Will existing Tsawwassen Town Centre Mall stores have first opportunity to open retail locations in this development, or will they be pushed out?
How about the small business community? How many units will be available and how competitive will the lease rate be?
What happens to the existing businesses in our core while construction is occurring?
The proposed development includes approximately 70,000 square feet of retail floor space for local retail shops and services along the pedestrian- oriented streets and public plaza. The retail spaces are intended to provide most day-to-day necessities within walking distance, including a relocated RBC bank branch, a relocated Thrifty Foods grocery store, restaurants, and coffee shops.
This retail space will create jobs for local residents by adding economic activity. Existing tenants will be relocated to the new retail units within the proposed development where possible, based on lease negotiations.
What assessments have been conducted regarding noise, pollution, dust, and overall disruption during the construction of this large-scale project?
How will local residents be compensated for enduring 15 or more years of demolition and construction?
How will the City and Century guarantee that the surrounding condo buildings will not have damage to the foundation and more once the building occurs?
With any redevelopment, it is the City’s expectation that the developer constructs in a manner that respects the existing neighbours. The City works closely with the developer during the permitting phase to ensure that the developer has the appropriate construction management plans, highways use permits, storm water management plans, site safety provisions and servicing agreements prior to starting work. Construction site officers employed by the City regularly attend construction sites to ensure compliance with the issued permits, and work closely with Bylaws officers to respond to complaints related to noise, dust, parking, site cleanliness, etc.
A city that is sustainable will see ongoing development that contributes to a vibrant and modern community. Development can create temporary inconveniences for the area and residents are encouraged to be patient as new homes are created.
What is the anticipated value of the new library?
What are anticipated costs that will be borne by Delta/FVRL?
Has the planning department already endorsed the library "amenity" and that is why the proposal is 24 stories rather than 6 stories?
Will the below market pricing apply to all tenants of a unit, or just to the first tenant? That is, will subsequent tenants also benefit from below market pricing?
The developer is responsible for preparing the application, including details of the proposal and any required significant amenity contributions. Staff review the application and provide it to the community to review through the engagement process. The applicant has the opportunity to refine their application based on community feedback before it is presented to Council for a decision.
In this case, the applicant is proposing a library, central plaza, public art, market rental, and below-market rental housing for the community amenity contribution requirement. The library would be delivered in Phase 3 and the plaza in Phase 4, with Delta owning the library and the Fraser Valley Regional Library operating it. Final details of the amenity contribution are subject to Council approval.
The Urban Centre designation generally allows buildings up to six storeys, with potential for up to 24 storeys if a significant community contribution is provided. Rental and non -market housing contributions are expected for buildings 18 storeys or higher. Rental units are secured through zoning, while non-market housing requires a housing agreement. Both must remain in perpetuity. The rental units would be owned by Century Group, which is exploring operators for the below-market units.
What are you doing with the increase in crime?
Have you considered the potential need for mass evacuation should a major disaster occur? A third ingress/egress must be considered with this development and the Southlands.
The City assesses the potential impact of a development on public safety in multiple ways. When an application is first received, it is circulated to the Delta Police Department, along with other agencies, for comment. They will consider possible safety impacts including things like emergency vehicle access, traffic access and egress, first responder radio communications. Staff will review this feedback and consider if any changes are required by the applicant or by the City. This review is currently underway.
The developer is also responsible for taking steps to ensure the safety of their building. Delta's building permitting process mandates the involvement of coordinating registered professionals who are responsible for overseeing that projects meet the current edition of the BC Building Code and the BC Fire Code. It is the role of these professionals to ensure that buildings are designed to be safe and meet all code requirements. Communication systems are required to be provided in taller buildings to facilitate emergency communication. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles are used in site planning, landscape and lighting plans, and building design process to improve natural surveillance by increasing visibility of people, spaces and activities to deter crime.
Has there been a cost study on how much it would cost for taxpayers to build a new firehall compared to upgrading our current firehall to manage 24 stories.
I understand that anything over 8 stories is not safe for fire trucks.
What is the plan?
The Delta Fire Department is one of several agencies that was consulted about projected growth in the city through the creation of the Official Community Plan. They are now developing a new Master Plan for Delta Fire that will provide a road map for the services and infrastructure needed over the next 10 years. This Master Plan will determine the need for staffing, equipment, and firehalls, guiding future decisions as growth in the community is realized.
In addition to providing input into the Official Community Plan, the Delta Fire Department was also provided the Tsawwassen Town Centre Mall Site proposal for comment. Fire officials will consider the infrastructure and service changes required, if any, should the proposal proceed. Any resulting correspondence from this review will be included in the report to Council and will be available to the community.
If new infrastructure and service changes are required as a result of this proposal should it move forward, funding will be provided in part by the developer through the collection of Development Cost Charges as well as through the increased revenues generated by a larger tax base.
Would mid-rise buildings be an option that would be less of an impact and more of a reflection of our community character?
What about mid rise instead … up to 12 stories?
