Side StreetVancouver

A closer look at Vancouver.

Homes

  1. Illustrative ground-floor layout between West 9th, West 10th, Tolmie and Sasamat. Homes line West 9th and the northern walking route. The grocery and smaller shops face West 10th and the plaza. A path connects the plaza north to the pocket park, with a branch west to Tolmie. Existing buildings remain at the southwest and southeast corners.
    Illustrative. View larger
    Point Grey

    Point Grey’s former Safeway site: 563 rentals and a grocery store

    The proposal brings rental homes, groceries and a route through the block. We’d like the quieter side to have a few more places to stop.On the Block · 6 min read
  2. Map of Vancouver with a dot for each multiplex project, mid-rise permit and highrise permit since June 2024. Rust multiplex dots cover most neighbourhoods, especially Hastings-Sunrise, Kerrisdale and the west side. Large navy highrise circles cluster downtown, near Broadway and along the Canada Line.
    Every multiplex project, mid-rise and highrise permit since June 2024. Explore it block by block on our multiplex map.
    Citywide

    Vancouver now issues more permits for multiplexes than for new houses

    592 multiplex permits since June 2024, with Hastings-Sunrise out front and the west side close behind. Here’s where they are, why they’re getting slower, and why I think they’re worth it.Analysis · 7 min read
  3. Four small line charts of median days to a building permit from 2017 to 2026. Simple renovations fall from 51 days in 2022 to 23 in 2026, against a 3-day target. New houses fall from 249 to 142, against a 3-week target. Laneway houses fall from 230.5 to 98. Multiplexes rise from 108.5 days in 2024 to 188 in 2026.
    Median days to a building permit, by year issued. Each chart has its own scale.
    Citywide

    How long does a Vancouver building permit take? I checked 52,000 of them

    Home permits are much faster than in 2022. They are still nowhere near the three-day and three-week targets, and multiplex permits are getting slower.Data analysis · 5 min read
  4. Density by Decree, an SFU City Program talk on October 14, 2026, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Harbour Centre and online
    Event information graphic: Side Street Vancouver, based on the linked event listing. Check the registration page for current details.
    515 W Hastings

    Free SFU talk looks at the future of Vancouver's neighbourhoods

    Michael Geller, Ann McAfee and Larry Beasley discuss Vancouver's neighbourhoods at a free SFU event on October 14, in person and online.Event · 1 min read

What I’m looking into

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My reporting plans for the next few weeks. If you know something about one of these, tell me.

  • Homes · Coverage planned

    What is it like to live in a Vancouver multiplex?

    Find a completed, occupied building and ask residents how the homes and shared space work day to day.

    Explore the permit map
  • Homes · Coverage planned

    What happens next at the former Point Grey Safeway?

    Follow the permit process and material changes to the proposed homes, grocery space and walking connections.

    Read the proposal explained