North Archives

What Is That Burning Smell from the Furnace? How to Prevent Unpleasant Odors

ByTimothy Dale June 5, 2025June 5, 2025

As temperatures start to drop, homeowners make the switch to heating to ensure the home remains comfortable. However, the warm air can often be accompanied by a burning smell that quickly permeates your space. However, there are ways to prevent this odor in the first place and other methods for handling unfamiliar odors, like a musty or electrical burning smell. Use this guide to discover how to prevent the furnace smell when you turn it on for the season, other mysterious furnace smells you might encounter, and when to call a professional. Why Does the Furnace Smell When You First Turn it On? In most cases, when a furnace smells after being turned on for the first time in the season, there’s no need to worry. The smell of burning dust should fade quickly. But, if the smell persists or you notice a different smell from the furnace, it could be due to a serious issue with the HVAC system. Consider these common reasons why the furnace may smell when you first turn it on. Burning dust smells are relatively common when first turning on the furnace for the season. This is typically due to a buildup of dust on the burners, heat exchanger, air ducts, and other heating unit components. Generally, this odor will fade quickly as the thin layer of dust is burned away. Musty odors coming from the furnace usually indicate that there is mold or mildew trapped inside the HVAC system. It may be in the heating unit, the ductwork, the furnace filter, or even the humidifier pad. Electrical burning smells are not normal and should be addressed as soon as possible. Sometimes the smell is due to a foreign object stuck in the ductwork or vents of the HVAC system, but on other occasions, this smell may be due to burned or frayed wiring, or can also be a result of the furnace overheating. Rotten egg scents produced by the furnace are a sign of a gas leak. Since natural gas is odorless, the gas companies add a sulfur-based chemical to give off the distinct odor of rotten eggs as a way of warning homeowners that there is gas in the vicinity. Gas is flammable, putting the home at risk of a fire or an explosion, and it’s also harmful if inhaled, so you should vacate the home immediately. Smoke smells can occur if the exhaust vent is blocked, forcing the combustion exhaust from the furnace to escape into the home. This smell may also be a result of flammable material inside the ductwork, near heating vents, or too close to the furnace. Animal odors are often due to pets. Pet hair and dander are taken into the ducts through the cold air return, where they will remain in the ducts. Every time the furnace turns on, it recirculates pet hair and smells, until you have your ducts professionally cleaned. It’s also not unheard of for a pest to enter the ductwork of the home, where droppings and hair will produce a foul odor when the furnace is turned on. Oil smells can indicate that the filter on the furnace is clogged. This is typically due to a problem with the filter, which can be easily resolved by an experienced DIYer or a professional HVAC tech. Sewage stenches are powerful and off-putting, but can also help identify when there is a problem with the home sewage system. If the furnace starts to smell like sewage when it is first turned on then there may be a broken wastewater line or an open sewer line nearby that will need to be located and repaired. Chemical smells from the furnace should not be ignored. This could indicate that the heat exchanger is broken or not operating properly, which may lead to the release of odorless, invisible carbon monoxide gas; a known risk of gas-based heating systems. How to Prevent the Furnace Smell When You Turn It On Burning Dust Smell While the burning dust smell that comes from the furnace when it is first turned on is relatively harmless, that doesn’t mean you need to just deal with it each year. Instead, you can have the furnace and evaporator coil cleaned by a professional before the cold season begins. DIYers with enough experience and confidence can clean the evaporator coil in a furnace on their own by turning off the furnace, removing the access panel, then gently cleaning the coil with a soft cloth or brush, while being careful to avoid damaging the fins. Wipe down the condensate pan and the surrounding areas, then replace the panel and turn the furnace back on. You should also take this opportunity to replace the air filter, where dust might be trapped from the previous season. If the burning dust smell persists, then it’s recommended to turn off the furnace and contact an HVAC professional to inspect and repair the HVAC system. Musty Odors Musty odors are typically produced by mold and mildew. In some cases, the mold or mildew is attached to dust or other debris, so it burns off relatively quickly, but if the musty odor doesn’t go away, then you should start by replacing or cleaning the air filters. Similarly, you can replace or wash the humidifier pad using a solution of water and vinegar to kill any mold or mildew. However, if the musty odor still