Will the below market pricing apply to all tenants of a unit, or just to the first tenant? That is, will subsequent tenants also benefit from below market pricing?
The developer is responsible for preparing the application, including details of the proposal and any required significant amenity contributions. Staff review the application and provide it to the community to review through the engagement process. The applicant has the opportunity to refine their application based on community feedback before it is presented to Council for a decision.
In this case, the applicant is proposing a library, central plaza, public art, market rental, and below-market rental housing for the community amenity contribution requirement. The library would be delivered in Phase 3 and the plaza in Phase 4, with Delta owning the library and the Fraser Valley Regional Library operating it. Final details of the amenity contribution are subject to Council approval.
The Urban Centre designation generally allows buildings up to six storeys, with potential for up to 24 storeys if a significant community contribution is provided. Rental and non -market housing contributions are expected for buildings 18 storeys or higher. Rental units are secured through zoning, while non-market housing requires a housing agreement. Both must remain in perpetuity. The rental units would be owned by Century Group, which is exploring operators for the below-market units.
If this development is approved, will Council permit similar developments on the other three corners of 12th and 56th?
Has the planning department already endorsed the library "amenity" and that is why the proposal is 24 stories rather than 6 stories?
The proposal is for about 40% of the total numbers of units required to be added for all of Delta. Why are the required units not more equally distributed in Delta?
The City’s 2024 OCP: Housing our Future was adopted by Council in July, 2024. It opened up new opportunities for apartments, townhouses, and small-scale multi unit housing across the City, including up to 24 storeys in Urban Centres like the area around 12 Avenue and 56 Street in Tsawwassen, subject to the provision of a significant community amenity contribution. A report on the OCP engagement program and its findings can be found at delta.ca/housing-our-future.
These changes to the OCP were necessary to help Delta work towards its Housing Target Order and to meet Delta’s obligation under new provincial laws to create enough capacity to accommodate 20 years of housing needs as determined through a housing needs assessment. Most of these housing units are expected to be achieved along the Scott Road Corridor, with other contributions in Ladner and Tsawwassen near key corridors and in central areas. Developments on the scale of what is proposed for Tsawwassen Town Centre are few and far between and are market driven. It is possible the City may receive additional applications for this area which will be reviewed in accordance with required legislation.
The City is currently making minor edits to the OCP as requested by Metro Vancouver, Agricultural Land Commission, and Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. These revisions are minor and affect four pages of the OCP document. These revisions are very minor, but Delta is obligated to consider and incorporate comments from certain external agencies. Delta staff have notified the property owner affected by the designation change and there will be a public hearing, which is required for any changes to the OCP. It was determined no further consultation is necessary due to the minor and specific nature of the revisions. The revisions are unrelated to the development application proposed for the Tsawwassen Town Centre Mall site.
Is the underground parking available to shoppers or only residents of the apartments?
Will the parking offered be paid parking?
Have the proposed parking stall supply rates for the various land uses been used “successfully” in similar recent projects in the Lower Mainland?
The applicant is proposing to provide a total of 1,833 vehicle parking stalls, this includes 400 stalls for commercial use. A majority of the parking would be located underground, however there would be some surface parking along the internal streets. The applicant is not proposing to have any paid parking for this project.
The parking for all uses in the development, except for the library, are anticipated to comply with the City of Delta’s new parking requirements described in the Council Report titled ‘Proposed Parking Regulation Amendments to Streamline Development’. A development variance permit would be required to permit a lower parking rate for the library, and the applicant would need to provide a rationale for the lower parking rate.
Why is there no Public Hearing?
If the majority of Delta residents oppose the height/density of this project, will this have any bearing on Council’s decision?
The majority of Tsawwassenites are against towers - there have been protests, facebook polls, and online petitions as well as letters in the Optimist. Will Delta acknowledge this opposition?
As the application is compliant with the Official Community Plan and a majority of the floor area is for residential use, the City is not allowed to hold a Public Hearing under Section 464 of the Local Government Act. The City is conducting an engagement program to share information and provide residents with an official mechanism to give feedback on this project. This program allows for the City to effectively consolidate input from the community and report it to Council, staff, the applicant and the community in a manner that is not possible with feedback shared outside of the process such as through social media.
Staff will prepare a consolidated report that will be presented to Council and shared publicly along with the complete findings. One of the advantages of this process is that it provides the applicant with the opportunity to refine their proposal to address concerns of the community before it is provided to Council to consider.
The City has also received many questions from residents at the open houses, through email as well as during the online information session held on February 20, 2025. In addition to the existing FAQ, a summary of answers and themes to what we heard will be compiled by staff and posted on the Lets Talk Delta page for the Tsawwassen Town Centre proposal. This will take some time due to the volume of inquiries.
What is it going to take to have the towers decreased in size?
What is the timeline for each phase, what order will they be developed and what is the timeline for completion of entire development?
Is this proposed redevelopment profitable for the developer if NO BUILDINGS EXCEED 6 storeys in height?
