Downtown Chilliwack could be getting a major addition just a black from Five Corners with a six-storey, purpose-built rental apartment building at the corner of Wellington Avenue and Mary Street.
The proposed development would bring 155 units, including underground parking, rooftop amenity space, and a large landscaped courtyard. It’s designed as a rental building, with most units being small-format (studios and one-bedrooms), along with eight 3-bedroom units intended to serve families.
But before shovels hit the ground, a lot has to be approved and this one comes with some extra complexity.
Unlike many projects that just need a simple rezoning or a development permit, this proposal involves amalgamating five separate properties (45768, 45778, 45784, 45788, and 45798 Wellington Avenue) into one site. Some of those parcels are zoned C2 (Local Commercial), others R6 (Mid-Rise Apartment), and one of them doesn’t match the Official Community Plan (OCP) designation for a requested density bonus.
To proceed, the developer, Whitetail Homes, is asking Council to:
The proposed density is 360 units per hectare, well above the usual 250 units/ha limit of the R6 zone. The only way to hit that number is through the OCP’s “density bonus” framework, which allows increased density in exchange for a public benefit. In this case, that’s eight family-sized, 3-bedroom units.
The proposal includes eight 3-bedroom units out of a total of 155 which is about 5% of the building.
That’s not random, it’s the minimum required to access the density bonus allowed under the City’s Residential 3a designation. In exchange for allowing more units per hectare, the City asks for something in return. In this case, it’s family-sized rental housing, something identified in the City’s Housing Needs Report as being in short supply.
And that’s a good thing. The inclusion of larger, 3-bedroom units is exactly the kind of move we hope to see more of in future developments. It shows that even in higher-density, apartment-style buildings, there's room to build homes for a range of household types beyond just studios and one-bedrooms.
Could there be more? Maybe. But what matters most is that we're starting to see projects that reflect a more thoughtful approach to density and one that includes a mix of unit types and recognizes that not everyone’s version of “home” looks the same.
The solution to our housing needs won’t come from just one kind of home. It will come from variety that include rentals and ownership, small units and family-sized homes, infill and new construction. This proposal, by including 3-bedroom rentals alongside smaller apartments, represents a step in the right direction, and hopefully the beginning of a broader trend toward more diverse, livable housing in Chilliwack.
Council will consider the OCP amendment, rezoning, and development permit at the August 19, 2025 meeting. If approved, a Public Hearing is scheduled for September 2.
Assuming the project moves forward, construction is expected to begin as early as October.
No public opposition has been reported yet. According to the staff report, Whitetail mailed notices to nearby residents in July and as of August 5, no responses were received.
This project is just one piece of a much bigger transformation happening along Wellington Avenue and Mary Street.
Whitetail Homes recently completed The Wellington right next door, Sakoon Living is on the horizon, and Main Street Station, if it ever wraps up after nearly three years in the making, could become a major anchor for the area.
In time, this entire stretch could look and feel completely different. What was once a mix of small commercial lots and older homes is steadily becoming a denser, more walkable, urban pocket of downtown Chilliwack.
This proposal adds to that momentum is defining what this next phase of growth could look like: more housing variety, higher density where it makes sense, and a renewed focus on livability.
