Places To Do Business
The City of Burnaby is rapidly gaining an international reputation as a desirable location for a variety of high technology companies and light industry. Many leading edge firms now call Burnaby home, and we continue to grow. Burnaby has a range of established clusters in growing industry sectors such as:
- Information technology/communications/wireless
(Dorigo, D-Wave, Kodak, Microsemi, Moneris, Rogers, Telus, Traction on Demand) - Biotechnology/health/life science
(Amgen, LifeLabs, LifeScan, Stemcell, Xenon Pharmaceuticals) - Film/digital entertainment/new media
(Bridge Studios, Electronic Arts, Global TV, Mammoth Studios, Knowledge Network) - Education
(BCIT, Simon Fraser University, Trauma Tech, Vancouver Animation School) - Environmental technology/services
(Alpha Technologies, Ballard Power, Xantrex Technology) - Tourism/sports tournaments/arts/culture
(Delta Burnaby Hotel and Convention Centre, Element by Westin, Hilton Vancouver Metrotown, Holiday Inn Express Metrotown) - Finance/management/professional services
(G&F Financial Group, Hub International Insurance, Pacific Blue Cross)
Burnaby also has clusters in stable industrial sectors such as light industry/warehousing/distribution (Garibaldi Glass, Georgia Main Foods Group, Grand & Toy, Suputo-Dairyworld), heavy industry (Shell, Trans Mountain, Parkland Fuels), agriculture (ProOrganics, United Flower Growers), and social integration/not-for-profits (United Way of the Lower Mainland).
Our business success speaks to the quality of our community and civic infrastructure and to our access to the universities and highly trained labour force. By protecting our natural environment, providing for parks and open space and building quality community services and facilities, Burnaby has created a safe, desirable and healthy community in which to live, learn, work and play.
As part of its overall growth direction, the Official Community Plan also makes provision for four (4) town centres, 16 high amenity business centre areas in the City, and 13 Urban Villages.
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Town Centres |
Business Centres |
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Burnaby is organized by quadrants, each having its own town centre. Burnaby’s town centres - Brentwood, Lougheed, Edmonds, and Metrotown - form the commercial backbone of the city. The four town centres led by Metrotown are expected to accommodate about 48 percent of our dwelling unit growth and approximately 52 percent of the commercial development in terms of square footage. Burnaby has promoted its town centres as preferred locations for business, telecommunications and other office growth. |
Although Burnaby has promoted its town centres as preferred locations for business, telecommunications and other office growth, we recognize that other factors sometimes preclude town centre high rise offices for many new users. To serve this market, we have created 16 high amenity business centres in select industrial areas. These areas support the development of high amenity and employment-intensive businesses involving different combinations of office, light and specialized manufacturing and research and development activities. |
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Urban Villages |
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Similar to town centres - but on a smaller scale - Burnaby’s urban villages offer a mix of homes, stores, and services. Urban villages provide some three to four storey housing options that are not available within our town centres. |
