Port Moody has had one of the most active planning periods in its history. If you own land, run a development business, or are watching where Metro Vancouver growth is heading next, this edition covers six decisions that should be on your radar.
On February 10, 2026, Port Moody City Council approved PCI Developments' proposal to redevelop a 2.9-acre site at 3006/3010/3020 Spring Street and 60 Williams Street, immediately southeast of Moody Centre SkyTrain Station. The project will deliver two 39-storey rental towers with a total of 865 secured rental homes - 821 market rate and 44 below-market (5%) - along with a two-storey commercial podium.
The podium is anchored by a 41,400 sq ft grocery store on the second level and roughly 15,000 sq ft of ground-floor retail and restaurant space. Total floor area reaches approximately 679,000 sq ft, for an overall FAR of 6.93. Parking is set at 400 underground stalls - substantially reduced from the originally proposed 595 - which was made possible by provincial transit-oriented development legislation that eliminates minimum parking requirements for residential uses within designated Transit-Oriented Areas.
If you are a developer or builder watching Moody Centre, this project signals the scale now being approved immediately adjacent to SkyTrain. The site currently has low-rise commercial and industrial buildings with surface parking. PCI's project redesigned the public realm significantly: it includes a $14.4-million pedestrian bridge over the SkyTrain tracks and Canadian Pacific railway connecting to Rocky Point Park, a 26,000 sq ft public plaza at 60 Williams Street, and the daylighting of Slaughterhouse Creek along the eastern edge of the site. The city will receive $25.1 million in development-related fees. Construction is planned to begin in 2027, with the first tower completing around 2031-2032.
Jay's Take:
This is a major benchmark for Moody Centre. Two 39-storey rental towers beside SkyTrain shows that Port Moody is prepared to support real transit-oriented density. If you own land near Moody Centre Station, this is the scale you should be paying attention to.
On April 14, 2026, council voted 6-1 to approve Anthem Properties' 26-storey mixed-use rental development covering properties at St. Johns, Williams, and Spring Streets - making it the sixth tower to receive approval in the Moody Centre TOD area in recent years.
The project brings 321 market rental units in the tower, plus a two-storey commercial podium with roughly 31,800 sq ft of commercial space and a six-storey building. A public pedestrian connection between St. Johns and Spring Streets is included. As part of the approval, Anthem will provide a $4.8 million density bonus and $653,000 in community amenity contributions.
The project had an earlier delay in January 2026 when council sent it back with direction for design changes - larger three-bedroom units, revised massing, and improved green space. The revised version came back with a 33% tree canopy (well above the 20% city target) and unit sizes that meet BC Housing guidelines for family-friendly housing. If you are putting together a rental project in this corridor, the revised unit sizing standards set here - with councilors explicitly saying they will carry forward - are worth noting for your next application.
Jay's Take:
The key lesson here is that family-friendly unit sizes and green space matter. Even in a high-density TOD area, council still pushed for a better unit mix and better livability. Developers should expect that level of review going forward.
On April 28, 2026, Port Moody adopted its Port Moody 2050 Official Community Plan - the city's updated 25-year planning framework. The new OCP envisions the city's population growing from approximately 38,900 in 2024 to roughly 74,300 by 2050, with about 32,000 dwellings and 13,000 jobs by that horizon.
The plan designates Transit-Oriented Development Areas around Moody Centre and Inlet Centre SkyTrain stations, identifies corridors for small-scale multi-unit housing, and integrates the provincially mandated five- and 20-year housing targets. If you own land near either station, your property sits within a planning framework that now explicitly anticipates higher density and faster permitting. The OCP had been under development for over two years, with a public hearing held on February 3, 2026, before adoption in the spring.
For landowners on the periphery of these TOD areas, the OCP's corridor policies on small-scale multi-unit housing are equally important - they set the stage for the zoning changes and SSMUH updates already adopted by the city (see below).
Jay's Take:
The new OCP makes the city's direction very clear. Growth is being directed around Moody Centre, Inlet Centre, and key corridors. If your property is in one of these areas, the policy direction is now much more supportive of redevelopment.
In April 2025, Port Moody Council adopted amendments to accommodate Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH) in eight Comprehensive Development (CD) zones, extending the reach of the province's Bill 44 requirements that were already applied to standard residential zones.
Under SSMUH rules in Port Moody, every single-family zoned lot - in zones RS1, RS1-S, RS2, RS3, RS5, RS6, RS7, RS8, RS9, and RT - that is identified in the city's SSMUH eligibility map can now house a minimum of three units. If your lot is within 400 metres of a prescribed bus stop, you are eligible for up to six units. The CD zone amendment broadens this to sites that were previously carved out of standard SSMUH eligibility.
