Making Room Housing Program

Adding housing choice in neighbourhoods across Vancouver

What's happening

Join us at our open house and provide feedback

We're considering zoning changes that would repair, strengthen, and clarify the regulations for basements and cellars so that new house designs include more livable basements and secondary suites as intended when zoning changes to allow full basements were made in 2009.

We're hosting an open house to get feedback on the proposed amendments and share what we have heard through engagement so far.

Tuesday, September 17, 4pm to 8pm
CityLab, 511 West Broadway

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Read this backgrounder (1.8 MB) for more information on existing housing options in low-density neighbourhoods.

Read the open house information displays (2 MB) for more information on the proposed changes.

We want to hear from you

Share your thoughts by filling out our online comment form, which will close on September 22.

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Shifting towards the right supply of housing to meet the needs of people who live and work in Vancouver is a key objective of the Housing Vancouver Strategy.

To meet the right supply targets, we are looking at new opportunities to add housing choice across the city in our low-density neighbourhoods as a key building block of a future citywide plan.

The aim is to deliver housing that falls in the “missing middle”, between single-family homes and higher density apartments.

City-wide Plan

Following the 2018 election, the new Council requested that staff focus planning efforts on initiating a City-wide Plan.

Making Room is transitioning from being an independent planning program focused on adding housing choice to low density neighbourhoods into a broader integrated planning effort to create complete communities as part of the work of the City-wide Plan.

The City-wide Plan is expected to launch late in fall 2019 with major engagement events, and will include a public dialogue on a range of considerations to guide future change in neighbourhoods.

Learn more about the City-wide Plan

Since duplexes were permitted in RS zones in September 2018

applications have been received (last updated August 31, 2019)

Early actions

Duplexes in most RS zones

In September 2018, Council approved duplexes as a use in most RS zones (1 MB). Enactment took place at the Council meeting on October 30, 2018.

In December 2018, Council reaffirmed duplexes as a trial housing option in most RS zones (583 KB).

On April 2, 2019, Council approved changes to the design regulations (4.8 MB) for duplexes in select RM, RT, and RS zones.

See our how-to guide on building a duplex (1 MB) for more information.

View RS zones with and without option to build a duplex (5 MB)

For information about development options in most RS zones, see our housing options brochure (785 KB)

For permit enquiries, contact 604-873-7611.
RT zone amendments

At the public hearing on September 19, Council postponed the public hearing for the proposed rezoning of the RT-7 & RT-8 zones to RT-5 and rezoning of the RT-10 & RT-10N zones to RT-11 & RT-11N (4.5 MB) to a public hearing following the election.

On December 4, 2018, Council considered a staff report (470 KB) and approved a recommendation to rescind the motion adopted on July 24, 2018 to refer amendments to RT zones in Kitsilano and Kensington-Cedar Cottage along with various by-laws, policies and guidelines to a public hearing, and instead focus planning resources on advancing the Making Room Housing Program as a key building block of a future city plan.

Kitsilano and Kensington-Cedar Cottage will be included in future planning for low-density neighbourhoods as part of Making Room.

Other work underway

Other work related to creating more housing choice includes:

Review of regulations and impacts of deep basements in RS zones
Exploring low-carbon housing options as part of the Climate Emergency Response (609 KB)