Overview

In November 2025, BC Housing notified nearby residents of a proposed supportive housing and Complex Care Housing (CCH) development at 5389 Imperial Street in Burnaby.

Following the announcement, many residents raised concerns about the proposed location, scale, and potential impacts on the surrounding neighbourhood.

Residents expressed a desire for more information, meaningful consultation, and an opportunity to provide input before decisions were finalized.

Burnaby Neighbourhood Works Society (BNW), formerly known as Burnaby Neighbourhood Watch Society, supported residents in organizing, sharing information, and advocating for their community’s concerns.

The initiative grew into a significant resident-led effort involving thousands of community members who called for greater transparency, meaningful public consultation, and consideration of alternative solutions.

©BNW

Community Engagement

Following the project announcement, BNW helped establish a community communication network that quickly grew to thousands of members.

The platform allowed residents to:

• share information

• discuss concerns

• access project updates

• coordinate community engagement efforts

Throughout the project, BNW worked with residents to:

✅ Share publicly available project information, planning documents, and updates.

✅ Organize community meetings and multilingual information-sharing sessions.

✅ Research the proposed development, housing models, and relevant policies.

✅ Collect and summarize resident feedback and concerns.

✅ Advocate for a formal public consultation process.

✅ Engage with elected officials, government representatives, and community stakeholders to communicate residents’ perspectives.

Following requests from residents and community members, BNW engaged with local elected officials to advocate for a public consultation process.

The Mayor subsequently communicated the community’s request for consultation to BC Housing.

©BNW

©BNW

©BNW

Community Impact

The 5389 Imperial Street Community Engagement Project brought together thousands of residents and community members who shared concerns about the proposed development and wanted a greater voice in decisions affecting their neighbourhood.

©BNW

©BNW

13,000+ Signatures

The initiative generated significant community involvement, including a petition with more than 13,000 signatures from residents and community supporters opposing the proposed development and calling for greater consideration of community concerns.

Beyond this specific project, the initiative demonstrated the ability of residents to organize, collaborate, research issues, and participate in civic discussions.

It highlighted the importance of transparency, meaningful consultation, and community involvement in neighbourhood planning decisions.

©BNW

Statement

BNW’s position relates specifically to the proposed 5389 Imperial Street project and its location, scale, and community impact. BNW recognizes the importance of addressing housing and healthcare needs within our communities.