In a controversial but expected move, on Wednesday Vancouver City Council approved the Jericho Lands draft Policy Statement, paving the way for the massive development to get underway on a 90-acre site of prime real estate.

The project is by far the largest development in Vancouver, with housing planned for between 24,000 and 28,000 people, according to the landowners (consisting of a First Nations consortium — the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh people — and the Canada Lands Company, a Federal Crown Corporation). The development will in effect double the population of the surrounding West Point Grey Neighbourhood.

The Policy Statement was approved unanimously by Council, with Cllr. Brian Montague absent. Mayor Ken Sim was absent from Council chambers for most of the meeting, with Cllr. Mike Klassen sitting in as acting mayor (Sim has not been seen in many Council meetings since ABC gained power).

The next move would see an Official Development Plan (ODP) created for the Jericho site. The site will be built up over phases and would require several rezonings. City Planning acting general manager Matt Shillito estimates the ODP could be ready as early as the end of this  year, and would then go to a public hearing and Council vote. If approved, Shillito said construction could begin on the project’s first eight-year phase in 2027.

As of now, the plan hinges on whether funding can be acquired to build the proposed subway extension to UBC (UBCx); and there is still no plan for where a stop would go. In the spring of 2022, City Council and TransLink’s Mayors’ Council endorsed stations serving the Jericho Lands and the intersections of West Broadway with Macdonald and Alma Streets. Shillito confirmed that there will be enough density on the Lands to meet the requirements of the Province’s transit-oriented-development legislation.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we introduced a break clause into the policy statement,” Shillito said. If, after the first phase of development UBCx does not to proceed, he explained, or if a transit agreement is delayed by many, many years and decades, then “we would revisit the site plan for the remaining phases, and make sure the project doesn’t exceed the capacity of the site.”

Wednesday’s meeting included a delegation of First Nations leaders who outlined the policy statement to Council. 

Squamish Nation Council Chair Khelsilem, attending the meeting virtually, said the adoption of the Jericho Policy Statement is “an historic moment for our nation.” He said the Squamish have had to fight to regain their land, and that they will use their “wealth” to improve the quality of lives for coming generations.”

Wednesday’s meeting drew close to 60 speakers. Most were strongly opposed to the amount of densification and concerned about the absence of groundwater testing for the site. A spokesperson for the Canada Lands Company said testing will be done through all seasons, which is estimated to take one year. The Jericho Coalition raised concerns late last year about the potential groundwater problems and pushed Council to delay the Jan. 24 meeting until the tests could be done.

One speaker, a professional engineer, told Council that testing should have been completed before the Policy Statement is considered. Billions of dollars will be invested into the Jericho Lands, he said, and if tests reveal problems with groundwater, construction could easily be stopped, “but,” he said, “it cannot be undone.”

Another speaker described the MST plan as “a human disaster,” and still another called it, “a blight on Vancouver.” Others criticized the rate of change as being too fast.

Some members of the Jericho Lands Working Group — volunteer members of the community who gave input to City staff during the development and review of the Jericho Lands draft Policy Statement — opposed the densification. However,  they were unable to meet with MST or steer the course in a different direction. Group member Susan Fisher, who spoke with UKRA after Phase 4 of the policy was made public last June, said the development is “appalling.”

“It’s an ugly, greedy, unimaginative plan…it’s all about maximizing profit…”

But Council came out with strong support for the MST development. Cllr. Adriane Carr said the Nations’ Policy Statement “is at heart, in my mind, a project of reconciliation. And it is, I believe, grounded in the values of the vision of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh [Nations].” Cllr. Pete Fry called the plan “a great moment for the Nations and the City.” Fry was concerned about some of the comments made during the hearing, and the “mis-characterization” of the Jericho Lands as being a wealthy enclave with luxury towers. He said he is excited by the “many possibilities” for the future of the Jericho Lands.

ABC Cllr. Lisa Dominato said she also heard many concerns about the cost of the proposed housing and asked MST to consider calling on the provincial and federal governments to help fund more non-market housing. Regarding sustainability, she asked the landowners to boost the use of mass timber for construction. Cllr. Sarah Kirby-Yung also made an amendment that asks MST to consider attainable leasehold home ownership for the site. Both amendments passed.

Cllr. Kirby-Yung then reminded the public that the Jericho Lands is a generational plan and that “housing is going to look different than it does now.” Echoing his fellow Councillor’s comments, Cllr. Lenny Zhou said, “We can’t live in the past.”

Zhou told Council the project is another step towards reconciliation and “if we reject this, we will owe them [First Nations] even more.”

Diagram above: the Jericho Lands built out. City of Vancouver.