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Infill Housing Program

Program Summary

Through the Infill Housing Program, adopted in June 2026, the City is encouraging ground-oriented family friendly housing. This program also responds to Provincial housing legislation by permitting up to six units of infill housing (such as secondary suites, laneway and carriage houses, triplex, quadplex, and multiplex forms of housing) on single detached dwelling and duplex properties across most of the city.

Learn more about how we're encouraging new housing! The video below introduces New Westminster's Infill Housing Program.

 

Right now, the City is not making changes to housing regulations in Queensborough because more research is needed on infrastructure like water and sewer systems to see if the area can support more housing. The City will consult with residents before any changes in Queensborough are finalized.  

How it Works

The City uses bylaws and policy tools to enable housing development. To implement this program, the City updated the Official Community Plan (OCP) Bylaw and Zoning Bylaw. These are our main tools for regulating what type of housing (e.g. apartment, townhouse, or duplex) is allowed, and where, along with what height and size those buildings can be.

Zoning for Infill Housing

In June 2026, the City updated zoning to permit up to six units of infill housing (such as secondary suites, laneway and carriage houses, triplex, quadplex, and other multiplex forms of housing) on single detached dwelling and duplex properties across most of the city. These changes streamline the application process by removing the need for a site-specific rezoning application. Owners may also choose to stay in their existing home, or choose to renovate or rebuild their home, rather than build any infill housing.

Zoning regulations have been created to guide new infill developments. This includes regulations such as density, height, and parking. These were created with consideration given to  Provincial requirements, technical analysis, and community feedback.

Click here to see a map and list of the properties zoned to allow Infill Housing, shown as RGO-A (up to four units) or RGO-B (up to six units). 

Development Permits

Applications for infill housing projects require a Development Permit. New development permit guidelines ensure high quality housing and site design that fits well within city neighbourhoods, and encourage best practices for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting water and energy conservation.

Official Community Plan

The Official Community Plan includes land use designations that describe the type of development that would be supported on each property as the city grows. Through the Infill Housing Program, the City applied the “Residential – Ground Oriented Infill Housing” (RGO) land use designation to more areas of the city. The purpose of this land use designation is to provide a mix of ground oriented infill housing forms, where each unit has a separate exterior entrance directly from a street or open space.

Click here to see a map of the infill housing areas – shown as “(RGO) Residential – Ground Oriented Infill Housing”.

The Official Community Plan was also updated to reflect new Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Areas around SkyTrain stations. The City intends to create comprehensive guidance on when consolidation would be required and where lower density ground oriented building forms (including infill housing) could be considered to optimize housing choice. Until new policy is created, applications for infill housing developments within Transit Oriented Development Areas will only be considered where consolidation is not possible, and in the Queens Park Heritage Conservation Area, as identified in the Interim Development Review Framework. 

  • Making a Development Application

    Interested in building a laneway or carriage house? Click here to learn more about the City's Laneway and Carriage House program.

    Interested in building duplexes, triplexes, quadraplexes, or other infill housing? Click here for the Infill Housing Guide, to learn more about the Infill Housing application process. 

    • Click here to see a map and list of the properties zoned to allow Infill Housing, either RGO-A (up to four units) or RGO-B (up to six units).
    • Click here to view the Zoning Bylaw, Section 100 amendments
    • Click here to view the RGO-A (up to four units) or RGO-B (up to six units) zoning districts.
    • Click here to view the updated Development Permit Areas (DPA) Guidelines for Infill Housing. You can also see the map for the Infill Housing DPA by clicking here.

    Infill housing projects are expected to be zoned to RGO-A or RGO-B, or may apply for a Heritage Revitalization Agreement.

    Revised regulations for small or compact lot subdivision were not included in the Infill Housing Program, as single detached dwellings are already well-represented in the city’s current housing stock. At this time staff is not recommending support of small or compact lot rezoning applications to Council.

