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The False Creek Flats Plan is a long-term vision for the area to become more productive, sustainable, and connected to the rest of our city.
Created with the help of the Vancouver Economic Commission, community members and stakeholders, the plan recognizes the unique qualities of this neighbourhood and the important economic role it plays in Vancouver.
The approved plan focuses on:
- Increasing employment from 8,000 to at least 30,000 jobs
- Establishing programs and supports for local businesses and strategic economic sectors
- Supporting existing businesses, artists, and industry
- Supporting innovation, creative and digital businesses, health care and life sciences, and food and service industries
- Creating the right kinds of spaces and infrastructure for business needs
- Developing interesting and active public places
- Connecting places, spaces, and surrounding neighbourhoods
- Addressing and responding to challenges of climate change and seismic vulnerability
What's happening
The Flats and Reinventing Cities
A City-owned site in the Flats has been put forward for the C40 Reinventing Cities 
competition. Vancouver is part of a group of 19 cities who will be leaders in demonstrating how cities can shape the future by delivering healthier, greener, and economically viable urban developments.
We’re inviting architects, urban planners, designers, developers, entrepreneurs, environmentalists, start-ups, neighbourhood collectives, innovators, and artists to submit ideas that would transform our site into a leading example of sustainable and resilient development that serves the needs of our community.
Submit an expression of interest
Expressions of Interest are being accepted until June 15, 2018.
Visit the site
Architects, planners, designers, and creative teams are invited to attend a site visit on June 4, 2018.
Learn more about the Reinventing Cities challenge and the City's site, see the possibilities for the land, and inspire your proposal!
Project area
The study area boundary is Main Street to the west, Prior and Venables streets to the north, Clark Drive to the east, and Great Northern Way to the south.
Recent developments
Public Hearing for Amendments to Zoning and Development Bylaw
July 25, 2017 - Referred to Public Hearing on September 19, 2017.
- Read the Policy and Bylaw Amendments Report
(11.7 MB) - Learn more about the application and Public Hearing
Council approves False Creek Flats Plan
May 17, 2017 - City Council approved the False Creek Flats Plan.
Past updates
January 2017 open house: draft local area plan for the Flats
In January we presented a summary of the draft plan. Learn more about the draft plan in our open house information displays:
Questionnaire: What do you think about the options for a Prior-Venables replacement?
We asked for your ideas and concerns about the options for replacing the Prior-Venables arterial street in the False Creek Flats (2 MB) in an online questionnaire from March 31 to April 18. Your responses will help us to shape the future of the False Creek Flats.
March 31 open house: discuss options for a new arterial street in the Flats
We invited you to learn about and discuss the options for replacing the Prior-Venables arterial street in the False Creek Flats (2 MB). The planning work is part of a strategy to remove conflicts between the street network and rail lines.
Open house and online survey: review the emerging directions
We hosted an open house on February 4, 2016, and an online survey from February 4 to 29, for you to share your thoughts about the emerging directions of the False Creek Flats Plan. Your responses will help develop a framework for the draft plan and economic development strategy that will guide the future of the Flats.
We formed the emerging directions based on reviewing the Phase 1 summary of public input with members from other City departments and the Vancouver Economic Commission. Check back for future open house events.
Summary of what we heard in Phase 1
Our Phase 1 public consultation in spring and summer 2015 included a launch event, six topic workshops, seminars for local businesses, onsite appearances, and online survey. Thank you to all who participated.
On October 8, 2015, we gave a summary presentation of what we heard in Phase 1.
Your feedback and ideas on what we need to address for a successful False Creek Flats Plan, and on potential solutions to area challenges and opportunities, will help frame our planning work on Phase 2 – the emerging directions for the plan.
Read our summary of public input:
Workshops: questions, challenges, and opportunities in the Flats
In June 2015, nearly 200 stakeholders participated in a series of six topic workshops to help our planning team:
- Identify the big questions that we need to address for a successful plan
- Brainstorm potential solutions to the challenges and opportunities in the area
- Frame the conversation in the False Creek Flats planning process
Topics included employment, innovation, transportation, food, arts and culture, and public space.
Your comments were documented and mapped and they'll help frame the issues, challenges, and opportunities we'll explore in the planning process. View the collection of maps and comments below.
Launch event
We launched the False Creek Flats planning process on May 27, 2015, complete with a food truck and Flats-brewed beer. Event guests met neighbours and local businesses, and learned about the area's history, diverse economy, and unique industrial character. Guests also found out how to get involved to help shape the future of the area.
