Public Safety Site Redevelopment Plan

Updated: October 26, 2026
UBC campus Public Safety Site showing the Public Safety Building, surrounding space and Hampton Neighbourhood building in the background
UBC is planning to redevelop the five-acre Public Safety Site on the Vancouver campus as part of implementation of Campus Vision 2050 and in response to ongoing community interest in more on-campus housing and expanded essential services.

On this page:

About the project

The proposed redevelopment would include:

  • Modern facilities for the RCMP and Vancouver Fire Rescue Services that use space more efficiently to expand capacity to accommodate future service needs
  • New neighbourhood housing, both within a new Public Safety Building and in separate buildings across the five-acre site
  • Child care and commercial uses
  • Green and open space
  • Infrastructure needed to support the area, including transportation

The Public Safety Site is located on Wesbrook Mall across from the Thunderbird Park sports fields. It is part of the future Acadia Neighbourhood.

Aerial map showing the project location on Wesbrook Mall between Fraternity village and Hampton Place.
Public Safety Site location map

Learn more about the process and the background of the project below.

Through this planning and engagement process, UBC will create a plan to guide the redevelopment of the site. The plan will focus specifically on the Public Safety Site; a broader Acadia Neighbourhood Plan will be developed through a separate future planning process in the later stages of Campus Vision 2050 implementation.

What is a redevelopment plan?
The final Public Safety Site Redevelopment Plan will guide the development of the site. It will set the uses; amount of development; building heights; and layout of building parcels, open spaces, and infrastructure, such as transportation and rainwater infrastructure. The plan will conform with Land Use Plan policies for the amount of development and building heights for the broader Acadia Neighbourhood, and requirements for a Neighbourhood Plan prior to implementing new neighbourhood development.

Next steps
The first phase of engagement invites feedback on key elements of the plan. UBC will use this input and further technical analysis to prepare a draft plan for public review in January 2027. Following review of the draft, the plan will be finalized and considered for approval by the UBC Board of Governors in March 2027.

Following approval, individual buildings would proceed through UBC’s development approval process, which includes further opportunities for public input.
 

The Public Safety Site, which is approximately five acres, is located on Wesbrook Mall across from the Thunderbird Park sports fields. It is part of the future Acadia Neighbourhood.

Public Safety Building

Within the Public Safety Site is the Public Safety Building, which has accommodated police and fire service operations since the building opened in 1982. The University RCMP Detachment and Vancouver Fire Rescue Services serve the UBC Vancouver campus and its neighbourhoods, as well as the University Endowment Lands and Pacific Spirit Regional Park.

Why UBC is redeveloping the Public Safety Site

The redevelopment plan represents a key implementation action arising from Campus Vision 2050 to support the growth of emergency services and provide additional housing.

The existing Public Safety Building is aging and its outdated and inefficient layout limits how effectively the available space can be used. For the RCMP, this is a barrier to accommodating additional officers as the campus and neighbouring communities grow.

Integrating neighbourhood housing meets a significant need and also creates opportunities to access low-cost government housing loans, helping make the replacement of the Public Safety Building financially feasible.

“Exterior of Vancouver Fire Rescue Services Fire Hall No. 10 at UBC
Vancouver Fire Rescue Services Fire Hall No. 10 responds to fires, medical emergencies, vehicle incidents, hazardous-materials incidents and other emergencies.
The University RCMP Detachment enforces the law, investigates criminal offences and responds to emergencies and other incidents. It works closely with UBC Community Safety.” Suggested alt text: “Exterior of the University RCMP Detachment at UBC
The University RCMP Detachment enforces the law, investigates criminal offences and responds to emergencies and other incidents. It works closely with UBC Community Safety.

 

This process builds upon extensive community feedback generated through Campus Vision 2050 and other recent processes, including significant interest in additional campus housing, expanded essential services, walkable and livable neighbourhoods, and human-scale design.
The plan will be guided by the principles, big ideas and strategies outlined in Campus Vision 2050 and implement aspects of a range of other plans and policies, including the Land Use Plan, Neighbourhood Climate Action Plan and Housing Action Plan.

Conceptual layouts for the Public Safety Site

Campus Vision 2050 anticipated the redevelopment of the Public Safety Site, including a mixed-use building for police and fire services and housing. Two conceptual layouts developed through that process are being used as the starting point for this plan (the Public Safety Site is highlighted in red below).

