New renderings and details of the Jericho Lands project in Vancouver

New renderings and details of the Jericho Lands redevelopment in Vancouver's West Point Grey neighbourhood

December 2023 conceptual artistic rendering of the Jericho Lands. (City of Vancouver)

The master planning process leading to the City of Vancouver’s policy statement for the First Nations-led Jericho Lands development is now arriving at its home stretch toward finalization.

After more than five years of planning and consultation work, the full draft policy statement for the 90-acre redevelopment of the military reserve in West Point Grey into a high-density neighbourhood with a wide range of residential and commercial space uses.

The policy statement will act as the guide for the project’s future rezoning applications through the partnership between MST Development — the private real estate development company owned by the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh nations — and federal crown corporation Canada Lands Company (CLC).

Unlike Squamish Nation’s Senakw project, the Jericho Lands is not on reserve, but land that was jointly acquired by the First Nations and the crown corporation about a decade ago for investment purposes. For this reason, the project must follow the municipal government’s regulations and review processes for approval.

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The public release of the policy statement now sets up the master plan for Vancouver City Council’s consideration for approval in January 2024. MST and CLC went through a similar process for their Heather Lands project for redeveloping the former BC RCMP headquarters just west of Queen Elizabeth Park.

The draft policy statement aligns with the previous revision made to the master plan in June 2023, when significantly more residential and commercial uses were added compared to the initial concept created in October 2021.

jericho lands vancouver policy statement november 2023

December 2023 conceptual artistic rendering of the Jericho Lands. (City of Vancouver)

The level of density and range of uses are supported by the establishment of the Jericho Lands as a highly transit-oriented development, with the future SkyTrain Millennium Line extension reaching the University of British Columbia (UBC) providing an on-site subway station on the Jericho Lands and a nearby station.

The total building floor area across all types of uses is now pegged at 13.5 million sq ft, establishing a floor area ratio density of a floor area that is 3.5 times larger than the size of the lot.

In comparison, the Jericho Lands’ total building floor area will be five times larger than the Heather Lands redevelopment (2.6 million sq ft), four times larger than Senakw (4 million sq ft), and over two and a half times larger than the Oakridge Centre mall redevelopment (5 million sq ft).

According to Khelsilem, the chairperson of the Squamish Nation Council, all three First Nations could see $1 billion in income over the 10- to 20-year timeline to build the multi-phased Jericho Lands project to full completion.

No strata condominium ownership options will be provided, with the only strata option being strata leasehold to enable the First Nations to own the land in perpetuity.

At least 30% of the total residential floor area will be required to be affordable housing, including 20% for social housing (about 2,600 units) and 10% for secured purpose-built rental housing (about 1,300 units). At least 25% of the secured-purpose-built market rental housing must be used as below-market units.

December 2023 conceptual artistic rendering of the Jericho Lands. (City of Vancouver)

To establish this as a mixed-use development, there will be 750,000 sq ft of commercial spaces, including 250,000 sq ft of retail/restaurant uses — with a grocery store up to 60,000 sq ft — and 500,000 sq ft for office, cultural, creative industrial, and other commercial uses. This calculation includes 200,000 sq ft for professional/medical offices and about 50,000 sq ft for a potential hotel.

The greatest densities and major uses will be situated closest to Jericho Lands Station. This includes placing three 49-storey towers — each representing one of the three First Nations, called the Sentinels — closest to the subway station, with dozens of other towers across the site reaching up to 39 storeys, and numerous mid- and low-rise buildings, too. Indigenous designs and principles will be incorporated into the architecture, including the use of wood construction.

As for public amenities, the entire redevelopment is required to provide at least 20 acres of public park, open, and natural spaces — equivalent to setting aside 22% of the land area for non-development uses.

There will also be event-friendly outdoor spaces, including a significant outdoor space with a capacity for at least 2,000 people, and arts and cultural spaces, including specific Indigenous spaces.

Other major amenities entail a 50,000 sq ft community centre, a 10,000 sq ft non-traditional library co-developed with the First Nations alongside a traditional public library, a minimum of 259 childcare spaces across up to five on-site childcare facilities, and the possibility for up to 240 after-school care spaces for school-aged children.

jericho lands vancouver policy statement november 2023 1

December 2023 conceptual artistic rendering of the Jericho Lands. (City of Vancouver)

As well, two schools could potentially be accommodated within the development.

This includes a new additional public elementary school for up to 550 students within at least 53,800 sq ft of stacked floor area, such as within the lower levels of a tower, and a potential new replacement space for West Point Grey Academy, which will be subject to a lease agreement between the First Nation and the independent school.

There will also be financial or value-in-kind support for the expansion and upgrade of the existing fire hall in the area.

As previously stated by the proponents, this will be a car-lite neighbourhood, with an emphasis on optimal walking and cycling connections across the site to the subway station and surrounding neighbourhood, which will be further supported by “very low” vehicle parking supply within the underground levels for residential uses.

There will also be improved connections to Jericho Beach Park to the north, including an extension of the “pedestrian experience” on West 4th Avenue.

Building heights of the Jericho Lands, December 2023. (City of Vancouver)

Transportation network for the Jericho Lands, December 2023. (City of Vancouver)

Public parks and green spaces plan for the Jericho Lands, December 2023. (City of Vancouver)

Phasing plan for the Jericho Lands redevelopment, December 2023. (City of Vancouver)

Construction on the four-phased redevelopment will generally move from west to east, beginning from the hilltop. The first phase on the westernmost end of the redevelopment will be the largest, with a total building floor area of about 4.4 million sq ft, including four million sq ft of residential uses and over half of the non-residential uses, including the grocery store.

The second phase encompasses two areas on the site — an internal area that includes the Sentinels and the Jericho Station construction site, and an area near the southeast corner. This phase will provide 4.25 million sq ft of residential uses, including about 150,000 sq ft of non-residential uses.

The third phase at the northeast corner of the site will generate 2.45 million sq ft of residential uses and 150,000 sq ft of non-residential uses. This will establish the major entrance into the site from West 4th Avenue.

The fourth phase at the very centre of the property will produce 1.95 million sq ft of residential uses and 250,000 sq ft of non-residential uses, including the community centre, elementary school, and library.

It was previously stated that there could be as many as 13,000 homes for up to 24,000 residents on the Jericho Lands site upon its full buildout. This would more than double the entire West Point Grey neighbourhood’s existing population of 13,000 residents.

If all goes as planned, including the allocation of significant funding from the provincial and federal governments, the UBC SkyTrain extension with Jericho Station should be ready sometime in the early to mid-2030s.

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