Waterfront development plan inches forward

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Good morning,

Apologies to everyone, I forgot to hit the send button on today’s newsletter, which is why you’re getting it so late. You can tell it’s almost the holidays…

Holidays also mean a slowdown in news, which is certainly the case this week.

What’s not slowing down is our fundraising drive. A big thank you to the over 30 members who joined yesterday. Honestly, we’re just blown away by the number of you who believe in the Lookout.

If you missed our announcement, we’re planning on hiring our first full-time journalist sometime in 2025. But as a mostly reader-funded publication, it means that in order to fund our expansion (our entire team is currently part-time or freelancering), we need readers like you to contribute.

Today we’ve got a look at a little stretch of land with big plans. Let’s dive in!

— Geoff Sharpe, Lookout managing editor

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

WEATHER

Monday: 3 🌡️ 1 | 🌧️/❄️

Tuesday: 5 🌡️ 5 | 🌧️

Wednesday: 8 🌡️ 1 | 🌤️

CITY HALL

Waterfront development plan inches forward

What happened: The plan to develop the last piece of Vancouver waterfront is moving forward, with all the different parties involved in the area signing a memorandum of understanding back in May 2024, with the public only learning about it this week. An initial formal vision for the site is planned for spring 2025, according to the Vancouver Sun. 

Where is it: The area in question is between CRAB Park and Canada Place on the west side. It’s mostly gravel and rail lines. The area is entirely undeveloped and given how close it is to downtown, represents a huge opportunity to re-imagine a big part of the city from the ground up. 

• Part of the land is owned by Cadillac Fairview, one of the biggest developers in the city, and the Vancouver Whitecaps owner Greg Kerfoot. 

Why the complexities: The land and lack of movement is due to just how complex and busy the area is, according to the Vancouver Sun. It’s next to railways, Canada’s busiest port, and transit stations, and has the involvement of all levels of government, private developers, First Nations and crown corporations. Yikes!

The lack of coordination is to blame for why such little progress has been made in the last decades on developing such an important piece of land. But that appears to be changing as all sides are coming to the table. 

• The province has said it sees itself more as a facilitator. Some potential ideas thrown around were to increase the number of hotels in the city or extend the Seawall. 

One problem: As noted in the story by the Vancouver Sun, the area lacks some key infrastructure, such as schools and community centres, meaning any new housing would need to be approached in a thoughtful way. 

Zoom out: Toronto has dealt with a similar issue with their waterfront at Quayside, a 12-acre lot in the heart of the city, offering some of the biggest development potential in Canada. The original vision involved Google creating a smart city. That involved thousands of cameras monitoring all aspects of the area, which naturally raised huge red flags about privacy, according to the Guardian.

Toronto eventually backtracked on the plan after public outcry. The first part of the project was approved back in July, with four buildings receiving approval, with 458 affordable units and 2,811 total residential units, according to Storeys.

• It follows a trend similar to Vancouver, of former industrial areas, especially on waterfronts, being redeveloped into housing and areas for people to live. 

Why it matters: The land has the potential to be transformative for the city. Design director Adrian Watson noted in an interview with the Vancouver Sun said the property is unique in the world with such access to transit, aviation and many other services. 

What’s next: Planning will take years, and input from the First Nations will be required. Of course, it’s not clear how progress will go given other groups have attempted in the past to develop the area.

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VANCOUVER NUMBERS

📈 28,404: The number of naloxone doses that a Vancouver pharmacist dispensed to one person. He was the manager of Pharmachoice Main on Main Street and had to pay a $20,000 fine. [Vancouver Sun]

🏃 7-7-7: Reg Willick, a Vancouver resident, ran seven marathons in seven days on seven continents, finishing 19th in what is called Great World Race. More like the Great Tired Race, am I right? CBC]

😲 923%: The week-over-week increase in spending at clothing stores during Taylor Swift’s tour. Restaurants were up 135 per cent while hotels were up 109 per cent. [Downtown Vancouver]

NEW JOBS

Discover your dream job in Vancouver:

• Marketing manager at Harbour Air

• Vice president, sustainability at Arc'teryx Equipment

• Community and stakeholder relations manager at Broadway Subway Project Corporation