    Infrastructure Considerations

    New infill housing will increase housing choice in our established neighborhoods. However, this development comes with some unique challenges. One such challenge is the infrastructure and servicing needed to support this additional growth. The current infrastructure was designed for the previous zoning entitlements of up to three units (in the form of a single detached dwelling, secondary suite and laneway house). In many cases, infrastructure upgrades will be required to facilitate the additional units enabled by zoning, as envisioned by the provincial housing legislation. The City will continue replacing and upgrading infrastructure over time as part of ongoing civil work. In the meantime, projects developing more than three units in advance of the City’s civil work will have to undertake all necessary infrastructure upgrades at their cost. This is anticipated to be cost prohibitive for some applications given the small scale of development.

    We recommend reaching out to the Engineering Department at to get a better understanding of the specific requirements for your site. Additional details are included in the Infill Housing Guide linked above.

    This highlights the need for senior government funding support for the City to be able to deliver the infrastructure needed to enable growth, in support of the community’s housing needs. The City continues to advocate to the Province and the Federal Government for funding to support future urban growth.

  • How We Got Here

    City Strategic Priorities and Housing Accelerator Fund

    Phase One of the Infill Housing Program was adopted in 2017 and included policies that encouraged both laneway and carriage houses as well as townhouses and rowhouses.

    Phase Two of the Infill Housing Program began in 2024, and the Infill Housing Program and Townhouse Program were separated into two programs to address their unique requirements in terms of size and shape of buildings, as follows:

    • The Infill Housing Program focuses on a range of housing forms such as laneway houses and multiplexes, which can be built on a single lot.

    • The Townhouse Program focuses on townhouses and will typically include multiple consolidated properties, with a minimum site size requirement. Lessons learned from the first phase of the program informed program updates that were adopted in 2026.

    The Infill Housing Program was undertaken with funding from the Canada Housing and Mortgage Corporation (CMHC) through the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) and aims to align with City Council’s 2023-2026 Strategic Priorities Plan focus area “Homes and Housing Options”, and the Province’s Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH) legislation.

    Public Outreach 

    • Spring 2026: Participants attended pop-up information sessions on program details as shown on these information boards, and ask a planner sessions, where interested property owners could book one on one sessions to see how infill housing could work on their property.

    • Winter 2025: Participants provided feedback on infill housing proposed design guidelines, height, parking and number units allowable, as detailed in this What We Heard report from January 2026. 

    • Spring 2025: Participants provided feedback on Phase Two of the Infill Housing Program as part the 'Our City, Our Homes' events on housing updates, sharing thoughts on proposed housing locations, housing types, streamlined permitting processes, and building floor area, as detailed in the Our City, Our Homes Engagement Summary Report from April 2025. 

    • 2022: Participants took part in a survey of feedback on Phase One of the Infill Housing Program, and the City incorporate feedback into Streamlined Guidelines for laneway and carriage houses.

    • 2017-2019: Participants provided considerable feedback for Phase One of Infill Housing as part of the Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw update, on policies that encourage laneway and carriage houses, and townhouses (strata) and rowhouses (fee simple)

  • Resources

    Community Outreach

    Public Hearing Presentation

    Council Reports

     

  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

    Where can infill housing be built in the city?

    Infill housing can be built throughout the Mainland, with approximately 1,900 properties pre-zoned to allow up to four units and approximately 1,100 properties for up to six units. Pre-zoning would mean that no rezoning application would be required to build infill housing, streamlining the approvals process.

    Click here to see a map and list of the properties proposed for pre-zoning zoned to allow Infill Housing, either RGO-A (up to four units) or RGO-B (up to six units).

    Are infill housing units able to stack on top of each other?

    A maximum of two infill housing units are able to stack on top of each other. This helps ensure that units are ground oriented, with high quality shared and individual outdoor spaces.

    Will Infill Housing Units Be Able To Be Stratified?

    Different tenures (i.e. rental housing, ownership or a combination) and ownership models (i.e. strata, co-op) are allowed. A rezoning application is required to develop a freehold model, where each unit is on a separate property.

    What happens now that the program is implemented?

    The City will monitor the program outcomes, and may identify program refinements in alignment with program goals.

    What is the impact on my property value and taxes? 

    Property taxes are calculated based on the assessed value of a property, which is set annually by BC Assessment, the provincial agency responsible for determining assessed property values, using market conditions and property characteristics. Tax rates are set every year by City Council.

    Visit the City's Property Taxes and Utilities webpage for current tax rates and payment information.

