Photo credit: reveryARCHITECTURE

Project Name: Sen̓áḵw

Project Sector: Residential Development

Client: Westbank

Project Description:

Sen̓áḵw is an 11-tower, 6,000-unit residential rental development project located on a 10-acre reserve of the Squamish Nation, in the Kitsilano neighbourhood of Vancouver, just outside the downtown core. It is one of the largest Indigenous-led City-building initiatives in Canadian history, and represents a historic development opportunity that supports the Squamish Nation’s economic independence.

The project is Canada’s first large-scale, net-zero operational carbon housing development, and the landmark Coast Salish architecture and design of the project will be a lasting cultural legacy for the Squamish, the City and Canada. 

Canada (in its role as registered owner of the reserve) has granted a head lease of the lands to a tenant jointly owned by the Nation and Westbank, and each of the residential towers is contained in a volumetric sublease parcel. The project is scheduled to proceed in four phases, the first of which is underway, with construction financing provided by CMHC under its RCFi program.

The project is outside the jurisdiction of the City of Vancouver, but the Nation is working in close collaboration with City officials with respect to construction adjacent to the Burrard Street Bridge (which bisects the reserve) and the provision of services and building code compliance.

BLG Role:

BLG acts for Westbank in its role as a partner and development manager for the project. We have assisted Westbank in relation to its development partnership with the Squamish Nation, and in the negotiation of leasehold, easement, financing, archaeological, planning, servicing, jurisdiction, construction, and regulatory issues related to the project.