How to Seal Windows and Reduce Energy Bills

ByKamron Sanders June 5, 2025June 5, 2025

Poorly sealed windows allow heat to enter your home during the summer and cool drafts during the winter. As a result, your HVAC unit works overtime to maintain your desired temperature, leading to high energy bills. Here, we explain how to seal windows with various materials and methods including caulk, weather stripping, plastic shrink-wrap, and draft stoppers. While replacing your windows with new energy-efficient ones is the most effective way to stop the draft and lower your utility bill, it’s not always an option. Luckily, there are several ways to seal your existing windows to help prevent air transfer between the interior and exterior. Caulk Around the Windows Caulking around windows is sometimes all it takes to reduce their draftiness. It’s also one of the most cost-effective ways to seal a window, as caulk is relatively inexpensive. Caulk is ideal for filling small cracks around various window components. It can create a watertight and airtight seal that remains flexible for years after application. This flexibility ensures the caulk’s seal won’t crack due to natural expansion and contraction. If your window has gaps larger than 1/2 inch, caulk may not work well. If these gaps are deep, expanding foam insulation designed for window and door use may be necessary to fill the cavity. Once the foam is fully expanded, you can trim it flush using a sharp knife and cover it using a wood trim piece or a bead of caulk, whichever is more appropriate for your window. Install Weather Stripping Weather stripping is useful for sealing around the moving components of a window, such as beneath a moving sash. Whereas caulk will seal the joint, weather stripping allows you to open and close the window, sealing the gap tightly once the window is closed. Most foam weather stripping has one sticky side so it can be adhered to the fixed portion of the window without sticking to the moving one. To promote a strong bond between the foam weather stripping and the window sash, remove dust or debris, thoroughly clean the window with a degreaser, and dry the surface. Seal with Plastic Shrink-Wrap To create a temporary airtight seal around your window, look for plastic shrink-wrap window insulating kits, which include double-stick tape and sheets of plastic shrink-wrap. To seal a window using plastic shrink-wrap, follow these steps: Clean the window. Apply strips of double-stick tape on all four sides of the window frame. Cut the plastic sheeting slightly larger than the window pane. Place it on the pane, pressing it against the double-stick tape to secure it. Use a hairdryer or a heat gun on low to shrink the plastic, starting on the perimeter and moving across the shrink-wrap until it’s perfectly taut. Clean up the excess plastic using a utility knife. If you’re planning to shrink-wrap all of your windows, leave at least one window in each room uncovered for a potential fire escape. Insert Draft Stoppers Store-bought draft stoppers can be great for stopping drafts with minimal effort and without altering the window. There are various styles of draft stoppers tailored for different types of windows and doors. Many draft stoppers include two tubes that can be cut to the window’s width and then slid inside a piece of fabric. The fabric is then slid beneath the window sash. Once the window is closed, the two tubes are tightly held on each side of the window. While this style of draft stopper can be effective for windows, they are often used on doors. A more effective style of a window draft stopper is designed to stick along the bottom edge of the window sash. Once the sash is closed, the overhanging rubber material compresses against the window frame to prevent airflow. The most effortless style of draft stopper that can be used to reduce a window draft looks like a long pillow. You simply lay it at the bottom of the window to block the draft. How to Identify a Drafty Window If the source of your window draft isn’t obvious (such as a visible crack), it can be hard to pinpoint where the issue lies. Here are some useful ways to identify a window draft. Turn off any fans and other air movers. You may have difficulty identifying your draft because air is moving from sources like fans, dehumidifiers, HVAC systems, and more. Light a candle and place it next to the window. Blow the candle out and watch the smoke. The candle smoke will blow if it’s positioned near the draft. This method may take a few tries and it can be helpful to trace the window’s border with the candle. Some lightweight curtains will move when blown by a window draft. Drafty windows are prone to condensation buildup. If you have just one window with condensation on it, there’s a good chance it’s the source of the draft.

