Coquitlam mulls non-market rental building on Brunette after previous project fails to materialize

Coquitlam city council unanimously voted Monday to rezone a vacant Maillardville site for non-market housing – although one councillor was skeptical of the project’s chances.

The rezoning consolidates the city-owned properties at 1013-1025 Brunette Ave. and clears the way for a comprehensive development. But even with Coquitlam providing the land, the shovels won’t hit the ground unless senior levels of government chip in on the cost, said Coun. Brent Asmundson.

“I don’t think any of those proposals can move forward until there’s actual funding to make it happen,” he said.

Council previously supported a six-storey, 166-unit non-market rental building for the site but the project fell through.

While discussing the arrangement in 2022, Catalyst Developments Society representative Robin Petri explained that inflation, climbing interest rates, and uncertainty around government grants resulted in: “a very volatile time.”

The application was withdrawn in 2023, leading to Coquitlam buying the site from Vancity in 2024.

In emphasizing the need for affordable housing on the site, Mayor Richard Stewart emphasized the need for affordable housing while criticizing the province for overhauling the city’s density bonus program.

That program is responsible for most of the below-market and rental housing built in Coquitlam, particularly over the last decade, he said.

“I need this to move forward at a time when the province has pretty much killed market housing.”

The project is set to include ground-floor commercial. However, aside from a reduction in parking requirements, the city’s framework also allows for 40 percent less commercial space to make more room for non-market units.

That reduction was a sticking point for Coun. Trish Mandewo, who discussed the importance of building a complete community with commercial space.

Mandewo also disputed the notion put forward by other councillors that the city could offer an incentive for commercial space while putting out a request for proposals.

“We’re going to tell [developers] what the minimum is, we probably are going to get the minimum,” Mandewo said. “We have missed an opportunity here.”

In the neighbourhood

The city is mulling two applications for six-storey apartment buildings in the area.

Century Group development has also pitched a 1,400-unit development consisting of five highrises ranging from 25 to 31 storeys and one seven-storey non-market project in the area west of Mackin Park.