Norquay Village Neighbourhood Centre Plan

Norquay Park

The City's Neighbourhood Centre Program is designed to create neighbourhoods that provide residents with a variety of housing, jobs and services, with centres that will become the heart of each neighbourhood and meet the current and emerging needs of local residents and businesses.

The Norquay Village Neighbourhood Centre Plan, approved by Council in November 2010, was developed with input from Norquay Village residents and property and business owners to help guide growth and development throughout the neighbourhood in the coming years. 

Implementation of the plan includes areas such as: improvements to Kingsway, new residential zones, a public benefits strategy, and a public realm plan.

About Vancouver's community planning

A community plan is a clear but flexible framework for guiding positive change and public benefit in a neighbourhood. The plan considers long-range and short-term goals for a neighbourhood. All community plans help the City work toward broader objectives established for the entire city and region, but still recognize the specific issues and initiatives of each area.

Progress on the implementation of the neighbourhood centre plan

Milestones in the process and community amenities being delivered

February 28, 2017 - Since 2010, implementation of the plan has included improvements to Kingsway, new residential zones, a public benefits strategy, and a public realm plan. Read the progress bulletin for an update on development taking place in the neighbourhood and on community amenities being delivered.

Public Realm Plan available to download

October 17, 2016 - The Norquay Village Public Realm Plan is the last of the implementing policies associated with the Norquay Village Neighbourhood Centre Plan. The Plan (2010) and the Public Benefits Strategy (2013) were adopted by City Council and direction was given at those times to complete the final implementation documents.

Zoning amendments passed by council

January 20, 2016 – After Council heard from speakers and reviewed correspondence, Council approved the proposed zoning amendments to introduce RM-9A/9AN zoning in Norquay. It is anticipated that the zones will be enacted in early February. Applications under the new zoning may now be submitted.

January 19 public hearing: Proposed zoning amendments

January 5, 2016 – As part of implementing the neighbourhood centre plan, Council will consider amendments to the Zoning and Development Bylaw at a public hearing.

Tuesday, January 19
Council Chamber
City Hall, 453 West 12th Avenue, Third Floor

If approved, the RM-9 and RM-9N districts schedules and guidelines will be amended to include RM-9A and RM-9AN.

Properties in the Apartment Transition Area will be rezoned from RS-1 (One-Family Dwelling) District to RM-9A/9AN (Multiple-Dwelling) Districts to allow for apartments in Norquay Village.

Zoning amendments for the Apartment Transition Area

December 9, 2015 – The staff report on proposed amendments to the Zoning and Development Bylaw for the Apartment Transition Area is now available.

Questionnaire: What do you think about the RM-9A Zone?

October 2, 2015 – Thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts on the proposed RM-9A Zone, part of the implementation of the neighbourhood centre plan. The feedback we received will be summarized and reported to Council.

September 24, 2015 – Share your thoughts on the proposed RM-9A zone for the Apartment Transition Area in our online questionnaire. The questionnaire ends Thursday, October 1.

Learn about the RM-9A zone in the September 23 open house information displays PDF file (900 KB).

September 23 open house: Proposed Apartment Transition Area zone

September 9, 2015 – A new zone (RM-9A) is being proposed for the Apartment Transition Area to allow four-storey apartments and stacked townhouses on specific streets behind Kingsway. Share your feedback and ask questions to City staff. Get the event details:

讓您了解更多容許興建四層高柏文及疊式城市屋(stacked townhouses)
的柏文公寓過渡區(Apartment Transition Area).
歡迎發問查詢及表達您的意見!

Proposed RM-9A zone / 建議中的 RM-9A 土地分區

Note A previous version of this map contained an error, and has now been corrected.

Map of proposed RM-9A zone

Public Realm Plan Cantonese walking tour on August 7

September 2, 2014 – We have posted a summary and photo of what we heard and saw during the walking tour.


Public Realm Plan community workshop on June 16

June 18, 2014 – We have posted presentations, photos, and a summary of what we heard from the workshop.

June 3, 2014 – Explore ideas for plazas, Ravine Way, and other neighbourhood places in Norquay Village at a workshop with City staff and consultants, PWL Landscape Architects.

Learn more and register for the workshop

Public benefits strategy and apartment transition area rezoning policy approved by Council

May 16, 2013 – Council approved the Norquay Neighbourhood Public Benefits Strategy at the City Finance and Services meeting on May 16, 2013. The $101- to $106-million strategy will guide the next 30 years of capital planning and investments in Norquay in two ways:

  • Renew existing facilities and infrastructure, such as parks, the Collingwood Library, the neighbourhood fire hall, and aging water and sewer pipes
  • Add new facilities and infrastructure, such as childcare, affordable housing, a community facility and open space, a green corridor, and transportation improvements.

At the same meeting, Council also approved the Apartment Transition Area Rezoning Policy to guide rezoning proposals for three- to four-storey low-rise apartments near the Kingsway corridor. The policy focuses on developments that provide a variety of housing options and include sustainable building practices.

New zoning district schedules enacted by Council

May 15, 2013 – Council enacted (gave final approval to) the Norquay RM-7 and RT-11 zones at the May 15, 2013 Council meeting. Applications can now be made under the new zoning regulations for each of the districts. Council also gave final approval to three new guidelines to assist staff and applicants in better understanding the new regulations.

