Business Centres
In addition to the City's four Town Centres for high density mixed use residential, office and retail development, the City has designated 16 Business Centres for high technology, office, research and development and specialized manufacturing uses. These centres are strategically located throughout the City and vary by size, character and local amenities like green space, rivers, parks and urban trails. Some of these locations are so attractive local residents visit them by walking or biking on weekends for recreation. .
Burnaby’s 16 high amenity business centres are geared to corporate headquarter facilities and businesses involving combinations of research, sales and service, light manufacturing and administration. The City of Burnaby’s zoning bylaw has been amended to accommodate these second generation business centre uses which tend to be intensive, knowledge-based and more structurally diverse. This type of use is attractive to high tech, corporate, specialized manufacturing, post-secondary education, television, film and entertainment sectors. The Lake City Business Centre (shown as centre No. 11 on the middle-right of the map, below) is a good example of the transition that Burnaby has been promoting, from relatively low density, low employment uses to more intensive ones. Some of the business centres within the Big Bend area of south Burnaby can accommodate businesses that are more industrial.
Burnaby Business Centres
Several of the business centres are well served by stations on our two SkyTrain lines, which provide convenient access for customers and employees. Many of the companies located here are attracted to these areas by their central location in the region and good access by road to move their products. Many businesses have also mentioned that you don't have to cross any bridges to reach Vancouver, and only one bridge crossing to reach the airport or the North Shore.
But today, transportation means a lot more than roads and bridges. It means telecommunications. Burnaby is a “Smart City”, with one of the most comprehensive high speed fibre optic communication services in North America, and is an important ingredient as to why Burnaby has been so well received by many new businesses. We continue to work with a range of service providers to continue to expand their networks.
For more information on Business Centres in Burnaby, please click on the links below or contact the Burnaby Planning Department at 604-294-7400, or by email at planning@burnaby.ca.
