Housing & Workspaces

A range of housing choices is key to creating thriving, diverse communities. Southlands provides a mix of cottages, townhomes, apartment-style residences and live-work studios for people at every stage in life.

A mix of housing types and tenure that compliments and supplements the community’s existing housing supply making Tsawwassen more of a complete community by providing place for people to live at all stages of their lives.

That was the main theme of the Southland Community Planning Team’s housing mandate. Housing for everyone.

At the moment the community of Tsawwassen has some big holes in it’s housing options. Large, single-family homes dominate the landscape and, with no allowable suites or carriage houses, Tsawwassen is sorely lacking in options for those who want them.

The Southlands Plan is very sensitive to the needs of several different types of citizens.

Take, for example, the aging couple who’s children have long ago moved out and started raising families of their own. Living in a large home requires a lot of maintenance, a job that some people simply don’t want to do anymore. By allowing for a mix of housing choices that include apartment-style homes, these people are able to stay in their community, near friends and family and have time to enjoy everything Tsawwassen has to offer.

As housing prices in the lower mainland and Tsawwassen continue to climb, younger couples are having to go further and further east to find housing options that fit their budget.

Offering several, affordable, options allows young families who are just starting out to get into the market. Whether in a townhome or a cottage, the options will allow them to gain a foothold in real estate.

Attracting young families to Tsawwassen is paramount to our survival as a vibrant community. With declining enrolment in our schools and an aging population we have to change the way Tsawwassen is configured. It’s the younger generation that will bring the vibrancy and life force to our community.

That younger generation will also have a different way to do things. The notion of a 9-5 work day and a 45 minute commute doesn’t sit well with today’s technologically-savvy youth. They’re looking for ways to work from home and make the most of their leisure time.

To that end the Southlands Plan has several initiatives that will encourage new residents to embrace that lifestyle.

From encouraging work-from-home options with the fully-equipped, up-to-date homes to shared office space designed to help small, home-based businesses flourish, the Southlands Plan has thoroughly thought through the future needs of those who will be attracted to this unique community.

In order to keep pace with the rest of the lower mainland, Tsawwassen is going to grow. We have a unique opportunity to grow it in a smart way by increasing density and housing options that will accommodate the needs of the community.