Vancouver’s Broadway Plan has generated a substantial development pipeline since coming into effect in 2022. For property owners, however, the number of rezoning applications tells only part of the story.
By the first quarter of 2026, the City of Vancouver reported 166 active projects across the Broadway Plan area and approximately 25,000 residential units in the development pipeline. About 90% of the proposed residential units were rental housing.
Those figures demonstrate significant developer interest in the corridor. But there is an important distinction between development potential, rezoning approval and a project actually proceeding to construction.
A deep development pipeline has formed
The Broadway Plan has created redevelopment opportunities across large portions of Kitsilano, Fairview and Mount Pleasant, particularly around the Broadway Subway stations.
City data for Q1 2026 showed 134 residential projects representing 25,141 proposed homes. At that time, the broader development pipeline included projects at very different stages: early enquiries, active rezoning applications, approved rezonings, development permits, building permits and completed projects.
This distinction matters. A rezoning approval establishes additional development potential, but it does not by itself mean that construction will begin.
More projects are being entitled than built
As of Q1 2026, the City’s Broadway Plan statistics showed 44 projects with approved rezonings and 38 at the development-permit stage. By comparison, only eight projects had reached the building-permit-issued stage and three had reached occupancy.
The unit figures tell a similar story. Thousands of proposed homes had progressed through rezoning and development-permit stages, while only a relatively small number had reached building permit or occupancy.
This is not unusual for a major area plan still in the early years of a multi-decade implementation period. Rezoning, design, permitting, financing and construction can take years. It does, however, mean that property owners should be cautious about interpreting the number of nearby tower proposals as a direct measure of current development demand.
Some Broadway projects are moving forward
There are important examples of projects progressing beyond entitlement.
At 701 Kingsway, a Broadway Plan rental project moved from rezoning approval into permitting and began construction in 2026. Other approved projects have also advanced into development-permit review.
These projects are worth watching because the transition from an approved rezoning to permits and construction provides a different market signal than an application alone.
Rental housing continues to dominate the pipeline
The development response to the Broadway Plan has been overwhelmingly rental-oriented. According to the City, approximately 90% of the residential units in the Q1 2026 pipeline were rental housing, including more than 3,900 below-market rental units.
Strata condominium proposals have represented a much smaller share of the pipeline. That development mix reflects both the Broadway Plan’s policy framework and the economics facing developers.
At the same time, the existence of a large rental pipeline does not mean that every proposed rental project will proceed on the same timetable. Construction costs, financing, achievable rents, existing property income, site acquisition costs and project-specific requirements can all affect feasibility.
Projects are continuing to change after application
Several Broadway proposals have been revised as they move through the planning process. Some have increased in height or density, while others have changed their unit mix or other components. At least some applications have also been withdrawn.
This is another reason to distinguish between the theoretical development capacity created by the Broadway Plan and the development market at a particular point in time.
The planning framework establishes what may be possible. The market ultimately influences what is economically practical and when.
The Broadway Subway remains the corridor’s long-term catalyst
The Broadway Plan is fundamentally tied to the transformation of the corridor around rapid transit. The Plan covers the area from Vine Street to Clark Drive and from 1st Avenue to 16th Avenue, encompassing significant portions of Kitsilano, Fairview and Mount Pleasant.
The City estimates that the Plan has capacity over its 30-year horizon for up to 64,000 additional residents and 45,000 additional jobs.
That is a long-term transformation rather than a single development cycle. Individual properties will therefore experience very different windows of developer interest over the life of the Plan.
What does this mean for Broadway property owners?
The most important takeaway is that zoning or development potential should not be confused with current market value.
Two properties with similar Broadway Plan designations can have very different development prospects depending on location, lot dimensions, assembly potential, existing income, tenancy, permitted density, required tenure, proximity to transit and the type of developers currently active in that part of the corridor.
Similarly, an approved rezoning nearby does not necessarily establish what another property is worth. The stage of the neighbouring project — application, approval, development permit, financing or construction — can be just as important as the proposed density itself.
For owners, the useful question is therefore not simply “What density does the Broadway Plan allow?”
It is “How does my property fit into the development market today?”
Considering the future of your Broadway Plan property?
We monitor rezoning applications, approvals, development activity and broader market conditions throughout the Broadway corridor.
If you own property within the Broadway Plan area and would like to understand its redevelopment potential and current market context, contact us for a confidential property review.
Sources: City of Vancouver Broadway Plan and Broadway Plan Implementation quarterly updates. Development statistics are point-in-time figures and will change as projects advance, are revised or are withdrawn.