Where to Buy a Multiplex in Burnaby

12 applications filed. Walk Score 88 — the highest in Burnaby. Expo Line SkyTrain access at Metrotown station. Surrounded by high-rise density that creates a built-in tenant pool for rental units. R1 SSMUH district zoning allows up to 6 strata units.

Burnaby's downtown in everything but name. Metropolis at Metrotown anchors a mini-city of towers, restaurants, and services. The streets around the mall are busy — this is not suburban quiet. Crystal Mall adds an authentic Asian food and shopping scene. Central Park is a 10-minute walk east. For multiplex buyers, the density is an asset: your tenants work at the mall, the hospital, or in the office towers. One-bedroom rents hit $2,100/month because demand is relentless. The trade-off is land cost — $1.6M average is the highest in Burnaby.

10 applications filed. Edmonds SkyTrain station provides Expo Line access — one stop from Metrotown, 25 minutes downtown. New Edmonds Town Centre plan will add mixed-use development, retail, and community amenities over the next decade.

The dark horse of Burnaby's multiplex market. Edmonds flies under the radar because it doesn't have Metrotown's density or Brentwood's flash. What it has: SkyTrain access at $200K less per lot than Metrotown, a community centre, Byrne Creek ravine park, and a neighbourhood that still feels residential. The new town centre plan is the catalyst — the City is investing in transforming the area around the station into a walkable mixed-use hub. Early multiplex buyers here are positioning ahead of that transformation. Rents run $1,900/month for 1BR units, and the tenant base skews toward families and young professionals who want SkyTrain without tower-living.

8 applications filed. Millennium Line SkyTrain at Brentwood Town Centre station. The Amazing Brentwood development has transformed the area with residential towers, retail, and restaurants. Walk Score 80 and climbing.

Brentwood has changed more in five years than most neighbourhoods change in twenty. The Amazing Brentwood complex turned a dated mall into a mixed-use destination with towers, a food hall, and a public plaza. Tech companies have clustered nearby — proximity to BCIT and the Millennium Line makes it attractive for employers. For multiplex buyers, this means a tenant pool of tech workers, students, and young professionals who want walkable living without downtown prices. Land at $1.55M average is competitive with Metrotown, but the growth trajectory is steeper. Brentwood is still adding density and services, which means end-unit values will appreciate as the area fills in.

9 applications filed. Lougheed Town Centre station sits at the junction of the Expo and Millennium SkyTrain lines — one of only two interchange stations in the system. Strong 6-unit zoning potential on larger lots near the station.

The value play. Lougheed has the cheapest SkyTrain-adjacent land in Burnaby at $1.35M average, and arguably the best transit connectivity — two SkyTrain lines converging at one station means your tenants can reach downtown, Burnaby, Surrey, or Coquitlam without a transfer. The neighbourhood is less polished than Brentwood or Metrotown — more strip malls than town centres — but the Cameron Recreation Centre and the library provide community anchors. The planned SFU Gondola from Production Way station would add another transit layer. For buyers focused on economics over aesthetics, Lougheed offers the best price-to-transit ratio in Metro Vancouver.

8 applications filed. Frequent bus service along Hastings Street qualifies most lots for 6-unit density under Bill 44. No direct SkyTrain access — the nearest stations are Production Way-University (Millennium Line) and Gilmore (Millennium Line).

If East Vancouver and a small-town main street had a baby. Burnaby Heights runs along Hastings between Boundary Road and Gamma Avenue, with independent coffee shops, bakeries, a butcher, and a yoga studio. It has a neighbourhood identity that most of Burnaby lacks — people walk here for errands, not just to a SkyTrain station. The streets are tree-lined, the lots are well-kept, and the community is vocal about preserving character. For multiplex buyers, the appeal is lifestyle over pure economics. Land at $1.45M average is mid-range for Burnaby, and the lack of SkyTrain means slightly lower end-unit values. But tenants who want to live here stay — turnover is lower than in transit-oriented areas.