Some people want to live near the shopping, dining and the cultural opportunities of the city, some people love the parks and amenities of suburbia, and some crave the neighbourliness of a village. Many of us desire to live more in harmony with the planet, in a healthy, sustainable community. But what if you want all of these things? Well good news for you, because the many master-planned communities in Metro Vancouver deliver all of these benefits, and more. Today’s master-planned communities give you the chance to live in the midst of great places to shop, eat, learn, work and play, in a safe, healthy and sustainable environment, whether you are young or old, single or with a growing family.

There are many established master-planned communities we have featured in these pages before, in various stages of completion. A major trend in these large, multi-phase projects is the revitalization of dated malls and shopping centres into huge master-planned communities that are currently underway, usually located along a major rapid transit route. These projects include Westbank’s Oakridge and Concord Pacific’s Concord Metrotown, and Shape Properties’ The Amazing Brentwood and The City of Lougheed. Shape has also recently announced their latest venture in this realm, a partnership with Cadillac Fairview to revitalize the CF Richmond Centre.

“Master-planned, transit-oriented communities are the future,” says John Horton, President and CEO, of SHAPE. “At CF Richmond Centre, Cadillac Fairview and SHAPE have the game-changing opportunity to bring a complete master-planned community to one of Canada’s highest performing shopping centres where people already come together for shopping, dining and celebrations. With 300,000-plus square feet of new shops and restaurants coming, including Richmond’s first outdoor retail high street, everything will be an elevator ride away.”

Another new master-planned project is changing the focus to a more laid-back and bucolic vision of a community. Southlands in Tsawwassen embraces the farming history of its location between the urban centre of Tsawwassen and the beach, encouraging residents to engage with the culture and process of growing food in a dynamic and sophisticated village ambiance. Says Century Group’s President Sean Hodgins, “We are focussing on a large range of housing types, from apartments, to townhomes, to cottages, within a highly developed and considered public space.” With over 400 acres of farm preserved, and a market and shopping district on the way, this new community promises to be a magnet for both locals and visitors to enjoy.

Another ambitious project bringing urban sophistication to a beautiful country setting is Vesta’s Latimer Village. The elegant European-style village features mixed-use lowrise buildings, including many boutique shops, places to dine or grab a quick bite, and all your everyday services. The Latimer Heights community integrates natural water features such as the large central pond filled with birds and other wildlife, as well as kilometres of walking trails, greenspaces, playgrounds and more, for people of all ages.

Located at the nexus of transportation corridors to anywhere in Metro Vancouver, Anthem’s SOCO master-planned community is at the heart of South Coquitlam, five minutes from the Skytrain, and close to all the shopping, dining and services at Lougheed Town Centre and North Road. SOCO will consist of two residential towers, plus 70,000 square feet of office and retail space, and Phase One includes a spectacular sixth-level podium full of amenities. You can drop off your kids in the daycare downstairs, meet a friend for a latté in the café, then hop on the SkyTrain to head into the city for a meeting. The parks, nature, golf courses and green spaces that abound in this neighbourhood make enjoying the great outdoors a natural part of everyday life.

Perched where the ocean meets the mountains, Seylynn Village is one of North Vancouver’s most sought after master-planned neighbourhoods. “We are very proud of the recognition that Seylynn Village has received from the Urban Development Institute for Best Master-Planned Community in 2019,” says Dr. Abo Taheri, Managing Partner at Denna Homes. Seylynn Village will have onsite child care for your little ones, and the village is walking distance from Lynn Creek, Superstore, Mountain Equipment Co-Op, cafes, trails and more.

Aragon’s riverfront Port Royal Village is a multi-phased community with a great variety of housing types that will eventually be home to over 900 families. Port Royal living is enhanced by a large central park, a greenway, and a riverfront walkway that connects to the extensive Fraser River walk system. Aragon’s newest release at Port Royal is Light House – elegant loft-style homes Light House will offer a range of move-in ready one- to three-bedroom loft-style homes, as well as an exclusive collection of two-level Penthouse homes, complete with rooftop patios and unobstructed views of the Fraser River and Downtown New Westminster.

These are but a few of the enticing local possibilities when it comes to master-planned living in Metro Vancouver. SHAPE’s John Horton sums up the perennial appeal of these communities: “As the world changes rapidly, we’re studying consumer trends, architecture, lifestyles and customer experience worldwide to stay at the forefront of progress and innovation. This allows us to create ideal living experiences today and for generations to come”.