April 2026 on the Shore
Cherry row. photo: Ghislaines Courcelles
We’re hosting a town hall event for potential new candidates to introduce themselves to the community. Come meet them, hear their elevator pitch and meet some current councillors and former electeds as well. There’s bound to be some poli-talk. Beer/wine and other refreshments will be available for $.
District of North Vancouver rejects small-scale multi-unit housing
On April 13, 2026, District of North Vancouver Council passed a motion “to not support the implementation of SSMUH in the District as implied in Bill 25.” That makes the district the first Metro Vancouver municipality to formally vote to defy the provincial small-scale multi-unit housing mandate. This was not a unanimous vote. Councillors Pope, Back and Hanson were not in favour of rejecting small-sale multi-unit housing and voted against. Councillors Mah, Muri, and Forbes, as well as the Mayor, voted in favour of rejecting small-scale multi-unit housing.
The district, however, can’t just reject a provincial law. So here’s what will probably happen:
Housing Minister Christine Boyle will invoke the Local Government Act and impose zoning directly by ministerial order. This will make the decision for the district, and removes the mayor and council from responsibility for implementing what may be an unpopular move in areas where only three units (house, suite and laneway house) can currently be built per lot.
50/50 public hearing on Lynn Valley project
Most public hearings seem like an invitation for council to hear all the negatives. This one was different. We were surprised, and happy to watch a public hearing process that had a 50/50 mix of people who came out to express support and concern. Maybe we’ve reached a tipping point on housing?
The new housing development proposed for Lynn Valley Centre is exactly the kind of project our community needs. It's OCP-compliant, transit-adjacent, mixed-income housing that replaces a strip mall and aging townhomes with 397 new homes. Even better, it offers breakthrough protections for existing Draycott Gardens renters, letting them stay during construction with a first right of refusal at their current rent.
Village all-way stop update
Edgemont village is a special place. We gather there to chat over coffee, shop, go to the library, and take care of other tasks. Almost anyone arriving by any means becomes a pedestrian. And mostly we cross the street in the heart of the village, at Edgemont and Highlands. To help with pedestrian safety, that intersection has had a new 4-way stop for a while now. District council recently discussed this new intersection design.
Staff recommends maintaining the pilot through at least September 2026 with modifications. They’ll remove some flex posts, which people hate because they’re visually distracting and just plain ugly, while keeping key safety features, including shorter pedestrian crossings and the closure of informal right-turn lanes. Long-term design recommendations are expected by the end of 2027.
[Sidebar: It’s the temporary nature of pilots that makes plastic delineators useful. They’re easily moved and cheap. Prior to making any more expensive long-term improvements, they’re not a bad way to test designs.]
Councillor Pope, who originally suggested a raised intersection treatment, re-stated that a raised intersection would improve the crossing for pedestrians. Mayor Little wondered if we could direct traffic away from the center of the village altogether, possibly on Woodbine. He also suggested a potential road diet for Highlands as it entered the village. Woot!
Finally, fast-tracking transit
The R2 will be fast tracked for improvements all the way to Metrotown. Many people who commute to the North Shore for work would ride the R2 if it were more frequent and actually took them all the way from Burnaby direct. Photo: Heather Drugge
Realistically, we can’t build our way out of traffic. Yes, the bridge is oversubscribed. But even if we got started today, a new one might be ready in, say, 2040. Let’s start that process, for sure. But in the meantime, the way to improve congestion using the roadways we have is through transit. Thankfully, the North Shore RapidBus connection to Metrotown has been fast-tracked to a September 2026 launch.
The new service will create a “one-seat ride” from Park Royal in West Vancouver to Burnaby's Metrotown, connecting to the SeaBus, Phibbs and two SkyTrain lines along the way. For anyone who's ever suffered through transfers and wait times trying to get to or across the North Shore, this is exactly the kind of investment we've been calling for. More direct, frequent, and reliable transit means more people can realistically leave the car at home. This is how you reduce congestion — by making transit a practical, competitive choice.
West Van must implement the Ambleside local area plan
Decades of debate. Studies. Stalling. Pushback. The West Van status quo of blocking density near transit and amenities is no longer an option. The provincial government has now ruled that West Van must approve the higher housing density as laid out in the Ambleside local area plan. Wow, that was epic. Now, let’s go!
More stories from betternorthshore.ca
Ambleside cherry hill. photo: Heather Drugge
Community events
Cherry e-bike share. photo: Heather Drugge
Community Climate Connections: A North Shore Climate Action Hub
📅Date: Tuesday, May 6, 2026 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
📍Where: Learning Lab, Lynn Valley Library
Join us to discuss the North Shore Climate Action Hub! What would it look like to build a climate action hub on the North Shore? Drawing from examples in New Westminster and Nanaimo and with reference to the Climate Reality Project, please join us to discuss the possibilities! Community Climate Connections is a series of presentations and conversations about climate and biodiversity solutions hosted by RegenerateBC facilitators Michelle Sheardown and David Hunter. Please join us for a drop-in session, and let’s build a connected community of people taking climate action across the North Shore!
Cherry row #2. Photo: Ghislaine Courcelles
District of North Vancouver Bioblitzes
Bioblitz in Lynn Canyon Park
📅Date: Saturday, April 25, 10 to 11 am
📅Date: Sunday, April 26, from 10 to 11 am
Bring the whole family for a hands-on bioblitz adventure with the Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre. Discover the amazing plants, animals, and fungi of Lynn Canyon Park while testing your nature knowledge using iNaturalist. All ages. By donation, supporting the Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre.
Cherry petal drift. Photo: Duncan Wilcock
Bioblitz in Blueridge
📅Date: Sunday, April 26 from 11 am to 12 pm or 1 pm to 2 pm
Join the District of North Vancouver’s Urban Forestry and Natural Areas team for a guided nature walk as part of the City Nature Challenge. Start on the Baden-Powell Trail and continue along the Berkley Loop while identifying and documenting forest plants, fungi, and animals. All ages. Free.
Where on the Shore?
The first person to send us an email with the location of this sweet cherry grove will receive a Better North Shore T-shirt. (Past winners are ineligible) hello@betternorthshore.ca Photo: Heather Drugge
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If this newsletter and our stories resonate with you and your values, please forward this to a few friends and suggest they join our email list.We're building a group of like-minded people who want to see the North Shore positively embrace and manage the many changes we face. Thanks, we really appreciate it.
