Sen̓áḵw project making visible progress on first phase of development

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Good morning,

Nate with you today. Monday marked the unofficial end of summer, while Tuesday was back to school day for K-12 students. But I want to circle back to Labour Day for a moment — a day designated in honour of workers, and one treated by most as a celebratory last hurrah for summer festivities. 

The annual holiday has taken on a life of its own for most people. It makes sense, given the tradition began over 150 years ago, just five years after Confederation. It was a time when trade unions and strikes were illegal, and the arrest of two dozen union leaders in Toronto sparked a parade of thousands to call for their freedom, demanding better conditions for all workers. Eventually, after 22 years, Labour Day was declared a national holiday in 1894.

Broadly speaking, it’s the workers’ movement that created the ‘weekend,’ the eight-hour workday, paid vacations, and all sorts of workplace benefits that millions of people enjoy today. To me, it’s an example and a reminder of the power of collective action to create change. “The people united will never be defeated,” as the popularized Chilean song goes. 

With that, let’s get on to the news and arts for your shortened work week. 

— Nate Lewis, Vancity Lookout  

PS - If you find this newsletter valuable, please consider forwarding it to your friends. New to the Lookout? Sign-up for free.

WEATHER

Wednesday: 26 🌡️ 17 | ☀️

Thursday: 29 🌡️ 18 | ☀️

Friday: 28 🌡️ 17 | ☀️

CITY BUILDING

Sen̓áḵw project making visible progress on first phase of development

What happened: Since excavation at Phase 1 of the Sen̓áḵw site in West False Creek began in December 2022, there’s been significant and noticeable progress on the landmark development surrounding the southwest end of the Burrard Street Bridge. 

Squamish Nation, the landowner, is leading the project in partnership with Nch'ḵay̓ Development Corporation (the Nation’s economic development arm formed in 2018) and Ian Gillespie’s Westbank Projects Corp. 

• The federal government provided a low-cost loan of $1.4 billion for Phase 1 and 2 construction financing. 

The details: Phase 1 of the development includes three towers, currently under construction between Vanier Park and the northwest side of the Burrard Bridge, and the district’s energy plant, which will heat the entire development. 

• The thermal energy system draws its heat from wastewater that’s been heated upstream (ie. in other buildings), according to Urbanized. In May 2024, Creative Energy (a Westbank-owned company), who are building Sen̓áḵw’s private energy utility, executed a “high precision” process of tapping into Metro Vancouver’s sewer main below the site. Recovering and using waste heat in this manner is part of the strategy to have Sen̓áḵw be a net zero development, upon completion, according to a spring 2024 project update.

A unique case study: The land is owned and regulated by the Squamish Nation. Sen̓áḵw was a longstanding Squamish village prior to the arrival of European settlers in 1791. Between 1886 and 1913, the land was expropriated by the federal and provincial governments — including the illegal removal of the entire Sen̓áḵw community by the B.C. government. 

• Beginning in the late 1960s, Squamish Nation worked for decades to reclaim this traditional land. In 2003, a federal court returned 10.5 acres of the original 80 acres of reserve land. Those 10.5 acres, underneath and surrounding the Kitsilano side of the Burrard Street Bridge, are the lands now being developed.   

As is nearly always the case in Vancouver’s current real estate climate, some of the motivations for development are economic. 

• “Much of the Squamish Nation's income currently relies on long-term leases, many of which expire in the next 25 years. Developing the reserve lands now will help ensure financial security,” according to the project website.

There’s been an agreement in place since summer 2021 (approved by city councillors at a closed in-camera meeting) for the City of Vancouver to provide some basic services to the development. However, the city has no ability to regulate or control development on reserve lands – a situation which the city agreed with and was affirmed by the B.C. Supreme Court in a 2023 court case, according to CTV. 

• Given their lack of jurisdiction, and the fact that the service agreement is a commercial agreement, the city didn’t undertake public consultation on the project. There was one public info session held by the Sen̓áḵw partnership in October 2022. 

The energy plant portion of Phase 1 did go before the B.C. Utilities Commission, which approved the project in an October 2023 decision. 

At the time, the Squamish Nation took the position that “a public consultation and review process on [the energy plant] project is not warranted and represents a serious infringement on our right to self-government,” according to BIV.     

A comparison: What does the unique regulatory arrangement — with the Squamish Nation exercising sovereignty over their land — mean for the project’s construction timeline, compared to similar developments regulated by the City of Vancouver? 

