Since November 27, the City of Vancouver has received applications for 19 multiplex developments, with each potentially accommodating up to six units in residential neighborhoods, totaling 84 units. These proposals are currently navigating the permit process and are expected to commence construction this year. Primarily targeting the replacement of single-family houses, these multiplexes would introduce 84 new strata homes. This transition would not only increase the buildable square footage on each lot but also entail the replacement of existing one- or two-story houses with triplexes, occasionally incorporating a second building on the property.
This development trend is significant not only for Vancouver but also for other British Columbia cities like Victoria, Kelowna, and Kimberley, which have already implemented their own missing middle housing policies. Moreover, impending changes at the provincial level could potentially legalize missing middle housing on single-family lots in municipalities with populations exceeding 5,000. Such a shift could have broader implications for urban development and housing policies across the region, potentially reshaping residential landscapes to address housing affordability and density challenges.
