‘Plex appeal: Vancouver eyeing six-unit multiplexes in low-density neighbourhoods

Vancouver city staff are proposing to legalize multiplexes with up to six homes on a single lot, adding larger buildings and more residents to low-density residential side streets currently dominated by detached houses.

After years of considering and discussing how to add more medium-density housing, the idea took a step forward Wednesday when city planning staff presented council with a first look at details of the proposed policy.

Most of Vancouver’s residential land is occupied by detached houses, and the city has plenty of highrise condo and apartment buildings. But there are relatively few medium-density housing types such as townhouses or three-storey multiplexes. These kinds of medium-density homes are sought-after but rare in many North American cities, which is why it’s often called “missing middle” housing.

Vancouver tracks its progress in different categories of housing approvals toward targets set out in the 10-year strategy approved in 2017, and townhouses and laneway houses are consistently the category where the city lags the furthest behind.