Approved plan
Council reports
Zoning documents
Zoning Policy reference map
Zoning district schedules
- False Creek Flats Zoning Policy reference map (212 KB)
- False Creek Flats Rezoning Policy (125 KB)
- FC-2 District schedule (282 KB)
- I-3 District schedule (80 KB)
- I-2 District schedule (80 KB)
- IC-3 District schedule (268 KB)
- MC-1 and MC-2 Districts schedule (276 KB)
- Great Northern Way Campus CD-1 (402) (725 KB)
Policies and guidelines
- False Creek Flats urban design and development policies and guidelines for FC-2 – The Innovation Hub (2.6 MB)
- False Creek Flats urban design policies and guidelines for I-2 and I-3 (3.8 MB)
- Brewery Creek IC-3, C-3A, C-2C and RM-4/4N guidelines (141 KB)
- Downtown District and IC-3 District policies and procedures for low cost rental artist studios (85 KB)
- False Creek Flats urban design policies and guidelines for IC-3 (3.8 MB)
- MC-1 and MC-2 guidelines for Cedar Cottage, Hudson St, and East Hastings (Clark to Semlin) areas and False Creek Flats (Malkin-Atlantic-Prior) areas (4.2 MB)
- Micro dwelling policies and guidelines (169 KB)
Area profile: an overview of your False Creek Flats
The area profile walks you through the history of False Creek Flats its ecological significance, the economic role today, the policy framework that guides growth, and the transportation patterns that have defined development to date in the Flats.
Together, this information provided a starting place for dialogue about the future of the False Creek Flats.
Public consultation
Prior to and throughout the False Creek Flats planning process, a public engagement strategy was undertaken to ensure a diversity of voices were represented in the plan.
The planning began in May 2015 and over the two-year period numerous activities, workshops, events, meetings, and surveys were held to invite public participation. Over 4,300 participants were engaged over the duration of the planning process.
Phase 1: Framework and principles
June 2015 workshop maps and feedback
- "Working in the Flats" workshop maps and feedback (4 MB)
- "A district defined by innovation" workshop maps and comments (5 MB)
- "Moving what matters" workshop maps and comments (4 MB)
May 2015 launch event
Phase 2: Emerging directions
March 2016 open house: Prior-Venables replacement
February 2016 open house: Emerging directions
Phase 3: Sharing the Draft Plan
January 2017 open house display boards
Other documents
- New St. Paul’s Hospital + Health Campus Policy Statement (2017) (11.7 MB)
- The Flats Economic Development Strategy (2017) (5.5 MB)
- False Creek Flats Statement of Significance (2013) (11 MB)
- Regional Growth Strategy (2011) (5 MB)
- Metro Core Jobs and Economy Land Use Plan (2007) (2 MB)
- Industrial Lands Policy (1995) (200 KB)
Our guiding principles for the Flats
- Retain and intensify "back of house" industrial functions.
- Increase job capacity, with a focus on green jobs and economy.
- Ensure that food security and the food economy continue to have a strong presence in the Flats.
- Create and foster a unique sense of identity.
- Plan for the long-term presence of rail.
- Celebrate and enhance arts and culture.
- Recognize the historic importance of the area.
- Identify opportunities to create new and enhanced public gathering spaces.
- Seek creative and temporary uses for underutilized land.
- Improve traffic circulation by introducing new streets and connections for people walking and cycling.
- Maintain an efficient network of arterial streets essential for goods movement.
- Consult the public and all stakeholders in a meaningful way.
Related projects
- False Creek Flats: Green Enterprise Zone (Vancouver Economic Commission)
- Greenest City Action Plan
- Healthy City Strategy
- Northeast False Creek and the Georgia and Dunsmuir viaducts
- Transportation 2040
- Vancouver Food Strategy
- Vancouver Economic Action Strategy (6 MB)
Work leading up to this plan
Since the late 1980s, a lot of our industrial lands near downtown changed into mixed-use developments with homes, businesses, and amenities. This shift put a lot of pressure on our remaining industrial land, including the False Creek Flats.
Even though our land that prohibits residential uses makes up only 10 per cent of Vancouver's land area, it’s where half of us work. These lands are near transit, rail, roads, and ports, but away from residential areas. This lets businesses run non-stop operations and make noise, light, and odors without affecting people at home.
Since these lands are vital yet vulnerable, we created these studies and policies to balance the need for job space and development.
| Year | Study or policy | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
|
1995 |
Industrial Lands Strategy |
|
|
1996 – 1999 |
False Creek Flats Preliminary Concept Plan I-2 and I-3 Industrial Zoning District Schedules and Design Guidelines |
|
|
2001 |
False Creek Flats Structure Plan |
|
|
2005 |
Transportation and rail study |
|
|
2005 |
Metro Core Jobs and Economy Land Use Plan |
|
|
2011 |
Metro Vancouver Regional Growth Strategy |
|
