Burnaby says student housing doesn't belong in Burquitlam. They must reconsider.
Burnaby says student housing doesn't belong in Burquitlam. They must reconsider.
The Issue
Councillors at the City of Burnaby have blocked a new student housing project near Burquitlam Station, suggesting students are not the right tenants for this area.
These discriminatory remarks, made in the October 28 council meeting (at 1:19:30) by Councillor Dhaliwal and echoed by Councillors Tetrault, Gu, and Keithley, expose a hidden agenda to keep students out of Burquitlam, appeasing older voters ahead of the 2026 municipal election.
Student housing is a growing crisis in Vancouver.
Universities lack the funding and resources to build enough student housing on campus for all of their students. SFU offers enough student housing for less than 10% of students, forcing others to compete in the broader Vancouver rental market. This often leads to students experiencing sacrifices like long commutes or inflated rents.
Off-campus purpose-built student housing is a popular solution in many other cities across Canada, but is new to Burnaby.
The proposed development was aligned with Burnaby's new OCP.
The applicant had proposed the redevelopment of 16 single-family homes into 1,400 units (950 dedicated student housing units and 450 market rental units), making full use of the density potential provided by proximity to Burquitlam Station. The site also proposed significant indoor and outdoor amenity spaces for the tenants.
The council vote on October 28 was meant to be a procedural formality. The project was still months away from a vote on its approval. Both city staff and the committee of development had recommended that Council allow staff to continue to work with the applicant to develop a suitable vision for the development of the site.
Instead, Burnaby City Council acted on their hidden agenda to bar students from the Burquitlam Neighbourhood and shot down any future consideration of the project, using environment concerns as an excuse. While it is valid to be thoughtful about the environment, staff could continue to work with the proponent on mitigation measures, instead of completely scrapping the project.
Councillor Calendino was the lone vote in support.
THEY MUST RECONSIDER. SIGN OUR PETITION TO MAKE SURE COUNCIL DOES NOT GET AWAY WITH THIS.
Media coverage:
389
The Issue
Councillors at the City of Burnaby have blocked a new student housing project near Burquitlam Station, suggesting students are not the right tenants for this area.
These discriminatory remarks, made in the October 28 council meeting (at 1:19:30) by Councillor Dhaliwal and echoed by Councillors Tetrault, Gu, and Keithley, expose a hidden agenda to keep students out of Burquitlam, appeasing older voters ahead of the 2026 municipal election.
Student housing is a growing crisis in Vancouver.
Universities lack the funding and resources to build enough student housing on campus for all of their students. SFU offers enough student housing for less than 10% of students, forcing others to compete in the broader Vancouver rental market. This often leads to students experiencing sacrifices like long commutes or inflated rents.
Off-campus purpose-built student housing is a popular solution in many other cities across Canada, but is new to Burnaby.
The proposed development was aligned with Burnaby's new OCP.
The applicant had proposed the redevelopment of 16 single-family homes into 1,400 units (950 dedicated student housing units and 450 market rental units), making full use of the density potential provided by proximity to Burquitlam Station. The site also proposed significant indoor and outdoor amenity spaces for the tenants.
The council vote on October 28 was meant to be a procedural formality. The project was still months away from a vote on its approval. Both city staff and the committee of development had recommended that Council allow staff to continue to work with the applicant to develop a suitable vision for the development of the site.
Instead, Burnaby City Council acted on their hidden agenda to bar students from the Burquitlam Neighbourhood and shot down any future consideration of the project, using environment concerns as an excuse. While it is valid to be thoughtful about the environment, staff could continue to work with the proponent on mitigation measures, instead of completely scrapping the project.
Councillor Calendino was the lone vote in support.
THEY MUST RECONSIDER. SIGN OUR PETITION TO MAKE SURE COUNCIL DOES NOT GET AWAY WITH THIS.
Media coverage:
389
Supporter Voices
Petition created on November 25, 2025