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Heritage Conservation Program Information

Heritage Building Rehabilitation Program and Transfer of Density Review

Transfer of Density

Heritage Incentives for Gastown, Chinatown, Victory Square, Hastings Street

Current Research and Related Documents

Transfer of Density Program

What is Transferable Density?

The City of Vancouver offers a variety of incentives to achieve the conservation and legal protection of heritage resources. A frequently used incentive is granting of bonus density in exchange for the rehabilitation and legal protection of a heritage building. When it is not possible to use this bonus density by adding more development on the same site as the heritage building, City Council or the Development Permit Board may authorize it to be made available for transfer to another site where there is opportunity for additional development. The sale of transferable heritage density (bonus and/or residual) generates funds for the owner of the heritage site; this helps defray rehabilitation costs.

The site of the heritage building is called the donor site. The site where the transferred density is to be used is called the receiver site.

Who has Density for Sale?

As the City is not party to the negotiations between representatives of heritage sites and receiver sites regarding the sale of transferable density, please review the list and contact the heritage site representatives directly. Please note that there are conditions for some heritage sites that restrict the timing of transferable density if, for instance, there is outstanding conservation work to be completed on the heritage site.

For a list of donor sites with heritage density for sale, see the Heritage Density chart.

Information on How to Buy and Sell Transferable Heritage Density

» The Creation of Transferable Heritage Density
» What are Possible Receiver Areas?
» How Heritage Density Can Be Transferred to a Receiver Site
» Who Has Heritage Density For Sale?
» Process for Development Applications and Rezoning Applications
» Provisions for Making Density Available for Transfer
» Letters of Credit
» Request for a Draw Down on a Letter of Credit
» Progress Reports

» Download the How to Buy and Sell Transferable Heritage Density Guide [pdf]

Background Documents

• Heritage Policies and Procedures [pdf]
  
  
• Transfer of Density Policy and Procedure [pdf]
  
  
• Rezoning Letters A and B [pdf]
  
  
• Development Permit Board Letters A and B [pdf]
  
  
• Coriolis Consultant’s Report:
  Evaluation of the City of Vancouver’s Heritage Density Transfer System [pdf 1.5mb, full report]
  or in sections
  Contents | Summary | Sections: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 | Appendices
  

For further information please contact the Heritage Conservation Program at 604.873.7141.

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Questions or Comments? E-mail: planning@vancouver.ca

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