Vancouver – Skeena Terrace Affordable Housing Redevelopment

Rendering of a large development with tall apartment buildings surrounding an open green space.

Overview

Skeena Terrace is one of Vancouver’s oldest and largest subsidized housing developments. Built in 1962, Skeena Terrace (2108-2408 Cassiar Street) is home to approximately 600 tenants in 20 buildings across 10.8 acres in East Vancouver. On the property, there are townhouses, low-rise buildings, a six-storey tower, and a large amount of open space.

People living at Skeena Terrace include seniors, families with children and people living with disabilities, all from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds.

Redevelopment

In January 2021, BC Housing started planning a full redevelopment of Skeena Terrace. During this multi-year project, we want to replace the aging buildings with better-quality, more liveable and more sustainable homes that will serve Skeena Terrace tenants for decades to come.

At least 10% of the total units will be designed to be usable by people with disabilities. This includes features like wider doorways, lower countertops, and accessible bathrooms to accommodate individuals who use wheelchairs or have other mobility challenges.

Redeveloping Skeena Terrace will also allow us to build many more homes on the site, providing much-needed housing in Vancouver.

The Redevelopment Phasing Plan (below) shows which areas of Skeena Terrace we plan to work on and in what order. Our main goal with this plan is to limit how many tenants need to move during construction, and to offer all Skeena Terrace tenants new homes as quickly as possible.

Sketch, coloured seven Phases of new buildings planned for Skeena Terrace. Highrise buildings, trees, mountains frame area between Lougheed Hwy, Skeena St.

Construction

Construction work will only start after the City of Vancouver grants several permits. We currently expect this to be sometime in late 2025. After the Phase 1 buildings are finished, we plan to offer brand-new homes to most – possibly all – current Skeena Terrace tenants.

BC Housing staff will meet with each household affected by the Phase 1 redevelopment to find safe and suitable homes to live in while the new homes are being built.

RAIC Award winning project

read more

Our Commitments to Tenants

BC Housing is committed to protecting tenants from the impacts of redevelopment in the following ways:

As much as possible, tenants will be able to stay in their current home until their new home at Skeena Terrace is completed.
BC Housing will work with each tenant to make sure they have access to secure housing and their needs are met throughout planning and redevelopment.
Tenants will get to choose whether they want to move into a new home at Skeena Terrace before anyone else.
BC Housing will pay for reasonable moving costs. This can include hiring movers and reconnecting utilities like telephone and cable.
When tenants move into their new home, they will continue to have the same rental agreement, unless income or family size has changed.
Read more about our commitments to tenants (PDF).

Community Engagement

Throughout 2021 and 2022, BC Housing and the City of Vancouver hosted many conversations and activities to gather input from Skeena Terrace tenants, neighbours, community groups, nearby businesses, and other experts. Using this input, we created the Skeena Terrace Policy Statement. This document also confirms the values and goals that will guide the redevelopment project.

BC Housing presented the Skeena Terrace Policy Statement to Vancouver City Council on July 19, 2022, and it was unanimously approved.

View the Skeena Terrace Policy Statement (PDF)

In January 2023, BC Housing shared the Redevelopment Phasing Plan with the Skeena Terrace community. Throughout 2023 and 2024, BC Housing has followed the City of Vancouver’s application processes – first for rezoning, then development, demolition, and building.

More information can be found on the City of Vancouver’s website (2108 and 2408 Cassiar St (Skeena Terrace) rezoning application | Shape Your City Vancouver).

Public hearing

A public hearing took place at Vancouver City Hall on March 12, 2024, and rezoning was successful.

At this meeting, members of the public were invited to share their thoughts about the rezoning application with Vancouver’s mayor and City Council.

BC Housing continues to meet regularly with Skeena Terrace tenants, and we commit to keeping the community up to date throughout this multi-year redevelopment process.

Please watch this webpage for news about upcoming engagement opportunities.