The current redevelopment of Oakridge Mall — also a Westbank project, with a geoexchange energy system from Creative Energy — offers a useful comparison. 

• Sen̓áḵw includes over 6,000 homes across 11 towers, equalling 4 million sq. ft. of residential space, plus approx. 187,000 sq. ft. of commercial space. Oakridge Park has 3.5 million sq. ft. of residential space — 2,600 homes across 14 towers – plus 1.5 million sq. ft. of commercial space. 

Construction at Sen̓áḵw began in 2022, with Phase 1 expected to be completed in 2026. Phase 2 is expected to be completed by 2027, while Phases 3 and 4 will be finished in 2029 and 2030 respectively.    

The Oakridge redevelopment began in 2019 and is scheduled for a 2027 completion date. Developers Ivanhoe Cambridge and Westbank submitted a joint application in 2012 to initiate the rezoning of Oakridge Centre. However, the city had already indicated their vision for the area as far back as 2007 through a policy statement.  

What it means: The timeframe for construction of the two mega projects is approximately the same, at about eight years. While the City of Vancouver has had the Oakridge redevelopment simmering through its bureaucratic channels for 20 years (start to finish), a revitalized Squamish home at Sen̓áḵw has taken over 115 years to become a reality. Both will take about eight years for construction to be completed.

• Given the generations of work by the Squamish people to reclaim a portion of their former village site — rooted in the historic wrongs committed by Canadian governments against Indigenous people — there can be little doubt of their right to self-government on that land. 

Whether it be legal and social processes like court cases, advocacy, and reconciliation, or civic processes like bylaws, area plans, and public engagement, it’s clear that city-building is a complex and evolving process.

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VANCOUVER NUMBERS

⛰️ 3: The number of West Vancouver brothers who were rescued after spending a night in the North Shore mountains. Rescuers said the men left too late in the day — at 1 p.m. for an 8-10 hour hike — and got lost once the sun set. [CBC]

⛴️ 7: The number of sailings cancelled between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay on Tuesday due to engine problems on one of BC Ferries’ main vessels. [City News]

🎡 638,000: The approximate number of people who attended the PNE this year — the fair’s highest total attendance since the pandemic. [Vancouver Sun]

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Food Driver: Volunteer with the Salvation Army to help with food deliveries for people in need. More info. 

Nature Stewardship: Start a stewardship group (or, possibly, join an existing one) with support from the city and create nature-based solutions at one of seven sites in Vancouver. More info.

Puppy Pal: By becoming a volunteer with CNIB Guide Dogs, you can help transform a playful puppy into a life-changing guide dog. More info.

Water Access Surveyor: Swim Drink Fish, a water charity and advocacy group, is looking for volunteers to survey park-goers at New Brighton, Harbour Green Park, and Waterfront Park about their connection and access needs to nearby waters. Email for more info.

ARTS

East Van artists create a mobile sculpture for sitting

What happened: A group of East Vancouver artists have created a kinetic art piece, echoing a satellite dish, that doubles as portable public seating. This summer, they’ve been carting their contraption out to parks in Vancouver and festivals around the province. 

The inspiration: Bryce Larkin is the lead artist on the project, titled Deferrent Circles. 

“It was kind of cultivating for a couple of years in my mind before it kind of became fully fleshed out,” Larkin told Vancity Lookout. 

• During the pandemic, Larkin said he spent a lot of time on a friend’s farm. “We had a satellite dish set up, as like, a big swing underneath a tree. I thought that was the greatest thing. I spent the night sleeping in it one night. That must have been the spark of the idea,” he said. 

With funding from various art and music festivals, Larkin and four others — plus contributions from dozens of other people — built the structure from scratch, which includes two rotating ‘saucers,’ complete with cushions, lighting design, and a large awning. 

What’s next: Larkin said he’d like to take the installation out to more parks in the near future, and get it out on the road for a few festivals again next summer. 

• “I want to share it with more people… I’m looking to find some more local events to take it to,” Larkin said. 

If you’re involved with festival or event organizing in Vancouver and want to connect with Larkin you can find the project @deferrentcircles on Instagram.

