ADVOCACY

Between 2016 and 2021, Metro Vancouver emerged as Canada’s fastest-growing urban area, adding 179,000 new residents—a 7.3% population increase. This rapid growth, projected to continue, has significantly strained the housing market. In response, local governments have implemented policies promoting higher-density developments, such as duplexes, townhouses, and apartment buildings.

From 2017 to 2021, 85% of new housing construction in Metro Vancouver consisted of multi-family homes. To accommodate these projects, approximately 2,800 single-family homes are demolished each year in Metro Vancouver, with an additional 1,000 homes demolished annually on Vancouver Island. This practice is both environmentally harmful and economically wasteful.

Our research indicates that 20%—roughly 760 homes—of the 2,800 single-family homes slated for demolition annually in coastal BC are in good to excellent condition, making them ideal candidates for relocation and repurposing.

These homes include charming character houses built over 80 years ago, well-maintained bungalows and ranch-style homes from the 1950s and 1960s, and even modern homes constructed within the past decade. These structures still hold value and potential, yet they’re being needlessly wasted.

Repurposing just one 2,000 SQFT home prevents up to 65,000 kilograms (65 metric tons) of CO2 emissions, showcasing the profound environmental impact of saving homes from demolition.

The Economic Waste of Demolition
Demolishing single-family homes is an expensive and wasteful process that often destroys valuable assets. Many of these homes, in good to excellent condition, could be repurposed or relocated for a fraction of the cost of new construction. Instead, demolition sends millions of dollars in reusable materials—along with irreplaceable craftsmanship and character—straight to landfills each year. This practice represents a missed opportunity to create affordable housing solutions while preserving economic value and reducing environmental harm.

The Environmental Cost of Demolition
Metro Vancouver is among the top regions globally for building demolitions per capita, with construction waste making up about 40% of local landfill content. Demolishing a typical 2,000 SQFT home generates approximately 100,600 kilograms (100.6 metric tons) of waste, contributing to rising landfill use and embodied carbon emissions.

The environmental impact extends beyond waste. According to the International Energy Agency, new construction accounts for nearly one-third of global energy consumption. For a medium-sized single-family home, the combined carbon emissions from production, construction, and demolition stages amount to approximately 65,000 kilograms of CO2.

Relocating homes instead of demolishing them offers a more sustainable alternative, preserving 70–80% of a home’s life cycle emissions by avoiding producing the embodied carbon associated with new materials and construction.

Embodied carbon refers to the greenhouse gas emissions generated during the entire lifecycle of building materials, including extraction, manufacturing, transportation, construction, and eventual disposal. In the construction cycle, significant sources of wasteful embodied carbon include the production of cement and steel, the frequent demolition of reusable structures, and the disposal of materials into landfills rather than repurposing them. These emissions contribute heavily to climate change, making the reduction of embodied carbon through material reuse, recycling, and sustainable construction practices a critical priority for the building industry.

By repurposing high-value, move-in-ready homes, we save resources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and give homes a second life.

Supporting Affordable Housing Supply and Increased Density
As Metro Vancouver and Greater Victoria densify to address the housing supply shortage, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) projects that 5.8 million new homes will be needed by 2030 to solve the housing affordability crisis. Yet, each year, approximately 760 single-family homes in good to excellent condition are demolished across Vancouver Island and Metro Vancouver—homes that could instead be relocated and repurposed.

These high-value homes could be relocated to coastal communities like Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast in just 8–12 weeks, at roughly 50% less than the cost of new construction. With minimal logistical barriers, such as power lines or trees along the route, relocating a single-family home can cost as little as $80–$100 per square foot. This solution offers a faster, more affordable way to increase housing supply while preserving valuable resources.