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Josh White @jwhiteyvr.bsky.social · 2h

It absolutely will. Recently approved Rupert-Renfrew Area Plan, which has both Transit-Oriented, high rise scale in proximity to those Sky Trains, and implementation of the first 'villages' demonstrates how we've moved away from focusing growth on arterials.

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Josh White @jwhiteyvr.bsky.social · 3h

At which point roughly 80% of Vancouver will enable apartment scale density, and be a much more distributed growth model of apartment-scale density. Rest is at least multiplex.

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Josh White @jwhiteyvr.bsky.social · 3h

But apartment scale policy and zoning is about to take a big leap. Additional orange areas to be 6 storeys. That planning/zoning will conclude in 2026 ("Villages"), and Neighbourhood Centres planning (purple areas served by frequent bus) to commence as well - up to ~12-14 storeys.

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Josh White @jwhiteyvr.bsky.social · 3h

Current state land use framework. Anything orange or darker is apartment scale....

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Josh White @jwhiteyvr.bsky.social · 3h

Indeed. City of Vancouver's growth profile looks like this (2001-16). Ares of concentrated growth, areas of stagnant or shrinking population...

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Josh White @jwhiteyvr.bsky.social · 4h

Reasonably well served suburbs in Calgary get to about 20% transit mode split to work. Higher in areas with more pop working downtown (e.g. west side) and lower where fewer work downtown (e.g. SE)

For other trips, this one is designed to have higher than avg intra-community trips by active mode.

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Josh White @jwhiteyvr.bsky.social · 5h

Transit wise, planned around a dedicated ROW Busway , connecting into the LRT - 162nd Ave Transitway. The big but is that Canada is far behind in building out its planned rapid transit networks. That’s for sure.

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Josh White @jwhiteyvr.bsky.social · 5h

Yes, community is a mix of singles (pictured in your street view screenshot), semis, townhouse and lots of apartment.

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Josh White @jwhiteyvr.bsky.social · 5h

When I was a developer in Calgary, I led the planning and development of an edge greenfield community (Alpine Park) that has a residential density of between 5000-6000 people per square km. That’s in the “dense urban” category here. Very different than US suburbs.

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Josh White @jwhiteyvr.bsky.social · 6h

Why transit works in Canada - and not just its big three.

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Reposted by Josh White

Marcus P. @reluctantaxe.bsky.social · 7h

A Redditor made a graph of the percent of population of US and Canada metro areas over 1 million that live in a given density. When they ordered them by average density the lowest ranked Canadian metro area, Edmonton, was ranked 14th between Miami and Washington. 6 of the top 15 were Canadian metros

Graph of Canada and US metro areas with a breakdown of percentage of people that live in density density bands

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Reposted by Josh White

Oh No He Didn't @ohnohedidnt24.bsky.social · 2d

OH NO. HE. DIDN'T!!!

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Josh White @jwhiteyvr.bsky.social · 4d

More information:

vancouver.ca/news-calenda...

Speeding up housing delivery in Broadway and Cambie Corridors

Today, City Council approved new low, mid and high-rise apartments zones in certain areas of Broadway and the Cambie Corridor.

vancouver.ca

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Josh White @jwhiteyvr.bsky.social · 4d

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Josh White @jwhiteyvr.bsky.social · 4d

Vancouver City Council approved establishment of standardized apartment zoning districts today, as well as a significant City initiated rezoning in the Broadway Plan and Cambie Corridor areas. I delivered these remarks in closing during the item at Council:

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Josh White @jwhiteyvr.bsky.social · 6d

*checks in on the Blue Jays score*

a man with long hair is sitting in front of a laptop computer

ALT: a man with long hair is sitting in front of a laptop computer

media.tenor.com

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Josh White @jwhiteyvr.bsky.social · 11d

They know the rules.

Josh White @jwhiteyvr.bsky.social · Sep 4

Broadway Plan matches intensity with mobility - a foundational planning principle.

Change is part of a growing city, however, The City of Vancouver has very strong tenant protections.

The city-initiated zoning approach helps speed new housing delivery.

vancouversun.com/opinion/colu...

Vancouver accelerating demolitions of lowrise rentals, says former chief planner

City intends to prezone swaths of Broadway, Cambie to make it profitable for highrises. But some say "don't displace" affordable homes

vancouversun.com

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Josh White @jwhiteyvr.bsky.social · Sep 3

An important part of the shift in how we plan in Vancouver.

GRIDS Vancouver @grids.reillywood.com · Sep 3

It's official: "Standardized Apartment Districts and City-Initiated Zoning Changes" is going to public hearing on September 16. This is a big deal; Vancouver is finally moving away from its insane "every building gets a new unique zoning district" system council.vancouver.ca/20250916/phe...

Public Hearing - September 16, 2025

council.vancouver.ca

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Josh White @jwhiteyvr.bsky.social · Aug 29

Point being the article suggests Broadway Plan is misaligned with regional plan as some kind of add in.

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Josh White @jwhiteyvr.bsky.social · Aug 29

This article claims that Broadway Plan is an affront to Vancouver’s regional plan and an “attempt to monopolize new jobs”.

This is false. The Broadway Plan area has long been encompassed in the region’s Metro 2050 job structure - not just the downtown peninsula.

vancouversun.com/opinion/colu...

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Josh White @jwhiteyvr.bsky.social · Aug 28

California State Transit Oriented Development mandates. Echoes very similar discourse from British Columbia. Instead of feeling threatened from such policy, we can lean into it and make it work for our local contexts to help us out of our housing crisis.

Joe Cohen @cohenhouse.bsky.social · Aug 27

www.youtube.com/watch?app=de...

YIMBY and NIMBY Debate on the Front Line of America's Housing Crisis

YouTube video by Pod Save America

www.youtube.com

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Josh White @jwhiteyvr.bsky.social · Aug 26

This video does a really solid job of talking through what the City of Vancouver's 'Villages' planning program will bring. Ultimately, it will provide more housing choice, but also enable more of Vancouver to have those great walkable, amenity-laden neighbourhoods.

youtu.be/OJtotvMq2ls?...

This Hidden Vancouver Project Will Change Everything by 2026

YouTube video by LIVING IN VANCOUVER BC

youtu.be

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Josh White @jwhiteyvr.bsky.social · Aug 26

Our housing annual reports detail out these trends.

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Josh White @jwhiteyvr.bsky.social · Aug 26

I've toured with James some of his unique townhouses. He mentioned less use of the HRA policy lately, but I committed to him that if he would like to pursue a project under HRA we would be keen to work with him on it.

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