City of North Vancouver Approves Multiplex Zoning Updates — What It Really Means for Local Residents, Buyers & the Market
The City of North Vancouver has officially passed a sweeping package of bylaw changes designed to open the door to multiplex housing across long-established single-family neighbourhoods. While the move brings the city into alignment with newly mandated provincial housing targets, the implications on the ground — especially for local homeowners and buyers — are far more nuanced.City staff identified a shortfall of 6,556 homes needed over the next 20 years. The new zoning responds by unlocking thousands of single-family lots for 4- to 6-unit development, depending on location, and adding capacity for almost 900 units on select city-owned sites. But critics argue that despite the headline, the size, shape, and feasibility of what can actually be built may limit meaningful change.What the New Zoning Actually Opens Up
Under the updated rules:- ~4,300 properties between St. Andrews and Mahon become eligible for up to 4 units per lot.
- ~600 additional lots within those boundaries can go up to 6 units.
- Heritage neighbourhoods along Grand Boulevard, East 19th, and East 10th are temporarily exempt as the city studies how to balance preservation with growth.
- Five city-owned sites — including City Hall, Harry Jerome Lands, the Fire Hall site, and East 1st/Alder — receive capacity for nearly 900 additional homes.
Voices From the Community
The sentiment at the council meeting mirrored what many North Shore families have felt for years:“We’re losing our kids because they can’t afford to stay.”
Retired nurse René Woywitka spoke for many long-time residents watching their adult children move away. She called the unused land potential “a travesty,” highlighting the emotional and practical cost of families being pushed to distant suburbs.“This is a step… but a small one.”
Resident Andrew Robertson praised the direction but warned the scale doesn’t match the severity of the housing crisis, raising concerns that the city is simply “checking a box” to satisfy provincial requirements.“Builders won’t bother unless the economics make sense.”
Mehrdad Rahbar, a local designer, noted that multiplex floor-area allowances are only about 10% larger than single-family homes — too small, in his view, for builders to risk multiplex construction over a simpler (and often more profitable) single-family rebuild.His point reflects a very real concern in the development community:If the zoning says 4–6 units but the economics only support big single-family homes, the policy won’t deliver the housing stock the city needs.City staff defended the guidelines as necessary to keep massing in check and maintain neighbourhood character.
The Political Vote & the Pushback
Council passed the zoning 6–1.- Coun. Shervin Shahriari acknowledged it’s not perfect but emphasized urgency, deadlines, and the need to take action rather than delay.
- Coun. Tony Valente, the lone “no,” objected to the tight provincial timelines and lack of broader consultation.
- Mayor Linda Buchanan criticized the province for dictating growth without sufficient infrastructure funding, but also defended the motion as a necessary step to ensure families can stay in the community.
Real people, real families, real stability — not just unit counts.
Hyper-Local CNV Market Context (Your Realtor Analysis)
Here’s the part residents actually need to understand — because this zoning shift lands in a very specific CNV market reality:1. Inventory has been chronically tight.
Detached supply in the City of North Vancouver is often razor-thin, and the bulk of listings cluster in Lower Lonsdale or the Grand Boulevard / Upper Lonsdale edges. Multiplex zoning won’t flood inventory — not with today’s construction costs and limited builder appetite.2. Land values will likely firm up, not drop.
Even if multiplex feasibility is limited by floorspace, the option value alone increases land desirability, especially for:- corner lots,
- 50’+ frontage parcels,
- lots with gentle slopes,
- properties near Lonsdale’s transit corridor.
3. Don’t expect an overnight surge of construction.
Builder feasibility is tight:- high interest rates,
- high build costs,
- tight profit margins,
- uncertain resale values for multiplex units.
4. This is quietly bullish for existing owners.
Even if no one builds tomorrow, owners just gained:- more options,
- higher redevelopment flexibility,
- increased land-use value.
5. Buyers now need to think strategically.
Multiplex zoning changes:- the long-term upside of a detached purchase,
- the redevelopment potential of “average” lots,
- and the entry opportunities for young families who may soon have more ground-oriented options.
How Different Groups in CNV Will Feel Right Now
🟦 Local Homeowners
Feelings:- Relief: “Finally, change is happening.”
- Cautious optimism about rising land value.
- Worry about construction noise or neighbourhood change.
Your property likely just (certainly at adoption) became more valuable — even if no multiplex goes up tomorrow.
🟩 Local Homebuyers
Feelings:- Hope that more ground-oriented options might eventually appear.
- Anxiety about timing and affordability.
- Confusion about whether this will cool the detached market (spoiler: not in the short term).
This does not create instant supply.
But it does create future pathways and entry points that did not exist before — especially for young families.
SUMMARY: What This Means For You
🏡 Homeowners
- Your lot is now more flexible and more valuable.
- Even modest zoning options create upward price pressure.
- If you’re thinking of selling in the next 1–3 years, this zoning should be part of your marketing strategy.
🔑 Homebuyers
- Don’t wait for a wave of cheap multiplex units — they’re not coming quickly.
- Detached homes in multiplex zones have more long-term upside.
- Early movers will benefit from appreciation tied to land-use flexibility.
💼 Investors
- Assemblies in 6-unit areas are now a legitimate opportunity.
- Land plays, not rentals, will drive returns in the early years.
- Tracking future FAR increases will be key — the city hinted this is only “step one.”