Greater Vancouver Multiplex Map: Where the New Builds Are Happening in 2026

498 Applications Filed — But Where Exactly?

As of January 2026, VanPlex data shows 498 multiplex applications filed in the City of Vancouver alone. That number gets thrown around a lot. What doesn't get mentioned: the distribution is wildly uneven. A handful of neighbourhoods account for the bulk of activity, while large swaths of the city — including some of the most expensive residential land in Canada — have barely registered a single application.

This isn't a surprise. Multiplex economics are straightforward math: land cost plus construction cost has to produce units that buyers can actually afford. In neighbourhoods where that equation works, developers are moving fast. In neighbourhoods where it doesn't, they're not. Here's where the builds are happening, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, across Greater Vancouver.

East Vancouver: Ground Zero for the Multiplex Boom

If there's a centre of gravity for Vancouver's multiplex movement, it's east of Main Street. Renfrew-Collingwood leads the pack with the highest concentration of applications. Hastings-Sunrise and Killarney are close behind. Walk along East 29th Avenue between Rupert and Boundary and you'll see the pattern clearly — teardown-era bungalows on 33-foot and 50-foot RS lots, many already with demolition permits posted.

The reason is simple economics. According to City of Vancouver assessment data, RS-zoned lots in Renfrew-Collingwood trade between $1.5M and $2.2M. A developer buying at $1.8M and spending $700K–$900K on construction for a fourplex ends up with a total project cost around $2.5M–$2.7M. That yields four units priced between $800K and $1.1M each — a price point that actually attracts buyers. The math works. That's why the permits are here.

Kensington-Cedar Cottage is another active pocket, particularly along the Knight Street corridor and south toward 41st Avenue. KCC has the advantage of slightly larger lots on average and strong transit connectivity along the 25th Avenue and King Edward corridors. VanPlex data shows KCC trailing only Renfrew-Collingwood in total application volume.

Victoria-Fraserview and Sunset are emerging too, though at a slower pace. The lots here tend to be deeper, which gives architects more flexibility on unit layouts. Expect these two neighbourhoods to pick up momentum through 2026 as developers who cut their teeth in Renfrew-Collingwood look for their next sites.

Vancouver West Side: Slow Start, Different Buyers

Cross Cambie Street heading west and the story changes. Dunbar, Kerrisdale, and Oakridge have seen multiplex applications trickle in, but the pace is measured compared to the east side. The barrier is land cost. A standard RS lot in Dunbar runs $2.5M to $3.5M. In Kerrisdale or Shaughnessy-adjacent areas, you're looking at $3M to $4M+. At those acquisition prices, the per-unit cost for a fourplex pushes past $1.3M — territory where fewer buyers are willing to choose a multiplex unit over a condo in a purpose-built building with amenities.

The buyers who are interested on the west side tend to be different from those on the east side. According to local realtors working these listings, west-side multiplex buyers are often families planning multi-generational living arrangements — parents in one unit, adult children in another, maybe a rental suite to offset costs. This is owner-occupant driven, not spec-builder driven.

The exception is Marpole. Sitting at the southern tip of Vancouver between the Fraser River and Marine Drive, Marpole offers west-side addresses at prices closer to east-side levels. Lots along Granville Street south of 67th Avenue can still be found under $2M. Add the Canada Line at Marine Drive station and you have a neighbourhood where the multiplex equation starts to balance. Watch Marpole closely — it may become the west side's answer to Renfrew-Collingwood.

Burnaby: SkyTrain Corridors Are the Play

Burnaby has been slower to embrace multiplexes than Vancouver, partly because the city's Official Community Plan has historically channelled density toward tower-and-podium developments near transit hubs. But that's shifting. The areas seeing the most multiplex interest sit along the Expo and Millennium Line corridors — within a 10- to 15-minute walk of Metrotown, Brentwood, and Edmonds stations.

The Maywood area south of Metrotown, roughly bounded by Imperial Street, Kingsway, and Royal Oak Avenue, has seen a handful of applications. Lots here are priced in the $1.6M–$2.2M range, comparable to East Vancouver. The Edmonds neighbourhood, particularly along 18th Avenue and Salisbury Avenue, is another emerging zone.

Burnaby's focus, though, has leaned more toward townhome-scale projects — six to eight units on assembled sites — rather than the three- and four-unit multiplexes that dominate Vancouver's pipeline. This reflects both the city's planning preferences and the larger lot sizes available in some Burnaby neighbourhoods. Whether pure multiplex construction ramps up here depends heavily on how Burnaby finalizes its Bill 25 compliance framework.

Surrey: Massive Potential, Early Innings

Surrey has the most residential land in Metro Vancouver and some of the lowest land costs. Those two facts make it one of the most interesting multiplex markets in the region — eventually. Right now, it's early days.

The neighbourhoods showing initial activity are Guildford, Fleetwood, and Newton. In Guildford, particularly along 104th Avenue and the streets between 148th and 156th, older single-family homes on larger lots are starting to attract developer attention. Land costs in the $1.2M–$1.6M range make the multiplex math very favourable — a fourplex project here could produce units priced in the $650K–$850K range, well below Vancouver equivalents.

The challenge in Surrey is demand-side, not supply-side. Buyers in Surrey have traditionally preferred detached homes — the promise of a yard, a garage, and some distance from neighbours. The multiplex value proposition (own instead of rent, build equity, newer construction) is compelling, but it's still being established in a market where the single-family home remains king. As prices for detached homes continue to climb past $1.5M in Surrey's established neighbourhoods, that calculus will tip.