Illustrative campus plan showing existing and future buildings, with the Public Safety Site outlined in red
Conceptual layout approach for Acadia neighborhood from Campus Vision 2050 showing the public safety site.

 

These diagrams from Campus Vision 2050 are for illustrative purposes only. Future design and layout of buildings, streets and open spaces are subject to more detailed planning

Project Timeline

Fall 2026
Key Elements
Fall 2026

Key Elements

Technical work and community engagement on key elements of the plan. Community engagement will run from October 27 to November 15, 2026. 

Winter 2027
Draft Plan
Winter 2027

Draft Plan

UBC will consider input and technical analysis to prepare a draft plan for public review and input in January 2027.

Spring 2027
Finalize Plan
Spring 2027

Finalize Plan

Finalization of the plan and consideration for approval by UBC Board of Governors.
 

Fall 2026 engagement

This process builds on extensive and cumulative input from the UBC community through the development of Campus Vision 2050 and the Land Use Plan, and other recently developed plans and policies, such as the Neighbourhood Climate Action Plan and the updated Wesbrook Place Neighbourhood Plan.

The first phase of engagement invites feedback on key elements of the plan.

Share your feedback

UBC is seeking community feedback on key elements of the plan from October 27 to November 15, 2026. Upcoming events and engagement opportunities:

Survey
Provide your input through the online survey

Open House
November 7, drop in anytime between 2:30pm - 5:00pm (no registration needed) 
Wesbrook Community Centre (Lounge Area) 

Online Info Session
November 12, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Register online

The proposed site lay out and key elements below are established starting points for the planning process. Community feedback will be considered alongside technical, operational and financial requirements in the refinement of the key elements and the development of a draft plan.

*Note that the graphics shown are conceptual and subject to more detailed planning and design and the photos are of examples and are not proposed designs. 

The plan will establish the layout of the Public Safety Site, including building parcels and green and open space, such as greenways, as well as streets, paths and rainwater management features.

The redeveloped Public Safety Site will include modernized police and fire facilities that accommodate future service needs, along with new neighbourhood homes. The redeveloped site will also include space to accommodate a 37-space child care centre, commercial and office uses.

Proposed arrangement of buildings, streets, green space and pathways between Wesbrook Mall and Osoyoos Crescent, beside Hampton Place.
Public Safety Site draft plan diagram
Conceptual three-dimensional view of the proposed Public Safety Site buildings and their relationship to the surrounding neighbourhood.
Public Safety Site draft 3D diagram

All graphics shown are conceptual and subject to more detailed planning and design.

 

How the site is organized

Diagram showing how the site is organized
The existing Public Safety Building will remain operational throughout construction.
+ 
Diagram showing how the site is organized
The new Public Safety Building is located along the site’s south edge for efficient access to Wesbrook Mall.
+ 
Diagram showing how the site is organized
A new street network ensures safe pedestrian and cyclist movement through the site.
+ 
Diagram showing how the site is organized
Taller buildings of 20–26 storeys are located to maximize space between new and existing towers, with retention of the high-value tree stand.
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Diagram showing how the site is organized
A new Public Safety Building is situated in a compact, walkable neighbourhood.

The redeveloped Public Safety Site will include a new Public Safety Building, enabling new facilities for modern police and fire operations to serve the growing area, including the Vancouver campus. Decisions about staffing and service levels are made separately by the RCMP, Vancouver Fire Rescue Services and relevant government partners.

Mixed use Public Safety Building

The new Public Safety Building is proposed to be a mixed-use building of 22–26 storeys. The first two storeys would provide dedicated floor space for police and fire services, accessed from a new street connecting Wesbrook Mall to Osoyoos Crescent. The remaining 20–24 storeys would enable housing units, with a residential lobby and landscaped area facing Wesbrook Mall.

Combining housing with public safety facilities is an established approach. Vancouver’s Fire Hall No. 5 in Champlain Heights includes four storeys of housing above the fire hall. Victoria Fire Hall No. 1 in Victoria is a 12-storey mixed-use building that features nine storeys of housing on its upper floors.

Including neighbourhood homes also makes the project eligible for low-cost government housing loans, helping make the new police and fire facilities possible on campus.

