New tool maps public land with potential for hundreds of thousands of affordable homes in British Columbia

A new research tool is highlighting publicly owned land that may have potential for affordable housing development in B.C., with early analysis revealing more than 50,000 parcels of publicly owned land in B.C. and up to 273,000 potential housing units on vacant and underused land in Metro Vancouver alone. The B.C. Public Lands Map is the first tool of its kind in Canada, combining federal, provincial and municipal data to identify prime parcels of public land—from empty plots to vacant government buildings to surface parking lots—suitable for affordable housing development.