Multiplex development in Port Moody

In June 2024, Port Moody Council approved Zoning Bylaw Amendment No. 94, 2024 (Bylaw No. 3460), folding provincial Bill 44's small-scale multi-unit housing requirements into the city's RS residential zones. No rezoning is required for eligible properties, the new rules apply as of right.

The framework follows the provincial baseline: lots under 280 m² allow up to three units; lots between 280 m² and 4,050 m² allow up to four; and lots of 280 m² or more within 400 metres of a prescribed frequent transit stop allow up to six, with minimum parking requirements eliminated. Permitted forms include multiplexes, duplexes, laneway homes, and accessory dwelling units, subject to a three-storey maximum height.

Port Moody adopted a Guide to SSMUH on July 22, 2025, to help property owners and builders understand the process. The City has also targeted updates to its Development Approval Procedures Bylaw and Fees Bylaw by February 2026. One standing provision worth knowing: Port Moody's DCC Reduction Bylaw offers a 25% per-unit reduction on development cost charges for rental-tenure multiplex projects, among the more generous standing DCC reductions in the region for build-to-rent multiplex work.

Port Moody's housing stock is older single-family, most of the city's residential fabric was built out decades ago on lots that were sized for one house. The Bill 44 changes do not alter the land; they alter what the land can legally hold. A lot that once supported one home can now support three or four, and the right lot near one of the city's two SkyTrain stations can support six.

That said, a multiplex is still a real construction project. Design to Port Moody's interim multi-family guidelines, permit management, financing, trades, and a careful read of the site's Development Permit Area conditions (DPA 4 and 5 apply for environmental and hazard protections), all of that has to be managed. We carry that work and the construction risk through a written GP/LP partnership, while the homeowner contributes the land.

Port Moody has two Evergreen Line SkyTrain stations: Moody Centre and Inlet Centre. Both are designated Transit Oriented Areas (TOAs) under provincial legislation, with their own density minimums and height requirements, TOA lands are exempt from SSMUH and governed by separate provincial rules that allow much higher density. But the SSMUH opportunity sits on the RS lots that surround those TOAs, particularly the properties within 400 metres of a frequent transit stop that qualify for up to six units.

Moody Centre is a multi-modal hub integrating SkyTrain with the West Coast Express and a major bus exchange, it generates strong residential demand from commuters. The Inlet Centre area, near Newport Village, is an established walkable neighbourhood with retail, dining, and active transit-oriented development already underway. Lots in both areas draw attention from investors and developers, but Port Moody's market remains smaller and less picked-over than Coquitlam or Surrey. City-specific queries here have less competition.

Interior neighbourhoods like Glenayre, College Park, and Heritage Mountain sit further from the stations but offer larger, quieter RS lots, often well-suited to three- or four-unit projects where each home gets its own entry and outdoor space. The hillside topography in parts of Port Moody is a real site condition to account for: slope and drainage affect both buildable area and foundation cost, which is part of what a proper feasibility review covers.

SSMUH projects in Port Moody that comply with the RS zone standards and do not fall within a Development Permit Area can move directly to building permit. Properties within DPA 4 (environmental) or DPA 5 (hazardous lands), which include areas near watercourses, steep slopes, and sensitive terrain, still require a Development Permit before a building permit can be issued. Port Moody has more DPA-affected lots than many cities in Metro Vancouver, given its geography, so confirming whether a specific property is in a DPA is part of the feasibility step.

The City's February 2026 target for updating its Development Approval Procedures Bylaw and Fees Bylaw means the process is still evolving. We track those changes so a project scoped today is built against the current rules, not an outdated assumption.