Residential tower above Victoria Fire Hall No. 1
Victoria Fire Hall No. 1 showing residential. 
Housing above Vancouver Fire Hall No. 5
Vancouver Fire Hall No. 5 showing residential

The images above are examples and not proposed designs. 

Siting rationale

Various locations for the new Public Safety Building were explored. The proposed south location was identified as the only viable option that provides efficient access to Wesbrook Mall and ensures continued police and fire operations in the existing building during construction.

The proposed location also considers impacts on the adjacent St. James House in Hampton Place—which was originally designed to limit direct views onto the Public Safety Site—including ensuring adequate separation between the two buildings. More detailed building design will explore architectural treatments and landscaping to help further reduce impacts on neighbours.

Potential locations for new facilities around the existing operational Public Safety Building, with the proposed south location identified.
Potential locations of new police and fire facilities with minimum construction area needed.
Proposed building arrangement beside St. James House, showing heights, residential views and potential parking access.
Proposed building siting, heights and views from existing building.

 

 

Housing continues to be one of the biggest issues facing the university community. Redeveloping the Public Safety Site with neighbourhood housing offers an opportunity to continue addressing this need. Including neighbourhood homes also makes the project eligible for low-cost government housing loans, helping make the new police and fire facilities possible.

Like other campus neighbourhoods, the Public Safety Site redevelopment will not redirect any funding that currently supports UBC’s academic mission.

Housing

The proposed redevelopment will include new neighbourhood homes for about 1,200 people. The plan will support UBC’s campus-wide Housing Action Plan targets, including up to 40 per cent of new neighbourhood development as rental, comprising up to 25 per cent as below-market faculty/staff rental and up to 15 per cent as market rental for those who work or study on campus. The plan will not define housing tenure, but the area will likely be predominantly rental housing.

Conceptual three-dimensional view highlighting towers and mid-rise housing on the site.
Draft 3D plan highlighting housing.

Built form

New neighbourhood homes would be delivered in six buildings, situated in the site to minimize tree loss, ensure uninterrupted police and fire operations, create a green and welcoming public realm and provide safe and comfortable access for pedestrians and cyclists. Proposed buildings range in height from 6 to up to 26 storeys. Buildings in nearby Hampton Place range in height from 3 to 20 storeys.

Buildings would feature active street-fronts with lobbies, amenity spaces and residential front doors, and would be designed to feel comfortable and relatable to people at the ground level.

All residential buildings will meet UBC’s Residential Environmental Assessment Program (REAP) requirements.

Proposed locations of the mixed-use tower, residential tower and mid-rise housing buildings.
Housing and built form plan diagram.

Proposed building types

  • One mixed-use tower of 22–26 storeys, with the first two storeys dedicated to police and fire operations
  • One residential tower of 20–24 storeys
  • Mid-rise buildings of about six storeys

The images below are examples and not proposed designs. 

Example of a residential tower
Tower
Example of mixed-use tower
Mid-rise building with ground-access units
example of mid-rise building
Mid-rise buildings 

 

Green space

The redeveloped Public Safety Site would include a greenway with a tree-lined multiuse path for walking, rolling, and micromobility, landscaped areas and green rainwater infrastructure, such as rain gardens. Buildings would feature courtyards, providing spaces for people to gather and relax.

Proposed building locations and orientations prioritize the protection of high-value trees as much as possible, which have been identified in a tree survey. Some trees would need to be removed, but they would be replaced in keeping with UBC’s tree replacement requirements and tree canopy coverage target.

Child care

As the campus community grows, UBC is committed to expanding child care capacity to keep pace with population increases, ensuring that families who live, study, and work at UBC have access to the services they need. The Public Safety Site would include space to accommodate a 37-space child care centre. Two potential locations are identified for the child care centre, to be confirmed through implementation.

Commercial space

The development would include about 5,000 sq. ft. of floor space for commercial and office uses.

Proposed greenway, courtyards, tree preservation area, potential commercial space and two possible locations for one child care centre.

Green space, child care and commercial space plan diagram (click to enlarge)


Examples
 

Pedestrian pathway bordered by planting.
Pathway with green space
Mature trees retained within a landscaped area.
Preserved tree area
Planted rain garden beside a street.
Rain garden

 

Tree-lined multiuse path through a greenway.
Greenway with multiuse path
Outdoor play space beside a child care facility.
Child care outdoor space
Commercial storefronts at the base of a residential building.
Ground floor commercial space

The images above are examples and not proposed designs. 

