Some of the most beautiful houses in Vancouver and West Vancouver are also protected ones. Buying a heritage home can be wonderful, but the rules for changing, adding to or replacing it are different from an ordinary house. Here’s how heritage protection works in First Shaughnessy and West Vancouver, and what to check before you buy.
Listed is not the same as designated
- A heritage register is a municipality’s list of places with heritage value. Being listed recognizes a home and can make it eligible for incentives, but it isn’t the strongest form of protection.
- Heritage designation is a bylaw that protects a specific property. Changes generally need the municipality’s approval, and it’s registered against the title.
- A heritage revitalization agreement is a negotiated agreement between the owner and the municipality: the owner commits to conserving the home, and in return the municipality can vary some zoning rules, for example to allow extra floor area or another dwelling on the lot.
- A heritage conservation area protects the character of a whole district rather than one house at a time.
First Shaughnessy
In 2015, Vancouver City Council made First Shaughnessy, roughly between West 16th Avenue and King Edward Avenue and between Arbutus and Oak Streets, the city’s first heritage conservation area. It holds one of the city’s largest collections of homes built before 1940.
- Pre-1940 homes. Pre-1940 homes in the area are protected from demolition. Owners challenged this in court, and the BC Supreme Court upheld the City’s authority in 2016.
- Design guidelines. Changes to existing homes, and new homes where they’re allowed, follow the area’s design guidelines so they fit the neighbourhood’s character.
- Incentives. The conservation plan was designed to make keeping and restoring a character house more attractive than replacing it, for example through added floor area or infill in some cases.
Read more about the neighbourhood in my Shaughnessy guide.
West Vancouver
West Vancouver keeps a Community Heritage Register of 172 heritage resources, from early beach cottages to landmark West Coast Modern houses. A listing doesn’t stop an owner from altering the property, as long as the work follows the usual bylaws and codes. What it does is make the property eligible for incentives through a heritage revitalization agreement, which can include extra floor area, converting a house into a duplex or triplex, zoning variances, subdivision with a new home, a coach house or cottage, and relaxed parking requirements. West Vancouver also has a heritage conservation area of its own, in Lower Caulfeild. Some properties, such as the B.C. Binning Residence in Altamont, are protected as heritage property. The District has also used temporary protection to pause the demolition of significant buildings while their future is considered.
Before you buy a heritage home
- Check the status. Ask the municipality whether the property is listed, designated, covered by an agreement or in a conservation area, and read the title for any registered heritage documents. See Reading a title search.
- Read the agreement. If there’s a heritage revitalization agreement, read it with your lawyer. It binds future owners.
- Plan your changes early. If you’ll want to renovate or add space, talk to the municipality’s heritage planners, and an architect experienced with heritage work, before subject removal.
- Inspect with the right expert. Older homes have older systems: wiring, plumbing, foundations, roofs. Budget for them. See Reading a home inspection.
- Insurance. Some insurers treat older or protected homes differently. Ask early.
Questions people ask
Can I tear down a house that’s only on the register?
Listing alone isn’t the strongest protection, but municipalities have tools to pause a demolition, such as temporary protection, while they consider a significant building’s future. In First Shaughnessy, pre-1940 homes are protected regardless. Ask before you buy if replacing the house is your plan.
Are there financial benefits?
Mostly through zoning: added floor area, extra units or relaxations through a heritage revitalization agreement. Some programs and grants exist from time to time; ask the municipality what is available now.
Does heritage status affect value?
It changes what a buyer can do with the property, so it affects who the buyer is. For someone who loves the house as it is, it can be an advantage.
General information for buyers in Vancouver and West Vancouver, current as of publication. Confirm the heritage status and rules for a specific property with the municipality, and get legal advice on any heritage agreement.