City-by-City | Burnaby
Burnaby: SSMUH With a Height Cut
Burnaby met the Bill 44 deadline with a R1-SSMUH overlay in mid-2024. In October 2025, Council reduced the SSMUH height limit from approximately 11 metres to approximately 9 metres in response to neighbourhood input. The change kept the unit count but tightened what fits in the envelope.
Key Takeaways
- ✓R1-SSMUH overlay applied to R1, R4, R5 zones in 2024.
- ✓Up to 4 units base, 6 within 400 m of frequent transit.
- ✓Height cut from approximately 11 m to 9 m in October 2025.
- ✓SkyTrain Millennium and Expo Line corridors create six-unit zones.
Where Burnaby Multiplex Works
Brentwood / Lougheed corridor
SkyTrain Millennium Line proximity, six-unit allowance on most lots within 400 m of stations. Larger lots typical, denser SSMUH outcomes.
Metrotown periphery
Around the highest-density node in BC. R1-SSMUH lots near the station carry six-unit allowance; the inner core sits in higher-density apartment zones outside the SSMUH band.
Burnaby Heights
Standard wider Burnaby lots, R1-SSMUH zoning, frequent transit on Hastings. Good fourplex math, sixplex viable inside the transit band.
East Burnaby / Edmonds
Lower land basis, SkyTrain Millennium Line adjacency, mix of older single-family stock. Strong fourplex feasibility on standard lots.
South Slope / Big Bend
Larger lots, lower transit frequency, mostly four-unit cap. Townhouse-row layouts work well on wider lots.
The October 2025 Height Cut, In Context
Burnaby Council fielded steady opposition to three-storey SSMUH buildings on standard 50-foot Burnaby lots through 2024 and early 2025. The October 2025 amendment dropped the SSMUH height limit to approximately 9 metres. The cut keeps three-storey configurations possible on flat lots but compresses ceiling heights and complicates basement-level units. On sloped lots, the practical effect is a shift toward two-and-a-half storeys above grade.
The change is documented in Council minutes and the City\'s Provincial Housing Legislation Changes page.
SkyTrain Adjacency and the Six-Unit Map
Burnaby has more SkyTrain stations than any other suburb of Vancouver. Brentwood, Holdom, Sperling, Lake City, Production Way, Lougheed, Edmonds, Royal Oak, Metrotown, Patterson — each carries a 400 m frequent-transit halo where the six-unit Bill 44 allowance applies. Inside those halos, single-stair sixplex feasibility tracks closer to Surrey than to Vancouver because Burnaby land basis is moderate.
Outside the halos, four units is the cap. See our sixplex page for the floor-plate math and our feasibility page for the lot screen.
Best For
- ✓ Lots within 400 m of a SkyTrain Millennium or Expo Line station.
- ✓ Standard 50-foot Burnaby Heights or East Burnaby lots.
- ✓ Builders comfortable with the 9-metre post-2025 height envelope.
Usually Fails When
- ✕ Three-storey designs that depended on the pre-2025 11 m envelope.
- ✕ Lots outside the transit halo where four units cap the unit count.
- ✕ Properties with the older Burnaby tenant assistance triggers from existing rental units on site.
What To Verify Before Spending Money
- → The current Burnaby SSMUH height cap — confirm with the planning department after October 2025.
- → Frequent transit proximity using the TransLink network map.
- → Whether any existing tenants on site trigger the Tenant Assistance Policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What changed in Burnaby in October 2025?
Did the height cut affect unit counts?
What is R1-SSMUH?
How does Burnaby permit timing compare to Vancouver?
Is the six-unit allowance available everywhere?
What about Burnaby's rental zoning?
Official Sources Referenced
Screen Your Lot for Missing Middle
Enter any BC address to see what Bill 44 SSMUH unit count, lot coverage, and FSR your parcel actually qualifies for.