UBC plans to double its non-student population — but residents will have no direct say
University must hold public hearing and vote on land-use plan, but board of governors will make final decision
On Wednesday, an information session was held for a proposed new land-use plan at the University of British Columbia, with a formal public hearing set for next week.
If approved, it would allow for the creation of four new neighbourhoods, with the plan to double the space for UBC's non-student permanent population — which currently stands at around 15,000 people — along with the creation of 3,300 additional units for students.
It's a process that has taken many years and consultations. But unlike the rest of British Columbia, the people who will vote on the local land-use plan aren't a mayor or councillors, but a board of governors — the majority of whom are appointed by the province.
"When it comes to land-use planning, our power is zero," said Richard Watson, chair of the University Neighbourhoods Association (UNA), an elected body that oversees operations for much of UBC's non-academic lands.
Watson says the UNA wants more green space in the plan, a more comprehensive climate action plan, and a higher percentage of homes to be below-market rentals.
However, he says UBC hasn't been responsive to the concerns and has little interest in providing a greater say to residents.
"UBC has total control … they tell us that they would actually like to have more rentals, but they haven't put it in their plan" he said.
"It feels like it's all about the money."
'Disconnected from how a municipality would work'
Over the last 40 years, UBC has developed an entire city around its university, using the lands it was given by the provincial government.
UBC retains total ownership of the land through 99-year leases and a development arm wholly owned by the university, which has allowed it full control over the building and management of the community.
But critics contend that UBC's development has prioritized building up its endowment — now valued at $2.8 billion — at the expense of other values.
"They're thinking about the number of people they will put here, but they're not looking at schools. They're not looking at the transportation issues. They're not looking at increasing policing services," said Jen McCutcheon.
McCutcheon is the Metro Vancouver director for Electoral Area A, which predominantly covers an area in the region's north between Howe Sound and Pitt Lake, but also includes the UBC lands, where the vast majority of its residents live.
But after lobbying by UBC 15 years ago, the provincial government removed Metro Vancouver from having any oversight over non-academic lands at the university, meaning McCutcheon has no say over the lands most residents voted on for her to represent.
"They need to have an endowment. It's just that that is completely disconnected from how a municipality would work," said McCutcheon.
"So there's a lot of great guiding principles within [the land-use plan] around climate action, reconciliation, sustainable development. But those are, in my opinion, secondary goals to that primary goal of making sure there's a profit."
Does the status quo work?
UBC declined a request for an interview or statement directly about the UNA's concerns over democratic accountability, only saying "it is the Minister of Municipal Affairs who is responsible for adopting amendments to the Land Use Plan."
But in many ways, the university admits the inherent tension in its plans.
"UBC must grapple with the implications and tensions inherent in a financial model that perpetuates a cycle of growth and development to support its needs," reads a section of UBC's own document about the land-use plan.
Watson would like to see UBC grapple with those implications more than they're presently forced to.
"The status quo doesn't work. The problem is, at present, the options available aren't appealing either," he said.
"We'd like to find a path forward with UBC where there's more power for the residents, like a regular municipal government."
For its part, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs recently concluded a review of the governance of lands between UBC and the City of Vancouver, but told CBC News "the province is not contemplating a review of the UBC lands at this time", and declined further comment.
As for UBC's local MLA?
That would be Premier David Eby — and while he hasn't given a firm public opinion on the matter, he has given his opinion of the new restaurants that recently opened in the area.
After all, he's one of UBC's 15,000 permanent residents.
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