The proposed redevelopment of the Public Safety Site and improvements along Wesbrook Mall prioritize walking, rolling, cycling and transit in the area (click on the image below to see the corresponding numbers):

  1. New street to accommodate police, fire and residential needs and connect to Osoyoos Crescent with a one-way segment east of the service lane to limit impacts on the broader Acadia area.
  2. Multiuse path for walking, rolling and slow cycling, connecting Wesbrook Mall to Osoyoos Crescent.
  3. New signal for pedestrians and cyclists to safely cross Wesbrook Mall on their route to and from the site and destinations beyond, like Norma Rose Point Elementary and Acadia child care centres.
  4. New, separated bike lanes and dedicated bus lanes on both sides of Wesbrook Mall as part of completion the Wesbrook Mall Upgrade Project.
  5. Prioritized curbside use for pick-up and drop-off activities.

Parking will be accommodated underground, with consolidated access points to support pedestrian and cyclist safety.

Walking and cycling connections between the Public Safety Site, surrounding neighbourhoods, the elementary school and child care centres.
Active transportation network for walking, rolling, cycling and micromobility (click to enlarge)

 

Street sections

Cross-section through the proposed fire hall and new street, showing the courtyard, green buffer, multiuse path, green or flex area, vehicle lanes, sidewalk and apron.
Section 1 through fire hall and new street, looking east (click to enlarge)
Cross-section through the proposed one-way street, showing a green buffer, multiuse path, green or flex area, vehicle lane, sidewalk and another green buffer.
Section 2 through one-way street, looking east (click to enlarge)

All graphics shown are conceptual and subject to more detailed planning and design.
 

Resources and materials

Fall 2026 Public Engagement Display Boards (.PDF)

  • The redevelopment plan represents a key implementation action arising from Campus Vision 2050 to support the growth of emergency services and provide additional housing.
  • The existing Public Safety Building is aging and its outdated and inefficient layout limits how effectively the available space can be used. For the RCMP, this is a barrier to accommodating additional officers as the campus and neighbouring communities grow.
  • Integrating neighbourhood housing meets a significant need and also creates opportunities to access low-cost government housing loans, helping make the replacement of the Public Safety Building financially feasible.
  • The final Public Safety Site Redevelopment Plan will guide the development of the site. It will set the uses; amount of development; building heights; and layout of building parcels, open spaces, and infrastructure, such as transportation and rainwater infrastructure.
  • The plan will conform with Land Use Plan policies for the amount of development and building heights for the broader Acadia Neighbourhood, and requirements for a Neighbourhood Plan prior to implementing new neighbourhood development.

The proposed redevelopment includes:

