Building Types | Sixplex

Sixplex: The Newly Viable Form

Six small units on a single former-single-family lot was the holy grail of missing middle. It did not exist in BC at scale until the BC Building Code's 2024 single-egress amendment cleared the way.

Key Takeaways

✓Sixplex is mandated within 400 m of a frequent transit stop.
✓The 2024 BC Building Code single-stair provision is what makes the floor plate work.
✓Typical unit size lands between 500 and 600 sq ft on a standard lot.
✓CMHC MLI Select rental financing changes the project economics relative to strata.

The Four Conditions That Must Align

Within 400 m of a frequent transit stop

Bill 44 mandates six units only on lots inside this transit-walking radius. The TransLink Frequent Transit Network map defines qualifying stops in Metro Vancouver.

Lot serviced with water and sewer

Standard urban servicing. Most lots that previously held a single-family home will qualify.

Lot area sufficient for the FSR yield

A 4,000 sq ft lot at Vancouver R1-1 secured-rental FSR (1.0) gives 4,000 sq ft of building. Six units of about 600 sq ft each fits inside that envelope.

Single-stair design path

The 2024 BC Building Code single-egress provision for residential buildings up to six storeys is what makes the floor plate efficient enough for six units. Without it, two stairs eat the gain.

The Floor-Plate Math

Six units on a 4,000 sq ft lot at 1.0 FSR gives 4,000 sq ft of building, divided over three storeys at roughly 1,330 sq ft per floor. A single-stair core consumes about 100 sq ft per floor. That leaves ~1,230 sq ft per floor split between two units — about 615 sq ft each. The two-stair version of the same building drops each unit to ~470 sq ft, below most BC zoning minimum dwelling-unit-area rules.

That is the difference. The single-stair amendment did not add buildable floor area — it changed the share of the floor that goes to circulation versus living.

Where Sixplex Works in BC

Within 400 m of a SkyTrain station — Joyce-Collingwood, Nanaimo, 29th Avenue, Marine Drive — single-family lots are now legally six-unit lots. Inside the same band on B-Line bus corridors (4th Avenue, Hastings, 41st Avenue, King George Boulevard in Surrey), sixplex is similarly permitted. Outside the bands, the count drops to three or four.

For a city-by-city read, see Vancouver, Burnaby, and Surrey. Surrey's lower land basis combined with the 96 B-Line transit allowance has produced the strongest sixplex feasibility numbers in Metro Vancouver.

What Distinguishes Sixplex Construction

A sixplex is a Part 3 building under the BC Building Code. That triggers full sprinkler protection (NFPA 13), pressurized stair shaft, fire-rated assemblies throughout, and accessibility provisions for the principal entry and at least one unit. Mechanical ventilation requirements escalate with unit count. The construction cost premium over a Part 9 fourplex is real and should be modelled in feasibility before site acquisition.

See cost drivers for the categories of construction expense that move with unit count and code path.

Best For

✓ Lots within 400 m of a SkyTrain station or B-Line bus corridor.
✓ Builders pursuing the rental track with CMHC MLI Select financing.
✓ Single-stair-trained design teams that have built the configuration in Europe or the US.

Usually Fails When

✕ Lots outside the frequent transit radius — the unit allowance drops below six.
✕ Builders applying Part 9 single-family construction methods to a Part 3 building.
✕ Projects that miss the single-stair conditions and have to revert to two-stair, eating the floor-plate gain.

What To Verify Before Spending Money

→ Your lot's position relative to the TransLink Frequent Transit Network.
→ BC Building Code 2024 single-stair conditions for your specific design with a registered design professional.
→ CMHC MLI Select eligibility for the rental pro forma.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was sixplex not viable before 2024?+

Two reasons. The 2023 BC Building Code required two egress stairs above three storeys or four units, which consumed 20–25% of every floor plate on a small lot. Parking minima added a second drag on the floor plate. The 2024 single-stair amendment and Bill 47's parking reform together removed both barriers.

What is the unit size in a typical Vancouver sixplex?+

On a 4,000 sq ft lot at 1.0 FSR (the secured-rental track), six units divides 4,000 sq ft into 670 sq ft each, less circulation. After deducting the single-stair core, units land between 500 and 600 sq ft of usable space — a one-bedroom or large studio.

Does sixplex fit on a 33-foot lot?+

Yes, but the floor plate is tight. Most BC sixplexes pencil more easily on lots 40 to 50 feet wide. On 33-foot lots, the configuration is typically two units per floor across three floors with a single stair core at one end.

Is a sixplex a strata building or rental?+

Both are possible. Vancouver's six-unit allowance (R1-1) does not impose a tenure. Vancouver's eight-unit bonus does require secured rental. Outside Vancouver, sixplex tenure is the developer's choice subject to the local bylaw.

What financing applies to a sixplex?+

CMHC MLI Standard and MLI Select cover six-unit rental projects. Strata sixplex financing typically combines a construction loan with individual mortgage take-out at strata registration. The unit count places sixplex above the typical residential mortgage cut-off and inside the small multi-residential category.

Can I build a sixplex outside a TOA or transit area?+

Bill 44 only mandates six units within 400 m of frequent transit. Outside that band, the unit count drops to three or four. Some municipalities allow more, but six units is not legally required outside the transit radius.