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

Surrey RCMP at scene of collision with natural gas leak

Surrey RCMP is at the scene of a motor vehicle collision in the area of 66th Avenue and 128 Street, where one vehicle has hit a natural gas meter. Fortis BC has been advised, and the immediate area is being evacuated as a precaution until crews can arrive to make repairs.

Surrey RCMP at scene of collision with natural gas leak

Overdose toll hit 198 in January, down 10 percent but over 6 deaths a day

The overdose death toll in January reached 198 people, down about 10 per cent from the same month last year, but still more than six deaths a day. The B-C Coroners Service says the majority of those who died were male and the highest death rate was in north and central Vancouver Island and the northern Interior.

Overdose toll hit 198 in January, down 10 percent but over 6 deaths a day

4 in hospital after 2 vehicle crash in Kelowna

Four people are in hospital after a two-vehicle crash in Kelowna. R-C-M-P say it happened last night on Highway 33 when Toyota collided with a Dodge. The Mounties say all four were taken to hospital in critical condition.

4 in hospital after 2 vehicle crash in Kelowna

Bank card scam in Burnaby

Mounties are warning of the latest bank card scam that has taken in a few people in Burnaby. Police say they've had five reports of people getting calls from someone saying their bank or credit card had been compromised.

Bank card scam in Burnaby

Female dead in Sooke

Police in Sooke say a female has died after being struck by a vehicle. R-C-M-P say the incident happened at about 5:30 this morning. Police say emergency responders attempted to save the woman, but she didn't survive.

Female dead in Sooke

Assault of teenage boy in park

Mounties in North Vancouver are probing the alleged sexual assault of a teenage boy inside a public park last week. Investigators with North Vancouver R-C-M-P say the suspect approached the teen from behind and sexually assaulted the youth at the Inter River Park washroom.