Email communityrelations@bchousing.org with questions at any time.

Overview

Skeena Terrace is one of Vancouver’s oldest and largest subsidized housing developments. Built in 1962, Skeena Terrace (2108-2408 Cassiar Street) is home to approximately 600 tenants in 20 buildings across 10.8 acres in East Vancouver. On the property, there are townhouses, low-rise buildings, a six-storey tower, and a large amount of open space.

People living at Skeena Terrace include seniors, families with children and people living with disabilities, all from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds.

Redevelopment

In January 2021, BC Housing started planning a full redevelopment of Skeena Terrace. During this multi-year project, we want to replace the aging buildings with better-quality, more liveable and more sustainable homes that will serve Skeena Terrace tenants for decades to come.

At least 10% of the total units will be designed to be usable by people with disabilities. This includes features like wider doorways, lower countertops, and accessible bathrooms to accommodate individuals who use wheelchairs or have other mobility challenges.

Redeveloping Skeena Terrace will also allow us to build many more homes on the site, providing much-needed housing in Vancouver.

The Redevelopment Phasing Plan (below) shows which areas of Skeena Terrace we plan to work on and in what order. Our main goal with this plan is to limit how many tenants need to move during construction, and to offer all Skeena Terrace tenants new homes as quickly as possible.

Sketch, coloured seven Phases of new buildings planned for Skeena Terrace. Highrise buildings, trees, mountains frame area between Lougheed Hwy, Skeena St.

Construction

Construction work will only start after the City of Vancouver grants several permits. We currently expect this to be sometime in late 2025. After the Phase 1 buildings are finished, we plan to offer brand-new homes to most – possibly all – current Skeena Terrace tenants.

BC Housing staff will meet with each household affected by the Phase 1 redevelopment to find safe and suitable homes to live in while the new homes are being built.

RAIC Award winning project

read more

Our Commitments to Tenants

BC Housing is committed to protecting tenants from the impacts of redevelopment in the following ways:

As much as possible, tenants will be able to stay in their current home until their new home at Skeena Terrace is completed.
BC Housing will work with each tenant to make sure they have access to secure housing and their needs are met throughout planning and redevelopment.
Tenants will get to choose whether they want to move into a new home at Skeena Terrace before anyone else.
BC Housing will pay for reasonable moving costs. This can include hiring movers and reconnecting utilities like telephone and cable.
When tenants move into their new home, they will continue to have the same rental agreement, unless income or family size has changed.
Read more about our commitments to tenants (PDF).

Community Engagement

Throughout 2021 and 2022, BC Housing and the City of Vancouver hosted many conversations and activities to gather input from Skeena Terrace tenants, neighbours, community groups, nearby businesses, and other experts. Using this input, we created the Skeena Terrace Policy Statement. This document also confirms the values and goals that will guide the redevelopment project.

BC Housing presented the Skeena Terrace Policy Statement to Vancouver City Council on July 19, 2022, and it was unanimously approved.

View the Skeena Terrace Policy Statement (PDF)

In January 2023, BC Housing shared the Redevelopment Phasing Plan with the Skeena Terrace community. Throughout 2023 and 2024, BC Housing has followed the City of Vancouver’s application processes – first for rezoning, then development, demolition, and building.

More information can be found on the City of Vancouver’s website (2108 and 2408 Cassiar St (Skeena Terrace) rezoning application | Shape Your City Vancouver).

Public hearing

A public hearing took place at Vancouver City Hall on March 12, 2024, and rezoning was successful.

At this meeting, members of the public were invited to share their thoughts about the rezoning application with Vancouver’s mayor and City Council.

BC Housing continues to meet regularly with Skeena Terrace tenants, and we commit to keeping the community up to date throughout this multi-year redevelopment process.

Please watch this webpage for news about upcoming engagement opportunities.

Email communityrelations@bchousing.org with questions at any time.

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Page last updated: 20 Nov 2024, 03:24 PM