Decoration | North

How to declutter your home: comprehensive, room-by-room tips

ByVirginia Clark June 5, 2025June 5, 2025

Clearing out your house can be an exhausting process: so many decisions to make, so much stuff to move around, and so much research into the best ways to donate or recycle your unwanted things. Tackling one room at a time is logical and helps to make things manageable, and there are few rooms that will take more than one day to clear and reorganise. Some people take to decluttering like a duck to water, but others need a little more guidance. As a general rule, we find that if you can’t remember the last time you used something, or if it takes a while to dive down and find that memory, it’s time to get rid of the item in question. We’ve broken it down room by room, so you can follow along with the process, and find tips on the easiest and most convenient ways to get rid of things (if you live in the UK, at any rate). Some general principles Take everything out of the drawer/cupboard/wardrobe before you start sorting and group it. You need to see all your shirts/tins of food/chargers in one place before you make decisions. When you put it back, keep the groups! If all of the same kinds of thing are together, it makes it much easier to keep track of what you have. If you can’t remember the last time you used an item (assuming it’s something functional), or retrieving the memory takes some effort, it’s time to get rid of it. If it’s expired (for food or bathroom products), if it’s been in the freezer for longer than three months (some might say six months), or it hasn’t fit you in the last year, get rid of it. Create seasonal storage, so that winter duvets, woolly jumpers and puffer coats are out of sight when you don’t need them. Underbed boxes are perfect for this. If you have a large house and lots of different places where things could be, it can be helpful to make a map or diagram of where everything is, and keep it somewhere easily accessible. Have a plan for what you’re going to do with unwanted items. It is overwhelming to pull everything out of your cupboards and have no idea what to do with them. Don’t throw things away unless you absolutely have to. Most things can be recycled, and there are more and more facilities to do so easily. As you begin with any given room, set up a box for things to throw away (keep it to a minimum), things to recycle, things to donate, and things to sell. This will make it easier to take action once the room is in order. Setting up a halfway house box in your house can also be helpful for ambiguous items. If you’re hesitating about donating something or putting it in the rubbish, relegate it to the box for a week or two, and then go through the box and see if your feelings have changed. Many retailers have started offering facilities to recycle old electrical items and textiles, or even buy back old furniture, and some offer vouchers in return. IKEA’s scheme to buy back assembled pieces of furniture is particularly worth knowing about, since old IKEA furniture can be hard to shift in other ways, and they will give you in-store credit for new pieces. John Lewis has promised to have similar schemes in place in every category by 2025, and currently recycle small tech appliances. Listing something for free on Gumtree is very often the quickest way to get rid of something. If you’re tempted to list an item for a small sum, but you want to prioritise getting it out of the house quickly, think about giving it away instead. People become remarkably unfussy when something is free, and they’ll come and collect it without a peep. For whole house clear-outs that involve multiple kinds of item (furniture, clothes, books, etc), booking a collection with the British Heart Foundation (which is great for furniture) or icollectclothes.com (which takes clothes, books, toys and small homewares) is a hassle-free way to go. How to dispose of different types of clutter If the thought of lugging old books and DVDs down to the charity shop is a dispiriting one, Ziffit (run by second-hand book moguls World of Books) is an excellent option for disposing of them, and you can regain a few pennies at the same time. Scan the ISBN or barcode with the camera on your phone, and the Ziffit app tells you how much they’re willing to pay you for it (usually somewhere between 50p and £5). You can then package them up, and organise a collection: minimal effort and a tiny bit of money back, hurrah! Electrical and electronic items Small electrical items like hairdryers/DVD players can be a pain to recycle. Looking at your local council website is a sensible place to start, as they will have the location of big recycling centres as well as any nearby WEEE (Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment) bins. These are usually located on major roads or in car parks, and take small devices that plug in. Some retailers also offer WEEE recycling: Currys is one of the best, and will take pretty much anything and give you a small voucher in return. Find out more here. You can also take small