If you are a homeowner in Port Moody thinking about adding a rental suite or a small infill project, the city published a SSMUH development guide in July 2025 to walk through the process. If you are a builder targeting infill, the city's CD zone expansion opens up sites that previously required individual rezoning applications.
Jay's Take:
This is useful for small builders and homeowners. Some sites that previously needed rezoning may now have a simpler path to small-scale multi-unit housing. The details still depend on the lot, but the approval path is less complicated.
On March 31, 2026, Port Moody Council took two parallel steps on developer fees that will affect project economics across the city. Council unanimously advanced a new Amenity Cost Charge (ACC) framework to public consultation, while sending a proposed Development Cost Charge (DCC) update back to staff for further review.
The new ACC program - which replaces the previous Community Amenity Contribution (CAC) system under provincial housing legislation - would help fund roughly $280 million in community amenities over 25 years, including a new recreation centre, aquatic facilities, and a library. Approximately $116 million of that is expected to come from development fees, with the remaining $164 million from other sources. ACC bylaws are expected to come forward before summer 2026.
The DCC debate is the one to watch. Staff had proposed a "balanced" option that would have raised high-density residential DCCs by as much as 167% compared to current rates. Council pushed back hard, with several members citing the ongoing slowdown in development applications and concerns that sharp fee increases could make projects financially unviable. The decision on DCC rates was referred back to staff with direction to explore phased approaches and alternative funding structures for parkland acquisition. Port Moody's current DCC rates are among the lowest in the Metro Vancouver region, so an update is coming - the question is how quickly and how steeply.
If you are underwriting a project in Port Moody right now, build in sensitivity for ACC charges coming this summer and DCC uncertainty over the next 12 months. The eventual DCC increase, even if phased, will affect project feasibility on sites where approvals are further out.
Jay's Take:
The ACC framework is something developers can plan around. The bigger concern is the future DCC increase. If you are reviewing a Port Moody site now, do not assume today's fees will still apply by the time you get to construction.
In May 2026, Port Moody's planning community got an unwelcome surprise when provincial funding for the 60-unit women's transition housing facility tied to Beedie Living's three-tower Moody Centre project was deferred. The supportive housing facility - secured through a housing agreement that requires it to be completed before the market towers can be occupied - is now in limbo.
This matters if you are tracking the Beedie project at 3060-3092 Spring Street and 80-85 Electronic Avenue. Beedie received OCP and zoning approval from council in November 2025 for three towers (32, 34, and 38 storeys) with over 1,000 market condos. The housing agreement structure council used here - tying occupancy of market towers to the completion of non-market housing - is an approach other cities are watching. The provincial funding deferral creates a direct risk to that sequencing. Whether the funding gets reinstated, restructured, or replaced with another mechanism will determine whether Beedie's construction timeline stays on track for a 2027 start.
If your project involves a housing agreement with a non-market component, the Beedie situation is a reminder that funding from senior governments is not guaranteed, and the enforceability of occupancy conditions tied to non-market delivery is worth stress-testing in your deal structure.
Jay's Take:
This is a good reminder that non-market housing commitments need secure funding. If market tower occupancy depends on a separate supportive housing component, any funding delay can affect the whole project schedule.
Sources
Daily Hive Urbanized - PCI twin 39-storey rental towers approved at Moody Centre: dailyhive.com/vancouver/60-williams-street-3006-3022-spring-street-port-moody-pci-rental-towers-approved
City of Port Moody - Council Agenda, February 10, 2026 (PCI OCP Amendment and Rezoning): pub-portmoody.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=9324f34c-8393-4911-9c0b-7ccf6886e18d&Agenda=Agenda&lang=English&Item=35&Tab=attachments
Tri-Cities Dispatch - Anthem 26-storey tower approved at Moody Centre (April 2026): tricitiesdispatch.com/moody-centre-anthem-tower-approved/
Engage Port Moody - Port Moody 2050 Official Community Plan: engage.portmoody.ca/portmoody-2050
City of Port Moody - Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH): portmoody.ca/home-and-property/housing/provincial-housing-legislation/small-scale-multi-unit-housing-ssmuh/
UDI - City of Port Moody adding SSMUH to CD zones: udi.org/advocacy/updates/city-of-port-moody-adding-ssmuh-to-cd-zones
Tri-Cities Dispatch - DCCs and ACCs at Moody Centre (March/April 2026): tricitiesdispatch.com/dccs-accs-moody/
Tri-Cities Dispatch - Beedie supportive housing funding deferred (May 2026): tricitiesdispatch.com/funding-deferred-beedie-moody-supportive-housing/
Tri-Cities Dispatch - Beedie three-tower approval (November 2025): tricitiesdispatch.com/beedie-living-towers-approved/
