Mayor Ken Sim Introduces Accelerated Density Bonuses for Vancouver Mass Timber Residential High-Rises

VANCOUVER — Mayor Ken Sim and Vancouver City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to enact the "Mass Timber Action Policy," amending city zoning bylaws to provide substantial floor space and height incentives for developers constructing residential high-rises with engineered cross-laminated timber (CLT).

The policy positions Vancouver as a global leader in tall wood construction while advancing both civic housing creation and provincial economic development.

Incentivizing Sustainable High-Density Housing Under the newly adopted zoning schedule:

• Mass timber residential developments located within 800 meters of SkyTrain rapid transit stations are eligible for up to six additional floors beyond standard base zoning.
• Projects will receive an automatic 20% floor space ratio (FSR) density bonus to offset specialized engineering and pre-fabrication design costs.
• The city's Planning and Development Services department will implement a dedicated "Green Fast-Track" review stream, reducing standard development permit processing times from 18 months to under 120 days.

"Vancouver is facing an urgent housing affordability crisis, and we must build more homes faster while meeting our ambitious climate goals," Mayor Sim stated at City Hall. "Mass timber is clean, beautiful, fire-resilient, and manufactured right here in British Columbia. By cutting red tape and rewarding sustainable construction, we are delivering the housing our city needs."

Forestry and Environmental Impact Provincial forestry industry leaders commended the municipal policy, noting that widespread adoption of tall mass timber buildings in urban centers will create high-value manufacturing jobs in communities such as Prince George, Castlegar, and Williams Lake.

City building officials confirmed that mass timber buildings must meet the highest seismic resilience and fire-safety containment standards established under the BC Building Code.