The applicant is proposing 1,433 residential units and does not intend to have any age restrictions. The residential units would include 1,146 strata units, 215 market rental units and 72 below-market rental units. A mix of unit sizes is proposed, including 251 studio units, 654 one-bedroom units, 472 two -bedroom units and 56 three-bedroom units.
The applicant is planning to construct the development over 5 phases and anticipates that it would take approximately 15 years to complete. The estimated price points for the residential units are not known at this time as they will be dependent on market conditions and construction costs at the time of building.
Questions have been raised regarding potential changes to the proposal, including reducing the height of the towers or potentially developing the entire site with six-storey buildings. Changing the development to six storeys would result in a larger building footprint, loss of proposed community contribution and less open space. At the conclusion of the public consultation period, the developer will be provided with a summary of the public comments received and will have an opportunity to make revisions to the proposal.
Will there be a central heating/cooling facility for the complex as is done in many European cities to allow for a much greener project?
Where is the playground/park with green spaces? Picnic tables and green grass -not cement.
Apart from the library plaza (about the size of Shoppers Drug Mart) your proposal has little open area and no meaningful public green space. Please explain.
A public plaza is part of the proposed community amenity contribution and must be considered by Council. Should the plaza be approved, details of the plaza would be refined through a Development Permit process (which is delegated to the General Manager, Development).
Through the detailed plaza design process, landscaping, lighting, outdoor furniture placement, and best practices with respect to storm water capture, permeability, and soil volume would be determined. All proposed buildings will be required to meet the BC Building Code which includes a variety of sustainable requirements.
Why is no third exit from Tsawwassen included in the discussion?
What is the plan to deal with the additional traffic during and after the project with only two roads in and out of Tsawwassen?
A vehicle traffic study has been done. How about a pedestrian traffic count, for example, how many pedestrians walk across 12th + 56th in any direction? Peak periods?
The applicant has submitted a Transportation Impact Assessment which has been reviewed and accepted by Delta staff from both the Development and Engineering Departments. The Traffic Impact Assessment can be accessed at letstalk.delta.ca/ttc. This assessment has been completed by a professional engineer who is required to act in the public’s interest and must honestly, fairly and impartially consider the engineering impacts of a project. The assessment notes that at the busiest time (Friday AM Peak hour), the proposed development is expected to generate 270 net new trips as the site is an active commercial site with existing traffic at this time.
This Traffic Impact Assessment also reviews items like pedestrian movements, bicycle movements and parking for both visitors and potential residents of the site. Staff have circulated and connected with TransLink to review how this proposed development may fit into the existing and proposed transit network, and as the development is expected to take 10+ years for full build out, TransLink will continue to monitor and see how enhanced bus service may be implemented in the area, subject to funding. Currently, there are no plans for a third exit out of Tsawwassen.
What data do you have regarding space for all these children moving in in the local schools?
How will public services be impacted by the population increase, and will there be plans to expand them?
How much are Century Group contributing to road improvements, schools, medical facilities, doctor’s salaries, and other facilities that will be required to support the increased population?
Civic Infrastructure – The Developer will be responsible for the costs to expand the applicable infrastructure (e.g. water, sewer and stormwater) to service their site. The City also collects Development Cost Charges from the Developer to fund future City roads, water, sewer, drainage and parks needs offsite that are associated with the growth overall development will create. This link takes you to the Development Cost Charges Bylaw that can provide an approximate amount of Development Cost Charges to be paid to the City.
Regional Infrastructure and Services - The City also collects Development Cost Charges on behalf of Metro Vancouver and TransLink for regional infrastructure and transit services associated with growth. A link to Metro Vancouver and TransLink bylaws/information on their DCC's can be found here (Metrolink) and here (TransLink). Staff continue to work with these agencies to discuss developments such as the Tsawwassen Town Centre Mall Site and support planning for growth.
Provincial Infrastructure – Funding for provincial services such as health care and education are provided through provincial funds. Charges from other taxing authorities such as TransLink, Metro Vancouver, and the provincial school tax are collected by Delta but controlled by each individual agency.
How will public services (such as schools, hospitals, parks, police and fire) be impacted by the population increase, and will there be plans to expand them?
What data do you have regarding space for all these children moving in in the local schools?
Instead of a library what we really need is a medical clinic as finding medical assistance is a very challenging experience.
Staff have received various comments and questions about the option for a healthcare space to be provided within the development, instead of a library. The applicant has noted rather than converting the proposed library to a different use, they would look at creating a potential space for a healthcare clinic to be located. This healthcare use would require a coordinated effort between the applicant and Fraser Health. Staff are supportive of this use on site.
Staff are also working closely with the Delta School District to understand capacity at the schools in the area that could see additional students if the proposed development is approved. The proposed development is within the Cliff Drive Elementary School and South Delta Secondary School catchment areas, both of which have capacity at this time. The proposed development would generate additional students for these schools, but the full impact would not occur at once as the project would be built over five phases. As the full buildout is expected to take 10+ years, this will allow the Delta School District time to plan for the additional students if capacity becomes an issue.