Townhouse Program

The Official Community Plan (OCP) sets out the vision, goals, and policies for New Westminster to the year 2041. If a property has a Residential – Townhouse (RT) land use designation in the OCP, then the long-term vision for that property is to provide side-by-side or back-to-back townhouse developments which are compatible with areas of other lower density housing.

In 2026, the City designated approximately 900 properties in the city as “Residential—Townhouse” (RT) in the Official Community Plan (OCP). 

View a map of the properties designated for townhouse.

If a property is zoned for townhouses, it means that townhouses are a permitted use in the property’s existing zone. If redevelopment is desired, property owner(s) can choose to combine their property with a neighbouring pre-zoned lot to meet the required minimum lot size and apply for a simplified City approvals process to construct new townhouses. 

There would be no requirement for an Official Community Plan (OCP) amendment or rezoning application. Projects would still require other City approvals, including a Development Permit, Works and Services Agreement and Building Permit.

View a map of the properties zoned for townhouse

Staff conducted block-by-block analysis and investigated site conditions such as slope, lot depth, access, heritage considerations, and existing land uses. This was used to determine whether sites could accommodate lot consolidation, parking access and other Townhouse Program requirements. Only sites with a sufficient existing lane were pre-zoned. Where a lane does not exist yet, additional tools need to be utilized in Phase 2 of the program to ensure a new lane is delivered by new townhouse projects. These remaining RT designated sites are intended to be pre-zoned for townhouses in the future. 

Through previous community engagement, the City heard that families and multi-generational families want to be located in proximity to amenities such as schools and parks. Townhouse Program sites on the main roads are within walking distance of these amenities. These sites may also be located at the edges of Transit Oriented Development Areas to transition from higher density neighbourhoods to areas with primarily single family housing.

There are also Townhouse Program sites located away from the main roads. These were selected as they have the conditions to provide a road or lane dedication which would allow access in a continuous manner for vehicles in the future. Pedestrian and road safety would also be improved by reducing the number of individual driveways onto fronting streets. 

In New Westminster, per the Zoning Bylaw, residential developments must not create a condition where one or more sites become a “locked-in lot”. When reviewing a development application, City staff will assess requirements to determine whether a proposed project would create a condition where a lot becomes locked-in. In some cases, an exemption may apply. 

Most townhouse development projects will involve combining two standard single-detached lots to achieve the minimum site area requirement of 836.1 m² (9,000 sq. ft.). This minimum provides enough land to accommodate functional building layouts, to support family-friendly unit sizes, useable open spaces, and allow for continuous off-site improvements, for example, lane or road dedications for servicing and vehicle access. Through lot consolidations, townhouse projects are better able to achieve livable and economically viable developments.

In response to the release of the Provincial Housing legislation in November 2023, the City is updating a number of long range plans that guide the City’s ongoing delivery of services to meet current needs, and to plan for our growing community’s future needs. These documents are based on recently updated population projections, which reflect the new growth envisioned by the Province.

The City has been updating its financing growth strategy to ensure development pays for the growth-related portion of the infrastructure and amenities needed to build a livable city. This includes updates to the Development Cost Charges program to pay for the cost of upgrading or providing transportation, drainage, water and sanitary infrastructure; fire protection and police services; and acquiring parkland to support new development. The City is also creating a new Amenity Cost Charge program to fund growth-related amenities based infrastructure such as community centres, libraries, and daycares. 

Learn more about the City’s Financing Growth work.

New townhouse development applications must comply with the updated Townhouse Development Permit Area guidelines. Townhouse developments are to enhance and maintain the quality of neighbourhoods by incorporating considerations for building size and massing; streetscape expression; livability; building performance; and more as outlined in the guidelines. The Zoning Bylaw includes regulations related to the size and height of a building, site coverage, spacing between dwellings, parking, loading and site access for townhouses.

Existing heritage designations and heritage revitalization agreements (HRAs) remain in place. Townhouse designated properties which have a non-protected heritage asset still have the opportunity to enter into a Heritage Revitalization Agreement to protect any identified heritage assets. Through a Heritage Revitalization Agreement, a property may be eligible for incentives to conserve assets with heritage merit. However, under the new Provincial housing legislation there are fewer incentives that the City can offer compared to previously.

Although townhouse and infill housing development is expected to occur gradually, it will place greater demands on the City’s road network and curbside space. 

The City is 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.

Yes, the City will be monitoring the program to make refinements and provide additional details for ease of use. This includes making amendments to the Townhouse Zoning Districts and the Development Permit Area guidelines, related to site access, off-site servicing, and site area requirements for on-site solid waste, recycling and composting.

The City will be exploring further areas in the city to pre-zone for townhouses as part of Phase 2 of the Townhouse Program. Further analysis will be undertaken to address concerns related to access, alternative transportation routes and servicing prior to bringing forward a proposal for further pre-zoning.

Yes, the City will be monitoring the program to make refinements and provide additional details for ease of use. This includes making amendments to the Townhouse Zoning Districts and the Development Permit Area guidelines, related to site access, off-site servicing, and site area requirements for on-site solid waste, recycling and composting.

• Zoning Bylaw Section 100 Amendments
• Zoning Bylaw Townhouse Residential Districts (RT-A and RT-B)
• Townhouse Development Permit Area Guidelines

• January 26, 2026 Public Hearing: Our City, Our Homes: Implementation of Townhouse and Affordable Housing Accelerator Fund Initiatives Presentation

• December 15, 2025 Council Report: Our City, Our Homes: Implementation of Townhouse and Affordable Housing Accelerator Fund Initiatives Bylaws for First and Second Reading
• October 27, 2025 Council Report: Our City, Our Homes: Implementation of Townhouse and Affordable Housing Accelerator Housing Accelerator Fund Initiatives
• September 8, 2025 Council Report: Our City Our Homes: Additional Option for Structuring Council Consideration of Housing Legislation and Housing Accelerator Fund Initiatives
• June 2, 2025 Council Report: Our City Our Homes, Implementation of Provincial Housing Legislation and Housing Accelerator Fund Initiatives
• May 27, 2024 Council Report: Infill Housing and Townhouse Acceleration Work Plans

• April 2025: Our City, Our Homes Engagement Summary Report
• April 2025: Our City, Our Homes Engagement Activities Snapshot
• October 2025: Townhouse Program Summary Video

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 and Townhouse Programs 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 2026 update to the Townhouse Program, was undertaken with funding from the Canada Housing and Mortgage Corporation (CMHC) through the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF). The Townhouse Program also aligns with City Council’s 2023-2026 Strategic Priorities Plan focus area “Homes and Housing Options”.

In Spring 2025, the City carried out additional community engagement through Our City, Our Homes – an initiative focused on updates aimed to enable well-located homes that meet the diverse housing needs of our growing community. The goal of engagement was to help residents learn more about proposed changes to the City’s housing programs, while also inviting them to share feedback on proposed locations and housing types, for both infill housing and townhouses. Residents had the opportunity to ask questions, and share concerns and hopes about the future of housing through these programs. Analysis of this feedback, along with technical requirements were presented to Council as part of their direction setting.

Participants indicated general support for:

• Allowing 3 storey townhouses (72% support)
• Pre-zoning areas in the city for townhouses (73% support)
• Allowing townhouse units to have secondary suites (64% support)
• Continuing to require 1 off-street parking space per townhouse (55% support)
• Maximizing opportunities for townhouses in the city, when shown different map scenarios

Read the full Engagement Summary Report which includes demographics and a breakdown of each question asked