UBC's Land Use Plan is now open for public comment. This plan will prescribe development of the Vancouver campus for the next 30 years.

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Your voice matters! Visit https://campusvision2050.ubc.ca/lup for public hearing details and to register.

 
You can contribute by speaking at the hearing (everyone registered gets 5 min), submitting written comments or a pre-recorded video. PLEASE REGISTER TO SPEAK!

 

Don't know what to say? See below for suggestions.

 

Currently, the UBC Land Use Plan:

• Allocates 75% of new housing to "market-rate" rental or purchase — unaffordable for students, staff and faculty. For context, the current market rate in Wesbrook Village neighbourhood for a new build is $1.5 million for a 2 bedroom, ~1000 sq ft apartment and >$4000/month for a 2 bedroom rental.

• Only commits to 3,300 new student beds over 27 years.

• Allows an increase in maximum residential building heights from 20 to 39 stories.

• Allows a doubling of UBC's residential population to ~50,000 people, despite insufficient environmental assessment or a meaningful climate action plan.

• Proposes a reduction in usable open space in the neighborhoods to 0.5 hectares per 1000 residents. This is below the minimum of 0.9 hectares per 1000 residents stated in international guidelines associated with the World Health Organization.  

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And notably:

• Strong objections have been raised by varied members of UBC faculty and students, including the Open Letter submitted by UBC Communities for Sustainable Development and signed by >900 UBC faculty, students, staff and residents, and the Open Letters regarding the need for stronger affordable housing targets by Dr. Patrick Condon and Dr. Christopher Rea.

• 2 of the 3 UBC Faculty Governors declined to vote in favor of advancing the Land Use Plan in its current form during the Board's Oct 16th, 2023 meeting. Concerns raised include a lack of clear, measurable climate change mitigation targets, a lack of sufficient affordable housing for students, staff and faculty, and a lack of safety planning in an event requiring evacuation. To watch the Board of Governors discussion and vote, particularly concerns raised by Dr. Charles Menzies (around 1:30:38 and at end of meeting) and Dr. Anna Kindler (around 1:47:00), visit: https://bog.ubc.ca/meeting-agenda-minutes/2023-agenda-packages-and-minutes/ and click on “Oct 16, 2023 Board of Governors Livestream”

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Community voices are stronger together! The time is now to speak up and tell the UBC Governors that they must do better.  #UBCcanfixit