Crisis Response Bylaw Amendments & Housing Projects in Downtown and Queensborough

Project Update, December 2021: A Public Hearing was held on December 6, 2021, after which Council supported (gave Third Reading to) the rezoning bylaws and Official Community Plan amendments for all three projects.

Click here to view the Public Hearing and Council Meeting recordings from December 6, and click here to read the Council package and all public correspondence received.

What's being proposed?

The City of New Westminster is bundling three separate, but closely related, projects into one review and consultation process in the interest of moving quickly to meet current and near-future funding deadlines, as well as respond more readily to urgent needs in the community.

1. Potential city-wide bylaw amendments to allow more rapid response on projects meeting specific criteria and addressing an identified emergency or crisis: Adoption of some general bylaw amendments would offer a way for the City to respond more quickly to current crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, recent fires and heat waves, the overdose crisis, the regional homelessness crisis - and any other future crises. The proposed Official Community Plan and zoning bylaw amendments would be limited by projects that meet all four of the following criteria: property owned by the City or other government agency; project funded by government; project operated by non-profit or public agency; project must address needs identified through a Provincial emergency declaration or crisis publicly recognized by multiple Metro Vancouver municipalities. Click here for more information.
   
   
2. Non-market housing on City-owned land at 350-366 Fenton Street in Queensborough: Rezoning and an Official Community Plan amendment are required to allow for this proposed partnership between the City and Vancouver Native Housing Society. The proposed project includes 58 units in a three-storey mutli-unit building with a mix of studios, one and two bedroom units. The building would be for Indigenous individuals and families, including providing spaces for women and children. Click here for more information.
   
   
3. Supportive housing on Province-owned land at 60-68 Sixth Street in Downtown: Rezoning and an Official Community Plan amendment are required to allow for this proposed project of 52-units of modular homes with supports for adults at risk or experiencing homelessness. An experienced housing operator would be selected, and staff would be on site 24/7 to support residents and provide services. BC Housing would own the building. Click here for more information.

How can I engage?

The final opportunity for feedback on these projects before Council decides whether to approve them will be at the Monday, December 6, 2021 Public Hearing. You can submit your comments for Council as part of the Public Hearing process through the comment form below.

An initial comment period was open October 1 - 24, 2021. Click here for a summary of What We Heard from community members through the consultation.

The City hosted four different virtual information sessions to present the three proposed projects, address questions and hear from community members. Sessions were held October 5, 19, 20 and 21, 2021.

A recording of the October 5 information session is available. Click below to watch.