14-Storey Condo Building Pitched for Oak & King Edward

Bydavid.taylor@colliers.com June 5, 2025June 5, 2025

Westbank has submitted a rezoning application for the Esso Station at the Southwest corner of Oak Street and West King Edward Street in Vancouver. The 11,328 SF site at 1010 West King Edward is currently zoned C-2, which allows up to 6-storeys for rental, or 4-storeys for condo. The Cambie Corridor Plan allows up to 6-storeys for condo and 3.0 FSR. The proposal is to allow for a 14-storey condo building that includes: 85 condo units; 34 one-bedrooms, 36 two-bedrooms & 15 three-bedrooms; 800 SF of retail space on the ground floor; a total density of 8.0 FSR; A building height of 143 ft. 106 underground parking stalls. This application is being considered under the Cambie Corridor Plan. The architect for the project is Olson Kundig, who also designed Wesgroup’s condo project “W16” at West 16th and Cambie Street. The full rezoning application can be viewed here: https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/1010-w-king-edward

West Vancouver Finalizes Ambleside Centre Local Area Plan

Bydavid.taylor@colliers.com June 5, 2025June 5, 2025

The District of West Vancouver has given first reading to a final draft of the Ambleside Centre Local Area Plan (LAP). The Ambleside LAP has been in the works since early 2022, and has gone through multiple rounds of public engagement and refinement by planning staff. The affected area is generally along Marine Drive from 13th to 18th Streets. Here are the recommended land use policies: Zoning updates to allow 3-4 storeys on most lots in the LAP, including on small lots Five sites designated ‘Waterfront’ along Bellevue West of 15th allowing taller forms through rezoning Four sites along parts of Clyde and Duchess allowing taller forms through rezoning The LAP will go for public hearing in June and if approved, would form part of the OCP shortly thereafter. A presentation on the Ambleside LAP can be viewed here: https://westvancouver.ca/media/6103

Latest Broadway Plan Tower Application is for 127 Units at East 14th & Prince Edward

Bydavid.taylor@colliers.com June 5, 2025June 5, 2025

The latest Broadway Plan rezoning application is for an 18-storey tower at 360 East 14th Avenue in the Mount Pleasant area of East Vancouver. The site is located just West of Mount Saint Joseph Hospital. The plan for the site includes: 137 units with 20% of the floor area for below-market rental units; a total density of 6.50 FSR; A building height of 186 ft. This application is being considered under the Broadway Plan . The architect for the project is Stuart Howard. The full application can be viewed here: https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/360-e-14-ave Comments are closed.

Infill Condo Tower Proposed for West Vancouver Apartment Property

Bydavid.taylor@colliers.com June 5, 2025June 5, 2025

Wall Financial has submitted a preliminary development proposal for a property they own, known as ‘Peter Wall Ambleside’ at 1552 Esquimalt Avenue in the Ambleside area of West Vancouver. The proposal is the latest iteration of several proposals to densify the 1.90 acre site over the years, beginning as far back as 2016. Previous plans included new rental infill but the most recent version was placed on hold pending the outcome of the Ambleside Local Area Plan. The existing 20-storey apartment building was constructed in 1969 and contains 185 rental units. It is located on the east portion of the site. The new application envisions a 19-storey condo building (secured as rental units for the first 6 years). Details include: 139 condo units (secured as rental for a 6-year term) 68 one bedrooms 68 two-bedrooms 3 townhouse units a total density of 3.0 FSR across the entire site. The architects for the project are JOG Architecture and Chris Doray.

