Ladner, a small Lower Mainland town set within the larger, fast-growing municipality of Delta, B.C., is starting to get a taste of higher density development more common among its neighbours. 

Updates to zoning rules in Ladner and to Delta's Official Community Plan mean the small city of 23,000 people is starting to see larger condo developments proposed and approved, say stakeholders focused on building and selling new homes in the riverside town. 

The concept of multifamily housing has rarely been available in Ladner Village in the past, but now Headwater Projects is pre-selling a six-storey condo and commercial building called Bridge & Elliott. Located at 4909 Elliott St. in the village centre, the project offers 131 condos including one-, two- and three-bedroom homes, set atop 13,600-sq.-ft. of commercial space that’s for sale. 

Designed by MCMP Architects with interiors by Portico Design Group, the building is being pre-sold by rennie. 

Headwater vice-president McGregor Wark told RENX the project represents an inflection point for Ladner, which hasn't seen much multifamily development over the years. 

"The reason . . . is that the planning documents that were in place, and policy that was in place, were restrictive," Wark said. "And, because of the cost of land, it didn't really allow for a developer to come in and build."

He said there have been a couple of small projects in Ladner, but mostly they’ve been townhome-oriented, or three-level condos. 

"The reason that we went ahead with this project was that there was an OCP change in place . . .  that essentially updated the local area plan for Ladner within Delta to allow for increased density on specific sites within the village."

In December 2021, Delta council approved the OCP amendment for Ladner Village, designating the Headwater site as mixed-use to allow residential and commercial uses in buildings up to six storeys. 

Ladner to see significant population growth by 2051

By 2051, Ladner is anticipated to see a population increase of close to 10,400 people as well as an additional 4,100 new homes, according to the new (and broader) Delta OCP, which the city is currently moving toward finalization. An estimated 4,300 people and 2,050 new homes are anticipated within the Ladner Corridor/Town Centre areas. 

Ladner’s population could reach an estimated 34,400 by 2051, with job totals increasing by 3,700 in that same time frame. 

A 100-plus unit building has now become economically viable, Wark said. 

While Delta is a sprawling municipality, it's comprised mostly of farmland and self-contained communities including Ladner, Tsawwassen, and North Delta. Local media has reported plenty of opposition to higher density in the town cores during the OCP process, mostly among those who don’t want the character of their small towns altered.

"They're (Ladner, North Delta and Tsawwassen) all very different, but they've all got a growing population," Wark said, adding they expect to see buyers in Ladner from around the region, including younger people of working age, who might commute to the Vancouver core or work from home routinely. 

"I think it's just it comes down to affordability, and only so many people can afford to live in Vancouver proper, or in communities close to Vancouver," he said.

Homes at Bridge & Elliott start in the high $500,000s. 

Hope is for young people to stay in the community

As a joint initiative with the City of Delta, over 200 Ladner residents attended the exclusive “Delta First” preview event for the Bridge & Elliott project in May.

"This is the first new development that's right in the village community and (it’s) so walkable and just right in the heart of everything," said Joanne Hoekstra, sales lead with rennie. 

"I grew up in Ladner,” she told RENX. “It's nice to see this opportunity for people like my children to be able to buy in the village . . . Because they're not obviously going to be able to afford — coming out of the gate — a single-family home. So, it's just a new opportunity for housing."

The U-shaped Bridge & Elliott building, which features a central courtyard and more than 10,000 square feet of amenity space, will be constructed by OrrMoniz.

The development team is targeting completion in summer 2027. 

Hoekstra said interest so far has been a mix of young adults buying their first home, or families purchasing a home for their children. Her team has also seen interest from local downsizers who want to stay in Delta and enjoy the downtown Ladner lifestyle.