Area
Burnaby & Richmond
Metrotown, Brentwood and Big Bend in Burnaby. No. 3 Road and the airport and industrial areas in Richmond. Big markets on the SkyTrain and Canada Line. Each city has its own zoning, permits and business licences, so check your use is allowed before you sign.
What tenants look for here
Office space in Metrotown and Brentwood, retail near the town centres, and industrial and flex space in Big Bend and Richmond.
What to watch
- Transit access to SkyTrain and the Canada Line for staff and customers.
- Industrial specs like clear height, loading and power. See industrial space.
- New towers bring retail demand and new space, often at higher rents than older strip centres. Compare both.
- Shopping centre leases come with their own rules: hours, marketing fund charges and operating covenants.
Good fits
Regional offices, retail and food businesses serving dense neighbourhoods, logistics, distribution and light industrial users.
Local notes
- Town centres on SkyTrain. Burnaby’s office and retail cluster around Metrotown, Brentwood, Lougheed and Edmonds. Richmond’s city centre runs along No. 3 Road on the Canada Line. Transit access helps hiring.
- Industrial along the river. South Burnaby’s industrial areas near the Fraser River, and Richmond’s industrial land near the airport and the river, suit warehouse, distribution and trades.
- Farmland limits. A large part of Richmond is in the Agricultural Land Reserve, which limits where industry can spread. Good industrial space doesn’t sit empty for long, so plan ahead.
- Strata industrial is common. Many smaller units in both cities are strata. Check the bylaws for your use, hours and outdoor storage.
- Separate city rules. Burnaby and Richmond each have their own zoning, permits and business licences, different from Vancouver’s. Check the use is allowed before you sign.
Go deeper
If you’re looking for more details
Before you sign in Burnaby or Richmond
- Check the zoning allows your use at that exact address.
- Walk the block at the hours you’d be open.
- Ask for the last two years of additional rent.
- Find out what the landlord will do before you move in, in writing.
- Look for a demolition or relocation clause.
Permits and licences
Inside the City of Vancouver you need a business licence for each location. A new use may need a development permit, renovations usually need a building permit, and many commercial spaces need an occupancy permit before you open.
Burnaby and Richmond have their own licensing and permit rules. Check with the city your space is in.
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