No Towers at Jericho!

Yes to Livable Housing at a Human Scale

We Support a Vision of the future of Jericho Lands that:

What Makes this Vision Different?

But how do you deliver economic and social benefits to the landowners, while remaining sensitive to the site, and providing benefits to all the residents of the City? Can you include more affordable housing? Can you build a dense development on the Lands and still protect Jericho Park?

The Jericho Coalition came together to explore an alternative concept that would achieve these goals. Towers are not the only way to achieve density and affordability. Low- to mid-rise structures can deliver similar density and follow best practices regarding livability, sustainability, and resilience. The Jericho Lands could be developed as a ground-oriented, community-minded, climate-conscious, livable neighbourhood with homes where kids can grow up and people can age in place. This kind of development would respect the interests and guiding principles of the MST, the City and various levels of government.

This Vision:

Provides Livable, Inclusive Housing for a Diverse Population at a Human Scale

• Accessible, ground, or close-to-the-ground units of varying sizes (including missing-middle, family-sized units) for all ages
• Courtyards, accessible green roofs, and outdoor spaces to facilitate social interactions and access to nature
• Narrower streets that result in wider sidewalks
• Building types which provide good light access and cross breezes as most units will have windows on two sides

Is Responsive to the Climate Crisis

• Low- to mid-rise buildings assembled with mass timber and modular wood construction technologies have lower embodied carbon and better energy efficiency than high-rise towers
• Low-rise buildings are more climate-adaptable than high-rise towers

Is Sustainable, Regenerative and Resilient

• One parking garage level under the buildings’ footprint can lead to less excavation and disturbance of the site hydro-geology
• Adherence to environmental best practices, including use of regenerative design principles
• Resiliency is built in through better adaptability of buildings and the potential for higher social interaction

More Affordable for People who Live and Work in Vancouver

• Lower-rise “Missing Middle” housing is less expensive to build than high-rise towers
• We need housing for middle-income earners like service providers and young professionals
• Encouragement and support of co-ops, co-housing and other forms of affordable home-making through municipal, provincial or federal funding

Provides Economic Benefits for the First Nations, City, and the Province

• Co-develop an industry that produces pre-fabricated modular wood and mass timber building components
• New technology will lead to faster, more efficient, and higher-quality construction than with old wood framing technique
• Huge opportunity for an innovative new industry led by Indigenous Governments, thereby providing an additional revenue stream

Who We Are:

The Jericho Coalition is a group of engaged and concerned volunteer citizens who joined together after learning about the MST/CLC proposals.  Some of us are planners, engineers, architects, and environmentalists. Many of us have been involved in the Jericho process in some way for over five years.  So why are we speaking out?

There are many possible alternatives to the proposed concept plans. As one of the largest developments in the history of Vancouver, Jericho Lands is an important opportunity to create something great that will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come. One that reflects a true understanding of the site, its important features, the guiding principles of the MST, the city’s needs, and the surrounding context, such as nearby housing, commercial areas, busy transit corridors, regional park resources, etc. One that delivers not only more housing, but a livable, sustainable, resilient and human scale community that responds to the climate crisis. We feel that this proposal would lead to a transformative and exemplary urban development that could be a model for the world.

Take Action Now

Have Your Voice Heard

Help our Cause

We are a small, community, volunteer organization fighting big developers, City Hall and the provincial and federal governments.  This is a one shot deal – if we don’t act now, those towers will be built and last forever. And, what happens to Jericho can happen to the rest of Vancouver – this is the battleground and your donation is urgently needed.