Brivia Group To Pay $55M To Cut Social Housing From 60-Storey CURV In Vancouver

Brivia Group, a Montreal-based developer, has agreed to pay $55 million to the City of Vancouver to remove 102 social housing units from its planned 60-storey CURV tower at 1075 Nelson Street in the West End. This payment allows the developer to convert the previously designated social housing space into market rental units, increasing the total number of rental units from 50 to 176.

The CURV project, approved by the city in 2022, was initially set to include 328 strata units, 50 market rental units, and 102 social housing units. However, construction has not yet begun. In June 2023, Brivia Group submitted a rezoning text amendment application to eliminate the social housing component, which the city published in November 2024.

In September 2024, city staff recommended reducing the social housing requirement in certain areas of the West End from 25% to 20% of residential floor space. They also introduced an option for developers to pay cash instead of providing social housing, citing economic challenges that had stalled several approved projects. The CURV site falls within one of these areas.

The $55 million payment by Brivia Group translates to approximately $539,216 per eliminated social housing unit. This sum will be allocated towards social housing initiatives, with $20 million payable before the rezoning enactment and the remaining $35 million due upon issuance of the demolition permit or two years after rezoning enactment, whichever comes first.

City officials have indicated that these funds could be leveraged to create more social housing units than initially planned for the CURV project. By partnering with other levels of government or non-profit organizations, the city aims to maximize the impact of this contribution on Vancouver's affordable housing landscape.

Despite the removal of the social housing component, CURV is set to become a landmark in Vancouver as the world's tallest passive house building. This designation reflects its energy-efficient design, aligning with Vancouver's environmental goals and setting a new standard for sustainable high-rise developments.