    If you feel the assessed value for your property is inaccurate, you can submit an appeal to BC Assessment. Click here for more information on assessment appeals.

    What kind of uptake is expected for this program?

    Redevelopment depends on many factors outside of the City’s control, including individual owners’ choices, financing interest rates, and construction costs.

    The City has made housing projections to try to anticipate the likely housing uptake for the next 25 years. Below are those estimates for the Mainland (excluding the Downtown and Queensborough areas):

    • attached units (e.g. duplex, multiplex, townhouse): about 36-46 units per year, and

    • single detached units (including laneway and carriage houses): about 4-5 units per year.

    These projections are similar to trends from 2014-2023 for the same area, however, in the future we expect to see more attached units and fewer detached units:

    • attached units (e.g. duplex, multiplex, townhouse): average 10 units per year, and

    • single detached units (including laneway and carriage houses): average 41 units per year (including about 10 laneway or carriage houses).

    The new infill housing zones allow people to construct a single detached dwelling, secondary suite, and laneway house (if eligible). Owners could apply to build an infill housing project, or they could choose to stay in their homes, renovate or rebuild their home.

    How does the program fit the New Westminster context?

    The new infill housing zones respond to provincial requirements, and have been tailored to the New Westminster context, including:

    • Parking – for sites where the City can require vehicle parking, the required number of spaces reflects the City’s information on local vehicle ownership, for people living in similar kinds of housing,

    • Density – using maximum floor space ratios (FSR), instead of the Provincial recommendation to guide density through building setbacks and height, encouraging spaces like shared bike parking or amenity rooms through FSR exclusions,

    • Side setbacks – smaller side setbacks compared to single detached and duplex zones, though larger than Provincial recommendations, to enable new housing that fits well within city neighbourhoods,

    • Rear upper setbacks – requiring new buildings at the lane edge of a site to be stepped back at the third storey, not part of Provincial recommendations, to minimize building bulk at the rear of properties,

    • Design Guidelines - to encourage building and site design with best practices for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting water and energy conservation.

    What are the implications to heritage protection? 

    Existing heritage designations and heritage revitalization agreements (HRAs) remain in place across the city, and are not overridden by Provincial legislation.

    Individual owners of heritage assets can still consider a new HRA and/or heritage designation. There may be fewer applications due to the reduced ability to offer incentives, such as greater density or reduced parking, following the Provincial legislation and new Infill Housing program. New heritage designations and HRAs cannot limit density below Provincial requirements, including within the Queen’s Park Heritage Conservation Area (QPHCA).

    Applications for renovation or construction in QPHCA still require a heritage alteration permit (HAP) showing compliance with the Heritage Conservation Area guidelines. Applications to demolish unprotected buildings still need to show that the density allowable on the property is not possible without demolishing the buildings.

    How will the City address the demand for more on-street parking?

    Infill housing may increase demand for on-street parking because:

    • Households in the city with similar housing types, such as duplexes, often own more than one vehicle; and  

    • Provincial legislation limits a municipality’s ability to require parking near frequent bus service.

    The City’s parking minimums try to balance parking needs with other priorities, such as trees, open space, solid waste, and electrical infrastructure. Outside  frequent bus service areas, all infill housing applications must include at least one on-site parking space for each principal unit. Secondary suites must also provide parking, but at a lower rate. These requirements are the same as those for duplexes and townhouses.

    The City is also working on a curbside management strategy to help manage on-street parking demand. This work will guide decisions about curb regulations and residential permit parking. The approach will be guided by a set of principles supported by Council in September 2025, and by the City’s Master Transportation Plan curbside hierarchy, which prioritizes active transportation like walking and bicycling.

    What does this mean for schools? 

    The infill housing program could result in more family-sized homes being built, which may bring more school-aged children to the community and increase demand for schools.

    The School District is planning for this growth as part of its upcoming Long Range Facilities Plan. The School District and City are working together to advocate to the Province for more resources for schools.

    To help make it easier to build new schools, the City updated its Official Community Plan to allow schools in most residential and some mixed-use areas across the city.

    The School District is also exploring new ways to provide schools in the urban context of New Westminster, including opportunities to integrate  schools into residential or mixed-use development projects.

  • Contact

    Housing and Land Use Planning

    604-527-4532