New Developments | North | Real Estate | rental

Two rental housing towers up to 29 storeys, featuring a grocery store, approved for Robson Street

ByKenneth Chan June 5, 2025June 5, 2025

The 1500 block of Robson Street in downtown Vancouver’s West End neighbourhood will see a substantial uplift through a new mixed-use rental housing project with substantial commercial retail uses. The City of Vancouver’s Development Permit Board recently approved GWL Realty Advisors’ (GWLRA) application to redevelop 1525-1555 Robson St. — nearly the entirely city block at the northeast corner of the intersection of Robson and Cardero streets. Building Permit Applications were subsequently submitted in May 2025 to demolish the 1949-built, two-storey commercial building on the west side (1525 Robson St.) of the development site — formerly home to Jang Mo Jib Restaurant. The development site also includes the 1965-built, six-storey office and retail building mid-block, on the east side (1555 Robson St.) of the site. Designed by architectural firm Arcadis, there will be two high-rise towers reaching 324 ft. with 28 storeys and 318 ft. with 29 storeys, generating 393 secured purpose-built market rental homes — including 100 studio units, 179 one-bedroom units, 101 two-bedroom units, and 13 three-bedroom units. The two-storey base podium would be dedicated to commercial uses totalling about 41,000 sq. ft. including a 24,400 sq. ft. grocery store — largely located on the second level, with entrance located at the intersection corner — and about 16,600 sq. ft. of smaller commercial retail/restaurant units, which would activate the building’s ground level with Robson Street. Site of 1525-1555 Robson St., Vancouver. (Google Maps) Site of 1525-1555 Robson St., Vancouver. (Arcadis/GWL Realty Advisors) October 2024 artistic rendering of 1525-1555 Robson St., Vancouver. (Arcadis/GWL Realty Advisors) During the Development Permit Board meeting, Matt Shillito, the City of Vancouver’s director of special projects, called this project “much needed” for its significant infusion of rental housing, and highlighted the new major retail uses “along a stretch of Robson that’s looking pretty tired.” “I think it achieves a lot on a relatively tight site. In terms of the architectural approach, I think it’s very thoughtful. I like the nice kind of compact tower floor plates. I like the way the podium has been kept low profile, nice clean lines, and it manages the slope very efficiently, very effectively,” said Shillito. “I like the way the podium has been kept low profile, nice clean lines, and it manages the slope very efficiently, very effectively. With the CRUs at the ground level and then the grocery store above, it’s all neatly housed.” Lon LaClaire, general manager of engineering services for the City of Vancouver, added, “These services are going to be welcome in the area, and I think that the new building is going to be a really great addition to the area.” But Shillito, while also acknowledging that this is a subjective matter, suggested that the development team should consider the possibility of providing the facade design with a lighter tone, as opposed to the current concept using “very dark” materials, which creates a look that is “a little heavier than it otherwise could be.” The development permit application was the project’s first and primary approval, as a rezoning application was not necessary, given that the project aligns with existing policies for the site. October 2024 artistic rendering of 1525-1555 Robson St., Vancouver. (Arcadis/GWL Realty Advisors) October 2024 artistic rendering of 1525-1555 Robson St., Vancouver. (Arcadis/GWL Realty Advisors) October 2024 artistic rendering of 1525-1555 Robson St., Vancouver. (Arcadis/GWL Realty Advisors) Most of the discussion over this application during the meeting focused on the dedicated freight/truck loading space required for the commercial uses, particularly the grocery store. The panel ultimately agreed that the larger and more intensive requirement of Class C loading — creating designated loading space for a large semi-trailer — would not only be unnecessary for a mid-size grocery store, but also challenging given the tight urban environment. Furthermore, similarly-sized grocery stores integrated into high-density, mixed-use developments in and around downtown Vancouver only have Class B loading spaces, which accommodate smaller single-unit trucks and other medium-sized vehicles. For this reason, the panel agreed to only require a small increase in Class B loading capacity. With the existing Safeway and Whole Foods Market situated on the city blocks just to the west, this would be the third grocery store in Lower Robson. Four underground levels would contain over 250 vehicle parking stalls, including 198 stalls for rental housing residents, 20 stalls for residential visitors, and 33 stalls for commercial uses. This is in addition to over 600 secured bike parking spaces. The total building floor area is pegged at about 324,000 sq. ft., establishing a floor area ratio density of a floor area that is 9.6 times larger than the size of the 33,600 sq. ft. development site. This project falls under the City’s West End Community Plan. 2024 preliminary conceptual artistic rendering of the redevelopment with two towers at the combined site of 1525-1555 Robson St., Vancouver. (GWL Realty Advisors) October 2024 artistic rendering of 1525-1555 Robson St., Vancouver. (Arcadis/GWL Realty Advisors) October 2024 artistic rendering of 1525-1555 Robson St., Vancouver. (Arcadis/GWL Realty Advisors) GWLRA is the real estate investment subsidiary of the Great-West Life Assurance Company, which is one of Canada’s largest private insurance firms. In March 2024, GWLRA acquired the 16,400 sq. ft. site of 1555 Robson Street from VivaGrand Developments in a deal worth $58 million, according to records. This purchase enabled GWLRA to form a land assembly with its September 2022 acquisition of the similarly sized adjacent site at 1525 Robson St.

