Vancouver councillor proposes densifying housing around schools

The Vancouver City Council will hear a motion Wednesday aimed at densifying housing around existing Vancouver schools.

Councillor Lenny Zhou is bringing forth the motion, titled ‘Enhancing Housing Density Near Under-Enrolled Vancouver Schools.’ He says the Vancouver School District has actually seen a slight drop in enrollment over the past decade or so, even as the city’s population grows.

According to the Vancouver School Board (VSB), this is partly due to a reduced birth rate, aging population, and housing unattainability in the city.

“The city is getting too expensive.. a lot of young people, young families, they have to move out of the city and settle down in other parts of the province,” he said.

In 2011, enrollment for kindergarten to grade 12 was 51,758 students, according to the VSB. By 2021, this number had declined by about eight per cent.

The VSB says Southlands Elementary and Bayview Community Elementary are examples of schools with declining enrollment, and that this trend is expected to continue in the years ahead.

In the motion, Zhou states this decline threatens the “health and vitality” of Vancouver neighborhoods and puts these school sites at risk of being lost forever.

Zhou says by densifying housing around schools, this motion could help tackle both dropping enrollment and the housing crisis.

“This motion would… work with the Vancouver School Board to make sure we are able to add more family-friendly, family-oriented housing around the neighborhoods where school enrollment is declining,” he said.

He cites the city’s 10-year housing strategy and long-range 30-year plan as proof of the city’s need to adopt bold council-approved plans that address climate and affordability issues.

His motion doesn’t include any affordable housing motions, but he says that’s something staff can look into in the future.

On Sept. 14, the Vancouver City Council voted to open up neighborhoods in the city to more multiplex developments to create space for more families on lots previously reserved as single-family homes.

The city’s Standing Committee on City Finance and Services meeting took place Wednesday morning.