About

Vancouver communities unite
Residents’ associations/groups seek better consultation with the City of Vancouver

The Coalition of Vancouver Neighbourhoods (CVN) includes residents’ associations and groups across the City of Vancouver, from a broad cross-section of the population. CVN is both non-profit and non-partisan.

Originally launched in 2013, over twenty community and residents’ associations, covering almost the entire City of Vancouver comprise the Coalition of Vancouver Neighbourhoods, which seeks a more respectful relationship between the City and communities. The Coalition has been working to create a new development/planning paradigm that will stress community involvement and local influence over land use and zoning decisions.

Virtually every neighbourhood in Vancouver has experienced some frustration and disappointment with “community engagement” in the City’s planning and development processes over the past couple decades.

As individuals and as groups, residents of Vancouver have committed thousands of hours of personal time and energy to provide input into various City Hall policies and decisions, from specific projects to citywide policies and plans.

Some examples include community plans in Norquay, Mount Pleasant, Marpole, Grandview-Woodland, West End, Chinatown, and the Downtown Eastside, specific developments around False Creek, the Pearson lands (South Vancouver), Joyce Precinct, Marine Gateway, and Oakridge, and more recent major initiatives include the Broadway Plan, and Vancouver Plan, as well as the Metro Vancouver Regional Growth Strategy and Translink’s Metro 2050. Despite considerable efforts and input provided in good faith, the results have often been disappointing from the neighbourhood perspective.

We believe that there is wisdom on communities, and municipal governments ignore it to their peril. We hope that City staff and elected officials will recognize that changes are needed in the way they engage with communities and there is  a need to return to the concept of community-based planning that was so successful in building Vancouver.

Groups listed in the Coalition have created and endorsed the CVN Principles and Goals and call upon the City to acknowledge and respect them. CVN supports coalition members, frequently writes to Council on current policies and decisions, and shares timely information on civic affairs that affect neighbourhoods.

The Coalition of Vancouver Neighbourhoods comprises the following groups, which all share a common interest in collaborating with the City of Vancouver for a better future.

Arbutus Ridge Community Association
Cedar Cottage Area Neighbours
Dunbar Residents Association
Fairview/South Granville Action Committee
False Creek Residents Association
Grandview Woodland Area Council
Greater Yaletown Community Association
Kits Point Residents Association
Marpole Residents Coalition
Norquay Residents
NW Point Grey Home Owners Association
Oakridge Langara Area Residents (OLAR)
Residents Association Mount Pleasant
Riley Park/South Cambie Visions
Shaughnessy Heights Property Owners Association
Strathcona Residents Association
Upper Kitsilano Residents Association
West End Neighbours
West Kitsilano Residents Association
West Point Grey Residents Association
West Southlands Residents Association

We encourage residents to join and become involved with their local associations, and we invite all such associations to join us in this Coalition.