From Housing to High-Tech: Burnaby’s Comprehensive Growth Strategy Unveiled

Burnaby charts a bold path forward with a balanced vision of economic development, innovation, and livability, and its Burnaby economic growth strategy plays a key role in this endeavour.

A New Chapter for Burnaby: Bold Plans for Inclusive Growth

Burnaby is making big moves. In a strategic effort to future-proof the city’s economy and livability, a newly unveiled economic task force report outlines a bold roadmap blending housing expansion, high-tech investment, and sustainable development. This comprehensive growth strategy aims to ensure Burnaby doesn’t just grow—it thrives, following a planned Burnaby economic growth strategy.

What’s Driving Burnaby’s Ambitious Strategy?

In early May 2025, Burnaby City Council released findings from its Mayor’s Task Force on Economic Development, formed in 2023. The task force, composed of local leaders, business experts, and planners, sought to identify opportunities that align Burnaby’s fast-growing population with sustainable economic expansion outlined in the Burnaby economic growth strategy.

Burnaby, long seen as a suburb in Vancouver’s shadow, is emerging as a regional powerhouse. It’s now Metro Vancouver’s second-largest city by population and home to major hubs like Metrotown, BCIT, and the Burnaby Mountain Tech Park. But with skyrocketing housing demand and economic pressures, the city needed a coordinated plan. The result? A forward-thinking strategy bridging affordability, innovation, and livability.

For more context on Metro Vancouver’s growth dynamics, see our article on Surrey’s Major Developments Shaping the Region.

From Towers to Tech: A Dual-Focus Growth Vision

Burnaby’s plan, guided by its dedicated economic growth strategy, rests on two key pillars:

1. Housing Affordability and Density

• Zoning reforms are being explored to allow “missing middle” housing, especially near transit hubs. This aligns with recent provincial pushes for housing diversity as outlined by BC’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs. Learn more from BC Housing’s strategic plans.
• A renewed focus on purpose-built rental housing aims to alleviate market pressure on young professionals and families.
• Burnaby’s mayor, Mike Hurley, emphasized that “people can’t participate in an economy they can’t afford to live in.”

2. Technology and Innovation Investment

• The strategy recommends accelerating the development of innovation districts around BCIT and the Burnaby Mountain area.
• Support for startups, green tech firms, and research facilities will be expanded via incentives and partnerships.
• Digital infrastructure and workforce upskilling are central to creating long-term resilience. This echoes findings from the Canada Digital Adoption Program.

This balance—between livability and economic dynamism—is what makes Burnaby’s plan stand out.

Read more: How Surrey’s Development Strategy Is Reshaping the Region
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What It Means for Burnaby Residents and the Region

The human impact of this strategy is significant:

• Young families and immigrants will benefit from more accessible housing options, helping address Burnaby’s diverse demographic needs.
• Students and innovators will find increased opportunities in emerging tech sectors, building on Burnaby’s reputation as a tech hub.
• Small businesses can expect better access to supportive infrastructure and talent pools.

Community sentiment is largely optimistic, though cautious. On social media, residents praised the city’s ambition, while some called for greater consultation on how density and development might reshape neighbourhood character within the Burnaby economic growth strategy framework.

What Comes Next?

Implementation is key. Over the next year, Burnaby City Council will:

• Consult with developers and residents on zoning changes.
• Launch pilot programs for innovation corridors.
• Seek provincial and federal funding to support housing and tech investment.

The city is also expected to release a progress dashboard to keep the public informed and engaged, following transparency models recommended by Open Government BC.

Why This Story Matters

Burnaby isn’t just building more towers or attracting more companies—it’s redefining what a balanced, resilient city looks like in the 21st century. This comprehensive strategy, which includes the Burnaby economic growth strategy, is a reminder that cities don’t have to choose between growth and soul—they can have both.

As Burnaby steps boldly into its future, its approach may well become a blueprint for other urban centres facing the dual challenge of affordability and innovation.