VOTERS SHOULD DECIDE ON SUPER-TALL DOWNTOWN TOWERS, SAYS TEAM FOR A LIVABLE VANCOUVER

The city shouldn’t be rushing through this dramatic, precedent-setting change before voters have their say in October’s civic election

VANCOUVER (March 30, 2026) – Voters should have a chance to weigh in on whether they want super-tall skyscrapers stabbing the Vancouver skyline, says TEAM for a Livable Vancouver.

Instead of rushing through plans for three 63-to-79-storey downtown towers, far higher than what’s currently allowed, TEAM argues that City Council should delay the decision until after October’s civic election.

TEAM stands for a balanced approach on housing, not out-of-control development-for-profit schemes that put incredible strain on the city’s already inadequate infrastructure.

If approved, this precedent-setting proposal could begin a wave of upzonings for more super-towers across the city.

Developer Holborn hopes Council will rush through the final zoning process, including the public hearing, by the summer.

TEAM says this development is yet another of many examples of how City Council excludes the public from debates that will have far-reaching impacts on their city, while developers’ interests are prioritized.

Instead of the informed, engaged public debate that TEAM believes is essential, there has been no serious discussion of the impacts of this development, including on North Shore views and the potential seismic problems surrounding super-tall towers.

Public consultation has been minimal. When the rezoning application was submitted last fall, there were no in-person open houses. Citizens got a 14-day online Q&A from Nov. 19 to Dec. 2. With this level of public information and involvement, the public hearing to come will be a joke.

Holborn’s development, going as high as 315 metres (or 700 feet) would far exceed the 200 metre cap in place on the property. It would be 36% larger than Vancouver’s tallest building, the Shangri-La, built in 2008.

TEAM sees this proposal as yet another example of the City allowing its planning role to be usurped by developers. Instead of planning the city according to what residents want, City Council now waits for developers to decide what they want, then changes the rules to accommodate them. TEAM would reverse that process.