Indigenous-led Jericho Lands housing proposal starts public consultations in Vancouver
A housing proposal spearheaded by three Very first Nations that would double the population of Vancouver’s West Place Grey neighbourhood commences its general public consultations this 7 days.
The Jericho Lands proposal — 1st discovered in 2021 after get the job done commenced in 2016 — incorporates a big housing job showcasing dozens of properties, a blend of neighborhood centres, park land and wilderness spaces, alongside with potential for a SkyTrain station if the Millennium Line is prolonged to the College of British Columbia.
It really is established to be created on a 90-acre (36.4-hectare) web site in West Level Grey, an upscale neighbourhood of around 13,000 people today, bounded by West Fourth Avenue, Highbury Road, West Eighth Avenue and Discovery Street.
The Jericho Lands area is at the moment residence to a former garrison, a number of dozen houses leased to military families and a private school. The web page itself is owned by the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations — whose unceded territories Vancouver is constructed on — in partnership with the Canada Lands Enterprise, a federal Crown company.
Set to far more than double the area’s population with the guarantee of 13,000 new properties, the project is component of a provincial drive for more housing.
“We’re not a developer, that you would see in a feeling which is creating a assets for their have income and their own benefit,” explained Sxelaltenaat Adrienne Charlie, cultural liaison for the Squamish Country.
“We’re a few unique communities who are hunting out for each individual of the nation’s customers … for my little ones, my grandchildren, my wonderful-grandchildren.”
The project is referred to as ʔəy̓ alməxʷ (ee-yal-mugh) in the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language, and Iy̓ álmexw (i-yal-mugh) in the Squamish language.
Open homes for the project began Saturday, with a community consultation scheduled for the slide.
Unlike the Squamish Nation’s Sen̓áḵw project, the Jericho Lands proposal would need to have a rezoning vote by council, with a determination on the in general eyesight of the job anticipated later this yr, and rezoning upcoming 12 months if it is accepted.
“We have a main challenge of housing offer and the ideal variety of source supplying inexpensive housing, notably diverse sorts of rental and social housing,” said Matt Shillito, director of specific tasks at the City of Vancouver.
“There is a good chance introduced here by this task to produce housing in a really sustainable area.”
Proposal within just provincial approach
The up-to-date Jericho Lands proposal will come amid a province-broad push to create hundreds more housing models.
It truly is an solution the Town of Vancouver has performed a component in, with Mayor Ken Sim appearing alongside Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon at quite a few housing bulletins.
The initiatives have not been well-liked with everybody, with the Sen̓áḵw venture and a supportive housing task on the West Aspect going through loud opposition from close by house owners.
The Jericho Coalition, a group of Position Grey inhabitants, have earlier spoken out from the primary proposal.
“The Jericho Coalition will go on to oppose this proposal by means of every stage of the regulatory course of action,” they reported in an emailed assertion to CBC Information Saturday.
Tom Davidoff, an affiliate professor with UBC, says historic zoning policy in West Level Grey — which mostly is made up of one-spouse and children homes and mansions — was out of contact with the recent housing sector, which identified as for extra dense condominium-fashion housing.
“Builders want to develop taller buildings. People today want to reside in apartments, but the rules forbid it,” he said. “Hopefully this challenge serves as a type of a reminder to individuals, ok, this is how people truly want to are living.”
Davidoff mentioned it was fascinating to see Very first Nations playing an “outsized purpose” in addressing the trouble of a absence of housing, which he states is driven by jurisdictional conflict in between municipalities — who management zoning — and the province.
According to the proposal, a minimum amount of 30 per cent of the web-site will be reasonably priced housing, which include 20 per cent social housing.
A development timeline, if council votes to approve the Jericho Lands job, has not but been decided.