New zoning district schedules referred to April 9 public hearing

March 12, 2013 – Council referred the Norquay RT-11 and RM-7 zones to the April 9, 2013 Public Hearing. If Council approves the new zones after hearing from the public, it is anticipated the zones will be enacted in mid-May enabling applications for the new housing types to be received shortly afterward.

Tell us what you think of the new zones and public benefits strategy

January 25, 2013 – If you are unable to attend our public workshops on new zones and public benefits strategy for Norquay village, it is not too late to give us your opinion.

Please review the display boards from our open house (available in both English and Chinese in the Documents tab), and then take a brief survey to tell us what you think. We are collecting input until February 11, 2013

  • Our online survey is now closed. Thanks to everyone who shared their thoughts. A summary of your feedback will be posted online shortly and shared with Council.

Open house on new zones and public benefits strategy

January 10, 2013 – Drop by an open house to learn more about regulations for two new zones and a public benefits strategy for Norquay Village. It’s your chance to learn more about the new zoning and public benefits strategy and provide your feedback. City Council will be considering adoption of the zones and strategy this spring. If you can’t make it to an open house, look for materials and updates on our website.

Event time: Wednesday, January 23, 4:00pm – 8:00pm
Location: Cunningham Elementary School, 2330 East 37th Avenue, Gymnasium

Event time: Saturday, January 26, 11:00am – 3:00pm
Location: Norquay Elementary School, 4710 Slocan Street, Gymnasium

Cantonese and Mandarin speaking staff will be available at the open houses to translate.

Kingsway improvements

In 2012, construction began on pedestrian-oriented improvements on Kingsway which include planted centre medians, sidewalk stamps, street lighting, street trees, and curb bulges. More public realm improvements such as additional crosswalks and street trees will be added as redevelopment continues.

New zones

City staff have drafted the detailed regulations and guidelines for the new zoning outlined in the Norquay Village Neighbourhood Centre Plan which proposes stacked townhouses or rowhouses and duplexes and small houses as possibilities in the zones. The proposed regulations and guidelines for the new zones were developed after staff considered architectural reviews, comments from the public and internal reviews by building, fire, and legal staff. Details of the new zones will be presented to the community in 2013 before being considered by Council.

Public Benefits Strategy

As part of implementing the Norquay Village Neighbourhood Plan, staff have been preparing a strategy to ensure that amenities and facilities in the area are added or improved as the community's population grows over the next 30 years. Details of the background work and a draft approach for the strategy will be presented to the community in 2013.

Public Realm Plan

A more detailed public realm plan will be developed to provide a cohesive vision, knitting together improvements to pedestrian connections, bike routes, and parks. The plan will also provide more detailed direction for the design of public plazas and spaces that will be created through future development on Kingsway.

Details of this community plan

The Norquay Vision, Community Directions and Planning Principles have guided the development of the Neighbourhood Centre Plan.

The vision for the Norquay Village Neighbourhood Centre Plan includes five key objectives:

  1. Focus on the revitalization of Kingsway as a local high street.
  2. Support the development of new spaces for community gatherings and new public amenities.
  3. Enable residential neighbourhoods to evolve incrementally and organically.
  4. Create more affordable entry-level home ownership opportunities, particularly for families, while retaining the ability to include rental housing.
  5. Improve safe and enjoyable pedestrian and bicycle connections while trying to minimize the impact on local traffic.

Throughout the planning process, several themes emerged which have been translated into community directions for Norquay Village:

  • Strengthen Kingsway as a diverse, vibrant, and walkable neighbourhood heart and retail high street
  • Create attractive, pedestrian-friendly, and safe streetscapes along Kingsway
  • Encourage new development along Kingsway that adds to the diversity and character of Norquay
  • Shops and services should be locally oriented
  • Focus higher-density development in locations with convenient access
  • Seek opportunities to create functional and distinctive public spaces
  • Ensure a diversity of housing types
  • Maintain a strong single-family residential character
  • New development should work to protect public views and mature trees
  • Create a safe, pedestrian-friendly, and traffic-calmed transportation network
  • New development should bring new amenities that serve the neighbourhood
  • Ensure that neighbourhood parks are accessible for all neighbours
  • Look for opportunities to add and extend green space throughout the neighbourhood
  • Emphasize sustainability and environmental innovation

Building on the community directions, neighbourhood planning principles were also developed to guide the formulation of a variety of new housing types:

  • Focus on options that work with a single lot.
  • Fit in with the character of established single-family housing.
  • Create new ownership options.
  • Retain rental housing options.
  • Use block characteristics to determine type.
  • Retain current options in addition to new options.

Work leading up to the community plan

The Neighbourhood Centre Program is designed to deliver improvements to neighbourhood shopping areas and to plan for housing varieties around them. The Norquay Village area was identified as a Neighbourhood Centre in the Renfrew-Collingwood Community Vision in 2004.

The community said that Norquay Village should be a more attractive and lively shopping area, and that there should be a mix of new housing around it for families, seniors, and young people.

In April 2006 a Norquay Village Neighbourhood Centre Area Work Program was developed that identified study area boundaries, special sites, program products, process and schedule, and relevant Vision directions.