THE AGENDA

🚌 HandyDART transit workers in Metro Vancouver are now on strike. Their essential service agreement means the door-to-door transit service will keep operating for those with certain medical appointments, but all other trips have been cancelled indefinitely. The employer and the union have agreed to meet with a mediator this weekend. [CBC]

🚸 With school back in session across Metro Vancouver, 30 km speed zones around schools are back in effect from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on school days. ICBC says 51 children per year are hurt by vehicles in school and playground zones. [City News]

🧳 A Canadian woman is facing life in an Australian prison over allegations she brought nearly 15 kilograms of methamphetamine from Vancouver to Brisbane. In July, Canadian Border officials said they intercepted two other Canadian citizens attempting to smuggle large quantities of meth between YVR and Sydney, Australia. [City News]

🧑‍🚒 Firefighters in B.C. are raising concerns about new provincial building codes that would allow multi-unit buildings up to six stories to be built with only one stairwell. The change came in an effort to reduce building costs and increase residential floor space, but firefighter organizations say the provincial consultation was rushed and ignored key concerns. Non-compliant safety systems and smoke inhalation are two heightened threats under the new code, they said. [City News]

🚦 Remember when Christine Boyle attempted to get more automated speed cameras on Vancouver streets? That motion was amended by the ABC council majority to prioritize further study. Data coming out of Philadelphia suggests it’s a good idea. One road — which had been known for its high crash rates — saw crashes drop 36% and excessive speeding fell by 90% following the installation of speed cameras. Hopefully, city council can circle back to that one sooner rather than later… [CTV News, Smart Cities Dive]

🗳️ The fallout continues from Kevin Falcon’s shocking decision to fold B.C. United in support of the B.C. Conservatives. Three current B.C. United MLAs announced they’d be running for the Conservatives, while three others said they now won’t be running in the fall election. The Conservatives also dropped several of their former candidates to make way for B.C. United candidates in various ridings, while other B.C. United candidates are considering running as Independents. You can find all the details in this useful summary. [CBC]

👀 One opinion piece makes the case that Falcon waving the white flag is no less than a threat to B.C.’s democracy. “There is something broken with a system that allows one person to shut down a party and remove a key option for voters seven weeks before an election,” the author wrote, in a well-sourced argument tracing the influence of the province’s business community — rather than that of the party’s MLAs, candidates, or board — in the decision. [The Tyee, Globe and Mail, BIV]

DREAM HOME

Here at Vancity Lookout we like to look at all sorts of “dream homes;” the gaudy and out-of-reach, the falling-apart-yet-somehow-still-expensive, and the would-have-been-great-to-buy-in-the-late-80s. 

This place, a five bed, four bath detached house on a slender lot in Killarney, falls in the latter category. What I love about this spot is the location — a quiet street just south of the nearby community centre and high school, and up the hill from Fraserview Golf Course and Everett Crowley Park. 

The current owners bought it for $117,500 in 1986. Their asking price now is pretty much what you’d expect. 😮‍💨

Home of The Week is a home selected by the Lookout team and is not a paid advertisement. All ads are labeled as such. If you’re a realtor who wishes to feature your home in our newsletter, please contact our sales team.

ARTS

Theatre

The Fringe starts tomorrow! Get out to Granville Island from Sept. 5-15 for a variety of performances and festivities. Check out all the events here. 

Music

The Halluci Nation is coming to town later this month, playing at the Rickshaw Theatre on September 26. Tickets $27

The popular performance Come From Away is playing in Vancouver at the Queen Elizabeth from Sept. 10-15.

Movies 

The Vancouver Queer Film Festival is on from Sept. 11-22, showcasing 97 projects from 27 countries. Tickets $7-19

VIFF series Total Cinema is all about films that showcase their new projection and immersive sound system, with films like Susperia, Amelie and The Tree of Life.

Art

It’s the final month to see Anti-Icon: Apokalypsis, the subversive exhibit by Martine Gutierrez. Entry by donation. More info. 

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• It’s back to school, and for some families that means hopping on the bike bus! [CBC] 

• See why hundreds of people went to Kitsilano Pool for non-swimming activities. [Vancouver Sun]

• It doesn’t get more Gulf Island than this property that recently hit the market. [VIA]

• You’ve probably already seen it, but this may be nature photography at its finest [Reddit] 

VANCOUVER GUESSER

A rare Vancouver restaurant in the middle of a residential neighbourhood, featuring a lovely patio beside a mini-park. What idyllic neighbourhood might this be?

Reply with the correct answer to be featured in Friday’s newsletter!