporting Development Viability and Unlocking New Housing Supply presented to Council on December 10, 2025. As part of this work, staff are proposing changes to the RR (Residential Rental) district schedules including the removal of the below-market rental requirement for six-storey rental buildings under RR-2C zoning, which will be considered by Council later this year.

The City posts rezoning applications in the form they are received. As part of the consultation process, we encourage the public to provide feedback so staff can consider it during the review. At this stage, Engineering Services has not yet completed its review of the application. However, as with all development projects in Vancouver, the proposal will be required to comply with the Parking By-law, which mandates parking provisions appropriate to the scale and use of the building. Because the applicant is seeking a standard district rezoning and has not submitted a detailed form of development, there are currently no finalized plans regarding parking or traffic management. Based on the information available, staff’s best assessment is that the project will need to meet all applicable by-laws once detailed designs are submitted and reviewed.

Thank you for your question. Eligible tenants will still have the right to return to a unit in the new building at their current rent once it is built. This applies even if the new building does not include designated below‑market rental units.

The applicant has stated that they will progress the project in accordance with the City of Vancouver’s permitting process. If the rezoning is approved, the permitting process typically takes 18-24 months from this stage until construction can start.

The proposed development is required to comply with the updated Parking By-law with respect to off-street vehicle parking spaces  (with reduced parking minimums) and well-sited to encourage reduced vehicle trip and parking demand. It is in close proximity to the frequent transit network (Oak St) and cycling infrastructure (existing bikeway along Heather St). As part of the rezoning process, Engineering staff includes a review of the application with respect to transportation impacts and, if identified, may include development conditions for off-site requirements to improve transportation operations and safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists adjacent to the site.

Approximately 170 dwelling units are anticipated, consisting of 90 units in the 6‑storey rental building and 80 units within the multiplex components. The proposed development is required to comply with the updated Parking By-law with respect to off-street vehicle parking spaces  (with reduced parking minimums) and well-sited to encourage reduced vehicle trip and parking demand. It is in close proximity to the frequent transit network (Oak St) and cycling infrastructure (existing bikeway along Heather St). As part of the rezoning process, Engineering staff includes a review of the application with respect to transportation impacts and, if identified, may include development conditions for off-site requirements to improve transportation operations and safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists adjacent to the site.

1, The submitted rezoning application does not include a childcare facility. Zoning districts RR-2C and R1-1 does not require the provision of childcare. The rezoning enabling policy, the Cambie Corridor Plan, encourages the developer to explore integrating a childcare facility on the site. 

2, The previously approved rezoning application included a childcare facility. The proposed rezoning represents a change from the current CD-1 zoning.

3, The current application does not include dedicated public open space. The Cambie Corridor Plan speaks to public open space under section 6.3.11. 

4, The previously approved rezoning application included public open space in the form of a corner park at 19th Avenue and Laurel Street. The proposed rezoning represents a change from the current CD-1 zoning.

5, The corner park and childcare facility were in‑kind public benefits to be delivered as part of the CD‑1 development concept approved by Council in July 2022. In-kind public benefits are ultimately contingent on the viability of the proposal. The applicant has indicated that the project is no longer able to support the delivery of these public benefits as originally envisioned. Instead, the applicant is proceeding with an alternative approach to move the project forward.