  • Modern facilities for the RCMP and Vancouver Fire Rescue Services that use space more efficiently to expand capacity to accommodate future service needs
  • New neighbourhood housing, both within a new Public Safety Building and in separate buildings across the five-acre site
  • Child care and commercial uses
  • Green and open space
  • Infrastructure needed to support the area, including transportation
  • Housing continues to be one of the biggest issues facing the university community. Redeveloping the Public Safety Site with neighbourhood housing offers an opportunity to continue addressing this need. 
  • Including neighbourhood homes also makes the project eligible for low-cost government housing loans, helping make the new police and fire facilities possible.
  • Combining housing with public safety facilities is an established approach. Vancouver’s Fire Hall No. 5 in Champlain Heights includes four storeys of affordable housing above the fire hall. The Victoria Fire Department’s new headquarters is also a mixed-use fire hall that combines affordable housing and fire department operations. UBC’s new police and fire facilities will be designed to meet their operational requirements and serve the growing campus community.
  • The new Public Safety Building would be purpose-designed for modern police and fire operations. A more efficient layout would allow the available space to function better and create the capacity needed to support future service growth.
  • UBC’s Vancouver campus is not located in an incorporated municipality, unlike UBC Okanagan in Kelowna, or Simon Fraser University in Burnaby. As a result, a range of provincial, regional and local providers deliver campus services.
  • The University RCMP Detachment provides policing for UBC Vancouver and its neighbourhoods, the University Endowment Lands and Pacific Spirit Regional Park under the Provincial Police Service Agreement between Canada and BC.
  • RCMP staffing and service levels are determined through a process initiated and led by the RCMP and the Province. Local detachments consult with partners to identify policing priorities and resource needs, which inform discussions between the RCMP and the Province about staffing, budgets, infrastructure and equipment. 
  • UBC’s role in this planning process is to provide the facilities that support police operations and can accommodate future service needs as the community grows.
  • Police and fire services will be maintained throughout the planning and construction process.
  • The new Public Safety Building will be built before the old one is decommissioned.
  • The redeveloped site will include space designed to accommodate a 37-space child care centre, commercial and office uses.
  • The eventual opening and operation of these spaces will depend on securing future operators, funding and tenants, as well as completing the necessary approvals.
  • Neighbouring Acadia Park, Hampton Place and Fraternity Village are outside the planning boundary and are not proposed for redevelopment through this process.
  • No changes to existing child care centres in Acadia Park are proposed as part of the Public Safety Site Redevelopment Plan.
  • The planning process will consider potential effects on nearby communities, including shadowing, transportation, parking, access, servicing, construction and the public realm.
  • Nearby residents will also have further opportunities to provide input as individual buildings advance through UBC’s development approval process.
  • The Public Safety Site is part of the broader Acadia Neighbourhood.
  • Planning for the broader Acadia Neighbourhood will take place through a separate future planning and engagement process (i.e., 10-15 years from now).
  • The current process is focused only on the Public Safety Site.
  • The new Public Safety Building would be the first to be built and is expected to take about three years, including design, approvals and construction, subject to agreements with the provincial government.
  • The existing Public Safety Building would be retained until the new one is complete, ensuring uninterrupted police and fire operations.
  • The remaining buildings are expected to be built over the following 10 years.
  • Like other campus neighbourhoods, the Public Safety Site Redevelopment will not redirect any funding that currently supports UBC’s academic mission.
  • UBC Properties Trust, which will lead the redevelopment, will borrow money for infrastructure and new buildings, as they do with development elsewhere on campus.
  • By including housing in the new Public Safety Building, UBC Properties Trust is able to access low-cost financing.
  • Revenue from tenants, including the police and fire services, will be used to pay back the loans.
  • The small size of the Public Safety Site, the technical requirements of police and fire operations, and financial considerations limit flexibility. Site layout is restricted, in part, by the need to ensure uninterrupted police and fire operations throughout construction while avoiding a costly temporary facility. 
  • Campus Vision 2050 anticipated the redevelopment of the Public Safety Site, including a mixed-use building for police and fire services and housing. Two conceptual layouts developed through that process are being used as the starting point for this plan.
  • Community feedback on the key elements, which were shared with the community on Oct. 27, 2026, will be considered alongside technical, operational and financial requirements in the development of the plan. Potential interests around shadowing, traffic, noise, etc. will be addressed through the process.
  • This process builds on extensive and cumulative input from the UBC community through the development of Campus Vision 2050 and the Land Use Plan, and other recently developed plans and policies, such as the Neighbourhood Climate Action Plan and the updated Wesbrook Place Neighbourhood Plan.
  • Community input has shaped UBC’s approach to neighbourhood planning in significant ways, including driving the development of more on-campus housing, supporting campus ecology and biodiversity (e.g., protecting and/or replacing trees), and enabling essential services to keep pace with the growth of the campus. 
  • Musqueam representatives and UBC continue to work together to:
  • Better understand and incorporate Musqueam needs, interests, cultural knowledge and practices into planning the campus
  • Strengthen Musqueam presence and welcome by working together to make visible, honour and celebrate the longstanding relationship with the land
  • Manage potential impacts of growth on local services, ecology and culturally important areas, such as Pacific Spirit Regional Park 
  • The first phase of engagement invites feedback on key elements of the plan. UBC will use this input and technical analysis to prepare a draft plan for public review in January 2027.
  • Following review of the draft, the plan will be finalized and considered for approval by the UBC Board of Governors. If approved, individual buildings will proceed through UBC’s development approval process, which includes further opportunities for public input.

Contact Us


Project Lead
Lia Gudaitis
Senior Planner, Major Plans
UBC Campus + Community Planning
lia.gudaitis@ubc.ca
Engagement Lead
Madeleine Zammar
Manager, Engagement
UBC Campus + Community Planning
madeleine.zammar@ubc.ca