The Exciting Future of Jericho Lands

Jericho Lands, (ʔəy ̓alməxʷ / Iy̓ álmexw) is a 36-hectare (90-acre) site located in Vancouver’s West Point Grey neighbourhood, and is bound by West 4th Avenue, Highbury Street, West 8th Avenue, and West Point Grey Park. Jericho Lands is owned by a joint venture partnership between the Musqueam Indian Band, Squamish Nation, and Tsleil-Waututh Nation (MST) Partnership and the Canada Lands Company (CLC).

The Musqueam band states, “Our ancestors shared these lands for generations and we honour that legacy by working together for the future of our communities. MST Development currently oversees six properties totaling 160 acres of prime developable lands throughout Metro Vancouver, valued at over $1 billion. In 2014, MST Development and CLC entered into a historic joint venture with the purchase of two significant land parcels in the City of Vancouver: the Heather Street Lands and the Jericho Lands. Together, MST and CLC are planning the redevelopment of these lands to create new opportunities for our members and the city”.

A variety of housing types will form a major component in the development of the Jericho Lands. The eastern parcel, referred to as Jericho Garrison, was previously owned by the Department of National Defence (DND) until 2014 when ownership was transferred to the MST Partnership and CLC. The MST partnership and CLC share 50/50 ownership of Jericho Garrison. The western parcel, referred to as Jericho Hill, was previously owned by the Province of British Columbia. In 2016 ownership was transferred from the Province to the MST Partnership.

On Wednesday, June 23, at Vancouver City Council’s Standing Committee on Policy and Strategic Priorities, the partnership provided an update on the planning process to date and received an endorsement of the draft Guiding Principles and Emerging Site Planning Ideas. Input from MST Nations’ community members received by the Jericho Lands planning team was instrumental in developing the Guiding Principles and Emerging Ideas, reflecting the leadership role that the Nations play as stewards of the lands and in setting a global precedent for reconciliation and contemporary Indigenous development. The council recognized the importance of the ʔəy̓alməxʷ/Iy̓álmexw/Jericho Lands as a site of reconciliation and future prosperity for the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. The development of the site will also support opportunities for education, training and employment for Nations’ community members.

A City of Vancouver staff report explains the mix of housing types will be a split between 70 per cent for private ownership or market homes and 30 per cent for mixed rentals. According to the current plan, Jericho Lands will provide “new housing, with a range of options for households of different incomes, ages and mobility needs, from students to families to seniors, while creating opportunities for intergenerational living and learning”. Moreover, the new neighbourhood will be “designed to incorporate a variety of building types suitable for a diversity of households”.

The plan provides for the construction of a new neighbourhood that will “Integrate a variety of housing options throughout the districts in apartment forms that include ground-oriented units.” Overall, development in the Jericho Lands will “include a range of building types and scales that respond to the site’s unique natural features as well as proximity to a potential future Millennium Line Extension from Arbutus Street to UBC”.

In terms of design, the site plan will “explore the placement of taller buildings to distinguish districts, accentuate the ridge, optimize transit use and create a culturally distinct skyline.” The same draft seeks to “recognize land as a limited resource”. Hence, “Consider topography and the surrounding context in designing for building height and density across the site.” The plans also prioritize providing land for parks, open space, water management and biodiversity, public amenities, and affordable housing.

“Our three Nations have taken our rightful place on these lands”, says Tsleil-Waututh Nation’s Cultural Liaison Dennis Thomas. “We have now an opportunity to finally generate economic prosperity for our people. Our role is vital to honouring the resilience of our ancestors and making them proud. We serve as a conduit between the Nations and the designers, to make sure our elders, our youth and all Nation members have a say in what they want to see on the MST lands. We’re bringing our Nations’ collective spiritual energy into our work, and ultimately to the landscape, the pathways and the buildings we will create here.”