Application for development that would have tripled Anmore, B.C.'s population withdrawn

Akshay Kulkarni · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 24, 2025 9:56 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

A arguable lodging proposal that would person tripled the colonisation of Anmore successful Metro Vancouver has been withdrawn by its developer.

The improvement connection known arsenic Anmore South was to beryllium built connected a 61-hectare plot of onshore owned by Icona Properties, presently zoned for one-acre (0.4-hectare) tons with azygous detached homes. 

Anmore assembly was to statement amending its Official Community Plan in bid to fto Icona physique 2,200 units of housing, successful forms ranging from single-family homes to apartments up to six storeys high.

But connected Monday, hours earlier the assembly gathering was to begin, Icona announced connected societal media that it would retreat its improvement exertion amid fierce assemblage protests and calls for a referendum.

"We judge that continuing down the existent way volition not bring the assemblage together," work Icona's statement, attributed to CEO Greg Moore, connected societal media.

"It volition lone deepen the divide, and that's not however strong, resilient communities are built."

WATCH | Proposed improvement caused assemblage division:

Some residents of Anmore — a colony successful Metro Vancouver conscionable northbound of the Tri-Cities — were vocally displeased astatine the Anmore South proposal, arguing it would crook the agrarian country into an municipality 1 overnight.

They were pushing for a referendum connected the proposal, adjacent arsenic the developer and Anmore's politician said the improvement was a earthy measurement successful the community's evolution. 

"Completely shocked. You know, this has been successful the works for implicit 3 years ... and yeah, very, precise shocking," Anmore Mayor John McEwen said Monday night.

McEwen noted that the "very passionate" Anmore assemblage had been profoundly polarized by the proposal, with vocal supporters some for and against the project.

Anmore presently mostly consists of ample single-family homes and mansions, wherever the median listing terms for immoderate spot is $2.8 million.  

"I was looking guardant to explaining immoderate of the the mistruths that were being mentioned successful regards to, you know, similar adjacent thing elemental arsenic each of Anmore becoming an municipality designation, and that was ne'er the case," McEwen said.

Resident Leslie Hannigan, however, said she was unhappy astatine however assembly treated the proposal, and that a referendum would person champion settled the issue.

"I'm perfectly thrilled and thankful to Icona for proceeding america retired and deciding to enactment a intermission connected this," she said.

LISTEN | Some residents opposed to lodging developments:

Icona's connection would person brought commercialized developments and sports fields, on with linking up Metro Vancouver's wastewater strategy to the full municipality, which presently runs connected septic.

Moore's connection mentions exploring different way guardant for the privately-held land, but did not notation specifics.

"Our sincere anticipation is that this measurement volition assistance easiness tensions and make the abstraction for a collaborative, community-driven solution," the developer's connection said.