Land Use Plan

Overview

The Land Use Plan is a provincially-approved document that enables implementation of the long-term vision for growth and change of the physical campus: Campus Vision 2050.

Vision: In 2050, the campus is a unique combination of world class teaching, learning, and research and thriving campus neighbourhoods—a resilient, climate-neutral, urban campus that embraces accessibility, inclusivity, and meaningful reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, while celebrating and honouring its unique history and the land and ecosystem that support it. 

Download the UBC Land Use Plan

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Key Components of the Land Use Plan

Land Uses and Boundaries

• Three main land uses:
  • Academic (teaching, research, and other, including student housing),
  • Green Academic (open areas that support land-based teaching, research, etc), and
  • Neighbourhoods (providing a range of rental and long-term lease housing, amenities and services).

Housing Choice and Affordability

• Supporting UBC’s Housing Action Plan commitments to increase housing choice and affordability, including market and below-market rental targets, and preserving land capacity for student housing expansion.

Amenities

The amount and types of amenities to support population growth, including community spaces, health services, schools, daycares, commercial centres, partnership space and more.

Open Space

Amount, features and access to open spaces such as public green spaces, greenways, green edges, courtyards, parks, forested and natural areas, and community gardens to enhance Musqueam presence, support health and wellbeing and help create resilient natural systems. 

Biodiversity and Ecology

Commitments to identify, enhance and manage campus ecology and biodiversity including tree canopy coverage, green infrastructure and nature-based solutions for rainwater management, climate adaptation and mitigation, and enhancing species diversity and soil conditions.

Mobility and Accessibility

Improving transportation to, from and around campus including integrating future SkyTrain, measures to promote use of active and sustainable modes of transportation, and development of a more equitable and accessible transportation system.

Climate and Resilience

Supporting climate action and resilience including: operational greenhouse gas emission reductions and working toward targets in existing plans such as, the updated Rainwater Management Plan, the Green Building Action Plan and the Water Action Plan. 

Infrastructure and Servicing

Infrastructure (streets, energy, water, rainwater runoff, sewers, waste, etc.) commitments include fiscally responsible management of existing and proposed infrastructure, ensuring infrastructure is safe, secure and sustainable, and prioritizing infrastructure investments and resources in areas of growth.

Updates to the Land Use Plan

A major amendment to UBC’s Land Use Plan (LUP) was adopted by the Province in July 2024. The amendments to the Land Use Plan were determined through the Campus Vision 2050 public engagement and planning process. This is the first major update to the Plan since 2011, bringing it into alignment with Metro Vancouver’s 2050 Regional Growth Strategy and Translink’s Transport 2050. 

UBC’s amended Land Use Plan commits to a review every five years to respond to evolving community needs, conditions and opportunities. UBC engages the community in a Land Use Plan amendment process when changes are required.

UBC’s Board of Governors approves detailed policies to carry out the Land Use Plan’s vision. On academic lands, the Vancouver Campus Plan policies guide development. These policies include more student housing, improving outdoor spaces, and using the campus as a living laboratory.

In campus neighbourhoods, UBC’s Board of Governors approves Neighbourhood Plans to guide residential development. These Plans include specific policies for features like park space, recreation, transportation and building height.