New Report: Vancouver City Hall Fast-Tracking Hotels While Affordable Housing Falls Behind
Analysis finds hotel approvals are outpacing affordable housing, even as World Cup demand falls short and voters overwhelmingly prioritize homes over hotels
A new report released today by UNITE HERE Local 40 raises serious questions about Vancouver City Hall’s push to fast-track hotel development while the city’s housing affordability crisis continues to worsen.
The report, Vancouver’s Hotel Room ‘Crisis’: A Developers’ Bonanza, Not an Affordability Solution, finds that Vancouver City Council has approved more hotel rooms than affordable housing units over the past year and a half, while advancing policies that give hotel developers new incentives, reduced contributions, and faster approvals.
The report argues that Vancouver has an affordability crisis, not a hotel crisis, and that City Hall is prioritizing hotel development while deeply affordable housing falls behind.
“Vancouver residents and workers are being told there is an urgent hotel room crisis, but the data tells a different story,” said Zailda Chan, President of UNITE HERE Local 40. “At a time when people are struggling to afford rent, City Hall should be moving with urgency to build affordable housing, not giving hotel developers a fast track.”
According to the report, hotel approvals have outpaced affordable housing approvals over the combined 2025 and 2026 year-to-date period. In 2025, Council approved 1,011 hotel rooms compared to 719 social housing and co-op homes. In 2026 year-to-date, Council approved nearly 2,000 hotel rooms compared to 1,848 social, non-market, and co-op homes. Combined, that amounts to 16.2 per cent more hotel rooms than affordable housing units approved during the period analyzed.
The report also challenges one of the central arguments used to justify urgent hotel approvals: World Cup demand. Despite repeated warnings that Vancouver lacked enough hotel rooms for FIFA, recent reporting on booking data shows that Vancouver-area June hotel bookings were down 20 percent.
The report points to several public policy advantages being extended to hotel developers, including density incentives, Community Amenity Contribution exclusions, fast-track zoning, reduced development charges, and the removal of future public hearings for some hotel projects.
The report also warns that some hotel proposals could displace existing renters. It flags proposed hotel developments at 75 East 8th Avenue and 148 East 6th Avenue as projects that could replace existing rental housing with hotel rooms.
The release of the report comes as recent polling shows Vancouver voters support prioritizing affordable housing over hotel development by a three-to-one margin.
“Voters are clear: affordable housing should come first,” said Chan. “Vancouver workers keep this city running. They serve the visitors, staff the hotels, clean the rooms, cook the food, and care for the city. They deserve to live here too. That is why we are calling for Affordable Housing Now.”
The report is being released as workers, residents, and community allies prepare to launch Affordable Housing Now! – a campaign calling on Vancouver City Hall to put affordable housing before hotel developer giveaways.
Key Findings from the Report
- Hotel approvals are outpacing affordable housing. The report finds Council approved 1,011 hotel rooms compared to 719 social/co-op/supportive homes in 2025, and 1,972 hotel rooms compared to 1,848 social/co-op/supportive homes in 2026 year-to-date.
- Over the combined period, hotel rooms beat affordable housing units by 16.2%.
- The World Cup “hotel shortage” argument is weakening. Recent reporting of booking data shows Vancouver-area June hotel bookings were down 20 percent, with average occupancy across Vancouver’s seven match days at 57.4%.
- Vancouver may hit its year 2050 hotel room target decades early. Nearly 7,000 hotel rooms are already in the development pipeline toward a 10,000-room target by 2050.
- Hotel developers are receiving major public policy advantages. The report cites density incentives, CAC exclusions, fast-track zoning, reduced development charges, and removal of future public hearings for some hotel projects.
- Existing renters could be displaced. The report flags 75 East 8th Avenue and 148 East 6th Avenue as hotel proposals that could displace tenants from existing rental housing.
About Affordable Housing Now!
Affordable Housing Now! is a campaign of workers, residents, and community allies calling on Vancouver City Hall to address the city’s housing affordability crisis with the urgency it deserves. The campaign is calling for affordable housing to be prioritized over hotel developer giveaways, fast-tracked hotel approvals, and policies that put tourism development ahead of residents’ needs.
Contact: Michelle Travis, [email protected], 778-960-9785