Vancouver, British Columbia, is the site of a unique housing development that challenges conventional urban planning constraints. On 10 acres of land returned to the Squamish Nation by the Canadian government, a high-density residential project called Senakw is underway, offering more than 6,000 homes across 11 towers. The first residents began moving into the development in late May.

The land, located in the city’s core, had been taken from the Squamish in the early 20th century and was only recently returned as part of a legal settlement. This development represents a significant departure from typical Vancouver land-use policies, which are known for strict zoning laws and community opposition that have limited housing growth. Senakw’s special legal status exempts it from the city’s regulatory framework, allowing the Squamish to build without the usual height and density restrictions.

Vancouver faces one of North America’s most severe housing affordability crises. By some measures, it ranks as less affordable than New York and Los Angeles, with the median price of a home requiring nearly 12 years of median household income to purchase—well above the healthy benchmark of three years. The city estimates it needs 83,000 new homes by 2033 to meet demand. Factors contributing to Vancouver’s housing shortage include geographic constraints such as mountains and ocean borders, a significant stock of single-family homes, and land-use policies that favor low-density development over apartments or towers.

Senakw was designed to counter these trends, creating urban density with towers as tall as 58 stories and minimizing parking spaces to encourage car-light living. The project incorporates environmental innovations, such as heat recovery from sewer mains to achieve carbon neutrality upon completion. The architecture references Squamish culture and the natural surroundings, creating a skyline that contrasts sharply with the adjacent low-density Kits Point neighborhood.

Leadership from within the Squamish Nation, particularly the efforts of Khelsilem, a young elected leader and language revivalist, shaped Senakw’s vision. Rejecting the city’s development norms, the Squamish aimed to build a community that addresses housing scarcity while promoting sustainability and cultural identity. The nation approved the project through a referendum in 2019.

While nearby residents initially opposed the project on grounds of scale and density, legal challenges and complaints were largely unsuccessful due to Senakw’s distinct jurisdiction. Critics, including a former Vancouver city councilor, framed Senakw as a form of retribution for historical displacement, while others viewed the project as inconsistent with traditional Indigenous building styles. However, the development aligns with broader public policy goals by adding market-rate and subsidized rental units—including some reserved for Squamish families—helping to alleviate pressure on the local housing market.

Senakw’s success presents a potential model for addressing urban housing crises elsewhere, demonstrating the capacity to build at scale when development is freed from restrictive municipal controls. Vancouver has shown preliminary signs of reconsidering its zoning policies, including reducing parking requirements and permitting larger buildings in some areas.

Meanwhile, a separate but related initiative on the nearby Jericho Lands—owned jointly by the Squamish and two other First Nations—proposes a mixed-use development with more than 13,000 homes. Unlike Senakw, this project remains subject to Vancouver’s municipal regulations, requiring negotiation and approvals. Observers note this effort may signal the city’s willingness to embrace denser urban growth, but the extent to which Vancouver will alter its entrenched development approach remains unclear.