NDP on TMX pipeline: We didn’t want it. They built it. So let’s use its full potential

ByVaughn Palmer June 5, 2025June 5, 2025

Article content Eby and Sharma exaggerate the degree to which the TMX is “underused … with capacity to spare” after one year of operation. Article content The Canadian Energy Regulator reports that the line has operated at about 80 per cent of its 890,000 barrel-per-day capacity since coming online in May 2024. Moreover, the performance improved in the first quarter of this year. Article content “The pipeline ran at about 85 per cent capacity during the three-month period ending in March,” Chris Varcoe reported in the Calgary Herald this week. The Globe and Mail’s Emma Garney further reported that the line “hit a high of 90 per cent” in March. Article content The demand is such that Trans Mountain has already begun test work to boost capacity by up to 10 per cent by the end of 2026. A longer-term project would add pumping stations to boost it to 1.14 million barrels a day, later in the decade. Article content So much for the B.C. NDP notion that the $34 billion pipeline is languishing through insufficient use. Article content Article content But rather than consult the country’s energy regulator or the national newspapers, perhaps Eby and Sharma were taking their lead from Steven Guilbeault. Article content Guilbeault served as environment minister in the Justin Trudeau Liberal government, where he flourished as a fan of carbon taxation and an opponent of fossil fuel expansion. Article content Carney reassigned him to the Canadian Heritage Department at about the same time as the PM reduced the carbon tax to zero and began talking up the need to expand resource production. Article content It didn’t stop the new heritage minister from wandering outside his lane last month to announce that Canada has no need of more pipelines because TMX was operating at “40 per cent capacity” and the world was approaching “peak oil production.” Article content In the first instance, Guilbeault clearly didn’t know what he was talking about and in the second, there’s much room to debate about when peak oil will be reached. Article content Article content Still, there is a capacity issue regarding the TMX terminal in Burnaby, though not one that involves the pipeline. Article content The terminal is already busy with tankers, having loaded some 741 in the first quarter of the year at a rate that fell just short of one a day in March. But tankers are unable to load fully because of the risk of grounding in Burrard Inlet. Article content The New Democrats have recognized the limitation and come out in support of a federal proposal to dredge Burrard Inlet to a depth that full tankers can traverse. Article content Leading the call is Energy Minister Adrian Dix. As NDP leader, Dix’s snap decision to oppose TMX in the midst of the 2013 election campaign contributed to his loss to Christy Clark. Article content Now that the line is running, Dix supports maximizing its use. “We built it. We paid for it. We should use it,” he says, taking a realistic view of a project that cost him much. Article content Article content Article content