• VP, operations and people at BC Parks Foundation

• Director, community engagement at Simon Fraser University

THE AGENDA

🚂 It was a tough day for families who booked the Stanley Park holiday train, which was suspended on Saturday for the time being, due to a worker safety issue. Reservations will be refunded. The popular attraction has dealt with a litany of issues since it relaunched. [Vancouver Sun]

🏒 Tough news for Canucks home fans, but the team appears to be thriving on the road and less so at home, especially after the team’s ugly 5-1 loss against the Boston Bruins. The team is 5-7-4 at home and 2-2-1 through the last five home games, while they have a 10-2-1 road record. [Toronto Star]

⚽ Want to buy a soccer team? The Whitecaps owners announced they are selling the team. No price was listed, but recently San Diego FC had to pay $500 million to join the league. The team was bought in 2002 by Greg Kerfoot, with other owners Steve Luczo, Jeff Mallett and Steve Nash joining later. [Sportsnet]

⛴️ BC Ferries is looking to build five new ferries by 2031 as part of what it’s calling the largest capital investment in the organization’s history. The vessels will be operational between 2029-2031, with two more additional ones by 2037. BC Ferries has not provided the expected costs for it, as the organization says it’s too early to say. [Vancouver Sun]

Outside Vancouver

♥️ Politicians, family and friends gathered to honour the life of former Premier John Horgan who passed away from cancer. A family member of mine attended and said it was a beautiful ceremony, full of memories from everyone who was in his life. [Vancouver Sun]

🤝 The BC NDP and the Greens have agreed on a deal to provide stability for the slim NDP majority in the provincial legislature. The NDP has agreed to collaborate on the Green Party’s priorities, including healthcare and environmental protection. The deal will be reviewed every year, and the Greens don’t have to vote with the NDP on each bill. Some policies include expanding medicare to include psychologists and regional transit on the Sea to Sky Highway amongst other things. [Vancouver Sun]

EVENT GUIDE

Vancouver International Black Film Festival | Dec 13 -17, various times | VIFF Centre | VIBFF showcases the most relevant Black films from here and abroad while creating a space to debate major cultural, social and socio-economic issues | Tickets $20+

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl | VIFF Centre, 1181 Seymour St | Dec 18 - Jan 2 | Aardman Animation's handcrafted mix of dad jokes, slapstick, mock dramatics and understated emotion makes this return for the claymation odd couple a constant delight | Learn more [Sponsored]

CP Holiday Train | Various locations across Metro Vancouver | Dec. 19-20 | Celebrate the season with the CP Holiday Train, featuring dazzling lights and free festive concerts by Juno winners Magic! and rising star Sofia Camara. 

Festival of Lights | Nightly until Jan. 5 | VanDusen Garden | Explore 15 acres adorned with over 1 million twinkling lights, including exciting new displays | Tickets $31

Bright Nights | Nightly until Jan. 4 | Stanley Park (Children’s Farmyard and Railway) | Train tickets are sold out for the year but you can still take in the extensive Bright Nights light display and support the Burn Fund | Admission by donation

Big Country Christmas | Dec. 20, 7 p.m. | The Wise Hall | Join the Vancouver Country Music family for a night of holiday celebration and support the Roll for Warmth charity campaign | Tickets $25

Outdoor Skating | Daily until Feb 28 | Robson Square | Enjoy some old-fashioned fun and celebrate winter in style with skating in the heart of downtown Vancouver. Skate rentals available | Free admission

Polar Bear Swim | Jan. 1, noon | English Bay Beach | Jump into 2025 with a splash and take an invigorating dip at this park board event | Free

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GOOD NEWS MONDAY

Backpacks of Hope is a project by Covenant House in Vancouver that provides 350 homeless youth between the ages of 16-24 with backpacks full of clothing, toiletries, chocolates and more so that they have something for Christmas.  [Vancouver Sun]

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Congrats to Vancouver church organist and composer Rupert Lang. After nearly 40 years, he’s retired from playing the organ at Vancouver's Christ Church Cathedral. [CBC]

• This Metro Vancouver municipality won most livable city in the latest Globe and Mail ranking. [Urbanized]

• This restaurant on Commercial is serving up upscale Spanish food. I’m a big fan. 

• Did you know Vancouver 10 years ago stopped the practice of having buildings skip floor 13? [Urbanized]

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Here’s a great shot yesterday morning of a rainbow and the SkyTrain!