Proposal to build new major Burnaby film production studio cancelled

Proposal to build new major Burnaby film and television production studio cancelled

Artistic rendering of Bridge Studios' new film and television production campus at 3990 Marine Way, Burnaby. (CTA Architecture & Design/Bridge Studios)

One of Metro Vancouver’s new major film and television production studio campus projects will not be built after all.

Larco Investments, the owner of Bridge Studios, has notified the City of Burnaby that they will not be proceeding with the new studio project in South Burnaby’s Big Bend industrial park, and intend to withdraw their rezoning application.

The site for the proposed development was an 18.5-acre vacant lot at 3990 Marine Way, located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Marine Way and Glenlyon Parkway, just west of River Golf Course.

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Larco’s proposal to build a new additional Bridge Studios campus was triggered by the municipal government’s procurement process in February 2021 seeking proponents to buy or long-term lease the City-owned land and develop the site into creative job space, specifically offices and/or a film and television production studio. The municipal government’s selection of Larco’s bid was announced in November 2021, with the sale price pegged at $136 million — far exceeding the City’s minimum purchase price of $63 million or a minimum 60-year lease for $54.6 million.

“When we raised the possibility of selling this parcel of city-owned land, we made it clear that our priority was to find a partner committed to putting down roots in Burnaby and creating jobs in our city,” said Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley in the November 2021 announcement.

“Larco has a track record of creating industry-leading studio space and this project promises to support more than 1,000 well-paying jobs in our community.”

Site of 3990 Marine Way, Burnaby. (Google Maps)

The municipal government’s decision to sell the property and launch the procurement process was in itself triggered by Keltic Canada Development’s unsolicited proposal in 2019 to enter into a long-term lease agreement for the property to build a purpose-built “world-class film studio” in order to bring more larger scale film productions to Metro Vancouver.\

For years, there had been a major shortage of suitable soundstage space in the region, which resulted in production work looking to other jurisdictions in Canada and the US. Although Keltic first proposed the idea and catalyzed the formal open bid process, its submitted bid was not chosen.

In 2022, Larco submitted a rezoning application to build the Bridge Studios facility at the Big Bend site with a total building floor area of 723,000 sq ft, including 16 soundstages totalling 316,000 sq ft, 50,300 sq ft of mill ship space, 29,000 sq ft of costume and prop space, and 67,000 sq ft of storage space, as well as a cafe and fitness gym.

The total building floor area of the campus grows to 1.127 million sq ft when other support, utilities, and common area spaces are added to the calculation. There would also be a single underground level with over 1,000 vehicle parking stalls.

bridge studios 3990 marine way burnaby film production

Artistic rendering of Bridge Studios’ new film and television production campus at 3990 Marine Way, Burnaby. (CTA Architecture & Design/Bridge Studios)

In a notice of motion to be deliberated by Burnaby City Council next week, Hurley did not specify any reasons for Larco’s decision to pull out from the land sale deal and project, such as site-based geotechnical and environmental issues, construction cost and financing issues, and/or the changing regional demand for such facilities.

The riparian areas of Kaymar Creek and Glenlyon Creek cut through the site, which is on the low-elevation watershed of the Fraser River.

Hurley’s notice of motion asks City Council to direct City staff to revisit the City-owned property’s land use designation, and report back on the “feasibility of protecting environmentally and recreationally valuable assets at 3990 Marine Way as well as natural creek and wetland features for the benefit and enjoyment of the community.”

Site plan of Bridge Studios’ new film and television production campus at 3990 Marine Way, Burnaby. (CTA Architecture & Design/Bridge Studios)

Artistic rendering of Bridge Studios’ new film and television production campus at 3990 Marine Way, Burnaby. (CTA Architecture & Design/Bridge Studios)

Of course, Larco already owns and operates its longtime original Bridge Studios campus on Boundary Road (near Lougheed Highway) in Burnaby, which spans 15 acres with 14 soundstages.

Although Larco is not proceeding with the Bridge Studios project in Big Bend, it is still actively building other major facilities elsewhere in Burnaby.

In 2023, it reached completion on Bridge Studios’ Griffths campus in the Edmonds area (next to the SkyTrain trainyard), which is a brand new purpose-built facility with three soundstages on five acres, including one soundstage deemed to be the second largest purpose-built stage in Canada.

Currently, Larco is in an advanced construction stage for its much larger Bridge Studios’ Lake City campus, which is immediately adjacent to SkyTrain Lake City Way Station. This 18.6-acre campus with brand new purpose-built facilities, including 21 soundstages, will be one of Canada’s largest film and televisoin production studios when it reaches completion and opens in 2025.

Larco Investments is the owner of Bridge Studios in Burnaby. (Bridge Studios)

Bridge Studios Lake City 3131 Lake City Way Burnaby

Artistic rendering of Bridge Studios Lake City at 3131 Lake City Way, Burnaby. (CTA Architecture & Design/Bridge Studios)

Martini Film Studios, a competitor to Bridge Studios, has plans to build a new major purpose-built campus in Langley Township and had begun site preparation and groundworks, but this project is now up in the air due to a dispute with the municipal government.

A future phase of the Wilingdon Lands redevelopment — located west of BCIT Burnaby — by a partnership between the Musqueam Indian Band, Tsleil-Waututh First Nation, and Aquilini Development will include a 450,000 sq ft film studio campus.

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