Poll Results
The Vancouver-wide random poll was conducted by Forum Research in late September 2023 by phoning 401 respondents in a telephone Interactive Voice Response survey.
The poll consisted of six questions regarding building height, density, environmental issues, attainable housing, equitable treatment and choice of proposals.
Only Canadian citizens and residents of Vancouver who have lived in British Columbia for at least six months and are over the age of 18 were selected to participate.
Question 1 – Is the Proposed High Rise Development too Tall for the Area?
Vancouver City Council is considering a massive high-rise development on the Jericho Lands above Jericho Beach on Vancouver’s west side that would have three 49-storey towers amongst a total of about 60 high-rises.
Would you agree or disagree that this high-rise tower development would be too tall for the area?
70 percent of respondents agreed the high rise tower plan would be too tall for the area
Question 2 – Population Density a Reason for Rejection?
The population density of the proposed Jericho Lands high-rise development would be 3 times greater than Hong Kong or Vancouver’s West End.
It would create 13,000 units for 28,000 residents. Would you agree or disagree that this high density is a good reason for City Council to reject this development?
72 percent of respondents agreed that the development as proposed was too dense and that the City should reject it on this basis.
Question 3 – Are High Rise Towers Acceptable Environmentally?
The Jericho Lands Project would build 60 high-rise towers primarily with concrete and steel, which are not environmentally sustainable or climate change adaptable.
Would you agree or disagree that this is a good reason for City Council to reject the development as proposed?
65 percent of respondents agreed that towers are not environmentally sustainable and therefore provide a good reason to reject the proposal.
Question 4 – Is the minimum social and below-market rental housing enough?
The Jericho Lands high-rise developers say they will create the minimum social and below-market rental housing required.
Local residents say having 70% of the luxury towers at market prices is far too much and more units should be affordable for local middle-income people.
Which option do you agree with?
68 percent of respondents say that more units should be affordable for local middle-income people
Question 5 – Do you believe that an indigenous-owned developer should be treated the same as other developers or treated differently?
The Jericho Lands high-rise tower proposal is majority owned by the MST Development Corporation, a partnership of three First Nations that is one of Vancouver’s largest developers.
Do you believe that an indigenous-owned developer should be treated the same as other developers or treated differently?
76% of respondents stated that they should be treated the same.
Question 6 – Which development alternative do you prefer?
The Jericho Coalition grass-roots community group has proposed an alternative to the high-rise tower housing development that would see 7,200 wood and mass-timber units, with buildings no taller than 8 storeys, resulting in a population of about 16,000 people instead of 60 mostly concrete towers for 28,000 people.
Would you agree or disagree that this alternative proposal is a better alternative that City Council should consider?
72 percent of respondents preferred the Jericho Coalition proposal