North Vancouver: Premium Location, Tight Economics

The North Shore presents a unique set of constraints for multiplex builders. Lower Lonsdale and Central Lonsdale in the City of North Vancouver have seen some application activity, driven by proximity to the SeaBus terminal, Lonsdale Quay, and the concentration of shops and services along Lonsdale Avenue. But the lots here are often smaller (33-foot frontages are common), and topography means complex foundations and higher construction costs.

The District of North Vancouver has been more cautious in enabling multiplex zoning, and lot sizes in areas like Lynn Valley and Deep Cove, while larger, come with steep grades and tree preservation requirements that complicate development. Median duplex prices on the North Shore sit around $1.85M according to recent MLS data — reflecting the area's desirability but also the difficulty of making the per-unit economics competitive with East Vancouver or Surrey.

Port Moody and West Vancouver: Opposite Ends of the Spectrum

Port Moody is a city to watch. The area around Moody Centre station on the Millennium Line has strong fundamentals for multiplex development — transit access, a walkable village feel along St. Johns Street, and land prices that haven't reached Vancouver levels. The city is in the early stages of updating its zoning to comply with provincial requirements, and the first wave of applications should arrive in the second half of 2026. Port Moody's compact geography means that even a modest number of multiplex projects could meaningfully change the housing stock.

West Vancouver is a different story entirely. Land costs routinely exceed $3M for modest lots along the Marine Drive corridor, and $5M+ is normal in the British Properties and Altamont areas. Community resistance to density remains strong. The District has shown limited enthusiasm for multiplex-enabling zoning beyond what provincial legislation requires. West Vancouver isn't where the multiplex revolution is happening — and that's unlikely to change in any meaningful way through 2026.

Where to Watch in the Second Half of 2026

The biggest catalyst on the horizon is Bill 25's compliance deadline of June 30, 2026. Under the Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing legislation, all BC municipalities must have updated their zoning bylaws to permit multiplexes on single-family lots by that date. Vancouver moved early and has a significant head start. But municipalities that have been slower — Burnaby, Surrey, the North Shore districts, Port Moody — will see their regulatory frameworks finalized in the first half of 2026. That means a wave of new applications in Q3 and Q4.

Burnaby in particular could see a rapid increase in filing activity once its updated OCP and zoning bylaws are adopted. The land economics in south Burnaby are very similar to East Vancouver, and developers already working in Renfrew-Collingwood will naturally look across the municipal boundary for their next projects.

Surrey's sheer land area makes it the longer-term opportunity. It may take until 2027 or 2028 for multiplex completions to reach meaningful volumes there, but the groundwork being laid in 2026 — zoning updates, early applications, developer reconnaissance — will set the stage.

East Vancouver will continue to lead in actual completions. Several projects that broke ground in late 2024 and early 2025 are now entering the finishing stages, and the first batch of occupied multiplexes along East 33rd, East 41st, and Rupert Street will give buyers and neighbours their first look at what this housing form actually looks and feels like in practice.

Key Takeaways

• East Vancouver — especially Renfrew-Collingwood, Hastings-Sunrise, and Killarney — dominates multiplex applications because the land-cost-to-sale-price ratio actually works for developers.
• West-side Vancouver activity is driven by owner-occupants seeking multi-generational setups, not by spec builders. Marpole is the west-side exception worth watching.
• Burnaby and Surrey are poised for growth in the second half of 2026 once Bill 25 compliance forces zoning updates. South Burnaby's economics mirror East Vancouver.
• North Vancouver's topography and lot constraints limit multiplex potential. West Vancouver remains a non-factor for multiplex construction.
• The first wave of completed and occupied East Vancouver multiplexes arriving in 2026 will be the real test — proving to buyers and communities what this housing form delivers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Vancouver neighbourhood has the most multiplex construction?

Renfrew-Collingwood leads Vancouver in multiplex applications as of early 2026, followed by Hastings-Sunrise and Kensington-Cedar Cottage. These east-side neighbourhoods dominate because RS-zoned lot prices ($1.5M–$2.2M) allow developers to build fourplexes and sell units in the $800K–$1.1M range — a price point that attracts strong buyer demand. Killarney and Victoria-Fraserview are also active and gaining momentum.

Are multiplexes being built in Burnaby and Surrey?

Both cities are in the early stages. Burnaby has seen some multiplex interest near SkyTrain stations at Metrotown, Brentwood, and Edmonds, though the city has historically favoured larger-scale density like towers and townhomes. Surrey — with lower land costs and more available land — has significant long-term potential, particularly in Guildford, Fleetwood, and Newton. Both municipalities must finalize their multiplex zoning frameworks by June 30, 2026 under Bill 25, which should unlock a new wave of applications.

When will BC municipalities comply with multiplex zoning requirements?

The provincial deadline under Bill 25 (Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing legislation) is June 30, 2026. By that date, all BC municipalities must have updated their zoning bylaws to permit multiplexes — typically up to four units — on lots previously zoned exclusively for single-family homes. Vancouver moved ahead of the deadline and has been accepting applications since 2023. Most other Metro Vancouver municipalities are expected to finalize their updated bylaws in Q1–Q2 2026, with a corresponding increase in applications starting in the second half of the year.