National

North Vancouver's ICBC headquarters to become housing project development site

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 17 Jun, 2024 01:10 PM

The head office of the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia in North Vancouver will be transformed into an urban housing development with hundreds of homes near major transit hubs.

Premier David Eby says the province has reached an agreement to buy the Crown auto insurer's waterfront headquarters with plans to develop market and below-market homes close to transit and the SeaBus to Vancouver.

With this new purchase we will be able to build hundreds of affordable homes close to transit and the SeaBus. 👍🏾

Investments in affordable housing near transit and services is key to address our housing challenges.

👉🏾 https://t.co/fUcnycCyjW pic.twitter.com/pcllYZF7tW
— Ravi Kahlon (@KahlonRav) June 17, 2024

Eby says the agreement to turn the property into a mixed use residential area with ICBC was also reached with the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh nations, and there are plans to work with the City of North Vancouver and TransLink to develop the property.

The development is part of the province's $394-million plan to build 10,000 homes near transit hubs over the next 10 to 15 years.

ICBC already announced that it would be vacating the North Vancouver building to a new smaller location in Vancouver's False Creek Flats neighbourhood.

The B.C. government passed legislation last December requiring municipalities to designate transit-oriented development areas near SkyTrain and major bus exchanges as part of the initiative to encourage more property development.

"Underused areas that are already well-connected to transit and close to services and amenities are the perfect places to build new homes," said Eby.

"The planning work will take place while ICBC begins its transition to their new site and completes it over the next two years."

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

B.C. to restrict cellphones in schools to protect kids from online harm

British Columbia is moving to restrict the use of cellphones in schools as part of measures Premier David Eby says will help protect young people from online threats. Eby said the government will also launch a service to remove intimate images from the internet and "pursue predators," as well as introduce legislation to hold social media companies accountable for harms they have caused.

B.C. to restrict cellphones in schools to protect kids from online harm

Cap on student visas should help take pressure off soaring rents, Macklem says

Immigration Minister Marc Miller said at a cabinet retreat in Montreal on Monday that the number of new visas handed out this year will be capped at 364,000, a 35 per cent decrease from the nearly 560,000 issued last year. The number for 2025 will be set after an assessment of the situation later this year.

Cap on student visas should help take pressure off soaring rents, Macklem says

Atmospheric river could bring rain to parts of southern B.C., risk of flooding

Weather officials are warning residents in British Columbia's South Coast region of another atmospheric river system that could bring storms and elevate flood risks starting Saturday. Environment and Climate Change Canada says the region is expected to see periods of heavy rain combined with melting mountain snow until Wednesday.

Atmospheric river could bring rain to parts of southern B.C., risk of flooding

B.C. Centre for Disease Control reports fourth flu-related death of child under 10

The centre says there have now been four flu-related deaths in children under 10 during the current respiratory illness season. It says flu-related deaths refer to those where influenza was a contributing factor but not necessarily the primary cause of death.

B.C. Centre for Disease Control reports fourth flu-related death of child under 10

B.C. odour incidents spark questions around corporate ethics and communication

Vancouver resident Robert Ford was heading to a yoga class Sunday morning when he smelled an odour he likened to "semi-burnt fuel." As a member of council at his Kitsilano apartment building, he said he decided to check the boiler room, but it smelled fine.

B.C. odour incidents spark questions around corporate ethics and communication

U.K. suspends trade negotiations with Canada, each accuses the other of not budging

The United Kingdom is hitting the brakes on trade talks with Canada after Ottawa decided not to extend temporary measures put in place after Brexit. London announced the pause in negotiations Thursday less than a month before the ninth round of talks towards a permanent trade deal was scheduled to take place.