2 days Ago By The Vancouver Sun
After more than a decade of planning, a group of Langley residents has officially broken ground on one of British Columbia’s few co-housing developments — part of a growing, community-led housing movement taking root across Canada. Compass Cohousing, a 46,172-square-foot residential project in Langley’s Willoughby neighbourhood, is the product of years of grassroots collaboration. The 40-unit development is now under construction at 6644 203 St.
, in partnership with Lark Group and Ankenman Marchand Architects. Unlike co-operative housing, co-housing follows a strata ownership model. Residents own their individual homes — similar to townhouses or condos — while sharing common spaces designed to build social connection and mutual support.
“What started as a shared vision among strangers — to create a neighbourhood where people know and support one another — is becoming a reality,” said Elizabeth Rosenau, director of Compass Cohousing and one of its future residents. “We’ll have it all: shared gardens, playgrounds, and a common house with a generous dining hall, guest suites, and rooms for music, exercise, woodworking, and game nights,” said Rosenau. Laundry facilities will also be shared.
But the road to construction wasn’t easy. Jason Frederickson, a fellow director and future resident, says the group often felt like “amateur developers” in the early days — juggling architectural plans, bylaws, and building permits while also working full-time jobs and raising families. Securing financing was a major hurdle, made harder by the economic uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, which triggered inflation and drove up construction costs.
The final cost of the project is expected to hit $36 million, with $1.8 million in equity raised by future residents. Frederickson, an elementary school teacher, has invested $270,000.
“The costs have been a struggle,” he said. “But we’re not just building units. We’re building our homes — with a big, beautiful green space at the centre of it all.
” That central courtyard — an intentional design choice — is something no conventional developer would typically include, said Frederickson. “There’s no profit in that square footage.” To bring their vision to life, the group brought on Lark Group five years ago to oversee construction and navigate municipal hurdles.
The Surrey-based developer connected them with lenders and helped secure financing without upfront capital, while the Compass group restructured their finances to land a deal the banks could support. The land was purchased from the Township of Langley in 2019. The development features a range of studio, one-, and two-bedroom condominiums, from 500 to 1,062 square feet, along with four-bedroom townhouse-style homes up to 1,500 square feet.
Currently, the lowest-priced unit — a one-bedroom — is listed at $755,600 on the Canadian Cohousing Network, while the highest-priced unit — a three-bedroom — is listed at approximately $1.2 million. Compass will be one of just 15 co-housing communities in B.
C., and among only 40 across Canada. Though still rare, the model is gaining quiet traction as more Canadians seek alternatives to social isolation and the rising cost of home ownership.
Alan Carpenter, 77, knows the benefits of co-housing firsthand. He was the first person to move into Windsong — Canada’s first co-housing development — also in Langley, in 1994. “Cohousing changed my life,” he said.
“I’ve lived a happier, more connected life since the day I moved in.” While the upfront cost of buying a unit in a co-housing community can be slightly higher than average market rates, Carpenter said the long-term savings from shared resources make it worthwhile. “We got rid of one car because I can just ask a neighbour when I need one,” he said.
“We share groceries, eat some meals together, and help each other out. It’s just a better way to live.” Now a director of the Canadian Cohousing Network, Carpenter said that demand for co-housing homes remains high.
“Whenever a unit goes up for sale, it doesn’t stay on the market for long,” he said. For Howard Staples, 67, another longtime Windsong resident, the greatest gift has been raising his children surrounded by a built-in village. “We never had to worry about babysitters,” said Staples.
“There was always someone around, and our kids grew up with a real sense of community.” Intergenerational co-housing is also growing in larger B.C.
urban centres. Vancouver’s Little Mountain Cohousing, a six-storey, 25-unit building in Riley Park, has a wait-list of nearly 500 people. Lyssa Dixon, 53, a resident there, says the small everyday moments are what stand out most.
“Not a day goes by where you don’t see an older neighbour taking someone’s baby out for a walk,” she said. Back in Langley, 30 of Compass’s 40 homes are already spoken for. If construction stays on track, the first residents will move in by 2026.
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