7 factors to carefully consider for the Granville Strip’s revitalization

Bymichael June 5, 2025June 5, 2025

There is no question that the City of Vancouver’s long-term master plan to revitalize the Granville Entertainment District has the potential to be a transformative game changer for downtown. This week, with the possibility of some amendments, Vancouver City Council will approve the Granville Street Plan — a comprehensive framework that sets the stage for high-density, mixed-use developments that largely complement entertainment-focused uses, alongside significant upgrades to public spaces along Granville Street between West Georgia and Drake streets. The plan also calls for major traffic changes: Granville Street would be fully closed to all vehicles, including TransLink buses, to create a vibrant, car-free, pedestrian-only corridor designed to support events and street-level activity. But let us be clear — while improved public spaces are important, they are not enough and could be a distraction from the core issues. The Granville Strip’s decline has not stemmed from a lack of wide sidewalks, seating, and other fixtures. It is largely an economic problem rooted in years of disinvestment, high commercial vacancy rates, and a failure to adapt to changing patterns of nightlife, retail, experiential attractions, and entertainment — all of which are compounded by a range of public safety concerns, both real and perceived. When examining the economic roots of the Granville Entertainment District’s decline, much of it can be traced back to the decline and closure of its once-thriving cinemas. While the street’s downturn has been a gradual process over several decades, it was the loss of these major anchors that truly tipped the scales, triggering a steady erosion of foot traffic and economic vitality on the Granville Strip. Until the early 2000s, large multi-screen theatre complexes like the six-auditorium Capitol 6 and the seven-auditorium Empire Granville 7 were major draws for the Granville Strip, bringing a steady flow of people of all ages throughout the day and into the evening. Combined, just these two cinemas, not including others nearby, had a combined seating capacity for approximately 5,000 theatre-goers — each with a capacity of around 2,500 — anchoring Granville Street as a vibrant entertainment destination. But over time, the older multiplex theatres in the Granville Entertainment District struggled to compete with the rise of modern stadium-style cinema complexes elsewhere in the city centre and Metro Vancouver. This trend led to the closure of Capitol 6 in 2005 to make way for the Capitol Residences tower, completed in 2011. Around the same time, the new Scotiabank Theatre (originally named as Paramount Theatre) opened just a few blocks away on Burrard Street, drawing foot traffic away from the entertainment district. It is worth noting that the massive Capitol 6 complex was not actually located on the Granville Strip itself. While its entrance was on Granville Street, all of its auditoriums were located on an adjacent large building spanning nearly half a block on Seymour Street, connected by an enclosed pedestrian bridge over the laneway. The Orpheum Theatre, previously used as a cinema before its current use for live performances, follows a similar configuration — its auditorium of heritage significance is situated on Seymour Street, while its iconic Granville Street entrance is linked by a footbridge as well. As for Empire Granville 7, its auditoriums were contained within an almost half block parcel of Granville Street. It gradually faded into irrelevance and ultimately became the Granville Strip’s last theatre, until its closure in 2012. The site remained dormant for years until late 2024, when Cineplex’s The Rec Room finally reached completion and opened, marking a long-awaited return of entertainment programming to the large property on the Granville Strip. Time-lapse video of the demolition of Capitol 6 Theatre in 2006/2007: Empire Granville 7 theatre at the Granville Entertainment District before its closure. (Google Maps) Will this actually catalyze new development worthy of the entertainment district? All of this leads to the first major question: Will the new development allowances outlined in the Granville Street Plan actually motivate property owners and developers to move forward with truly ambitious building projects worthy of the entertainment district? If the Granville Street Plan is to be successful, the revitalization must begin with creating major anchors — a critical mass of destination attractions, modern performance venues, vibrant nightlife establishments, and experiential retail. These are the kind of uses that once made the Granville Strip a cultural and entertainment powerhouse. As downtown Vancouver continues to densify and most surface vehicle parking lots and easily developable sites off Granville Street have already been built out, the solution now lies in embracing significant verticality for the entertainment district’s evolution — a shift made possible by the new plan, which replaces outdated policies that previously restricted the economic viability of new contemporary developments with enhanced commercial and entertainment uses. Moreover, verticality is a practical necessity due to downtown Vancouver’s relatively tight urban fabric. The city’s already small blocks are further constrained by laneways that bisect most blocks, making development parcels even narrower and more challenging to develop. These physical limitations can restrict the scale and types of projects that can be built — unless greater height is permitted. The Rec Room Granville at 850 Granville St. (Kenneth Chan) The Rec Room Granville at 850 Granville St. (Kenneth Chan) For example, permitted added building height could have theoretically given Cineplex the flexibility to consider building a larger Empire Granville 7 redevelopment — one that not only accommodates Western Canada’s flagship The Rec Room, but also includes