The City offers a number of incentives that encourage the restoration and continued use of heritage buildings, including:
Council also uses a number of protective measures — including heritage designation, heritage revitalization agreements, and heritage conservation areas — to save and restore valuable sites for future generations.
The Heritage Action Plan is a review of the policies and tools used to conserve and celebrate heritage resources.
To protect a heritage building or landscape from unsympathetic alteration and loss of character or value, the City can give a site protected designation under the Vancouver Charter.
We fund three grants to support heritage conservation citywide and help preserve heritage buildings and assets in Vancouver.
The City has developed a transferable density program that grants additional density to developers who agree to rehabilitate and legally protect any heritage buildings on their development sites.
A Heritage Revitalization Agreement is a legally binding agreement negotiated by the City and an owner of a heritage property, and is intended to restore, preserve, and protect the property in return for development incentives.
We have created regulations and companion design guidelines that preserve and protect the historic fabric of Chinatown, Gastown, Shaughnessy, and Yaletown, ensuring that new development is compatible with the areas' character.
Download the Vancouver Heritage Register to find over 2,200 registered heritage buildings, parks, trees, and monuments.