
Heritage grants - Heritage Incentive Program
Last Update: September 3, 2025
Vancouver, BC
Supports conservation and seismic upgrades of designated heritage buildings
At a glance
Eligible Funding
- Max. $4,000,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
Timeline
- Receipt of requests is now closed
Financing Type
Grant and Funding
Eligible Industries
- Real estate and rental and leasing
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration
Funds Providers
Program status
Closed
Overview
The Heritage Incentive Program provides grants of up to $4 million per building to support the conservation and seismic upgrading of heritage-designated buildings in Vancouver. Eligible activities include the retention, restoration, and rehabilitation of historic structures primarily constructed of unreinforced masonry.
Financing terms and conditions
- Grant funding covers up to 50% of eligible heritage conservation construction costs, to a maximum of $4 million per building.
- Funding is calculated at $100 per square foot of total building floor area, subject to the overall cap and eligible costs.
- Professional fees for required documentation are eligible up to 10% of the total submitted eligible costs.
- Seismic/structural and building upgrades can be included, but these must not exceed 50% of the total eligible costs.
Activities funded
- Heritage conservation of designated buildings, including structural and seismic upgrades.
- Comprehensive restoration or rehabilitation of heritage buildings, ensuring retention and continued use.
- Conservation and maintenance of key architectural features, both exterior and interior, as part of a long-term preservation strategy.
- Adaptive re-use of heritage buildings to support cultural, social, or housing objectives while maintaining their historic character.
- Sustainable rehabilitation projects that integrate heritage value preservation with modern environmental practices.
Examples of admissible projects:
$ 3,800,000
Restoration of St. Luke’s Church for multi-use cultural facility
$ 3,998,000
Structural upgrade and adaptive re-use of former Royal Bank branch
$ 3,935,000
Seismic and exterior restoration of historic Queen’s Hotel building
$ 3,250,000
Restoration and seismic upgrade of Powell Street Warehouse structure
$ 3,690,000
Sustainable rehabilitation of the Mission Revival Bessborough Building
$ 3,900,000
Rehabilitation of Walker Block for mixed-use retail and housing
Eligibility
- The building must be privately owned and used for commercial, non-commercial, residential, industrial, institutional, religious/spiritual, or mixed-use purposes, including those operated by non-profit organizations under a long-term lease (10+ years) with the City of Vancouver.
- The property must be listed on the Vancouver Heritage Register and legally protected by a heritage designation bylaw (or be committed to obtaining such designation prior to development permit issuance).
- The building must be constructed primarily of unreinforced masonry, including combinations with heavy-timber post-and-beam, structural steel, unreinforced concrete, or other historic structural assemblies.
- The project must include substantive heritage conservation and seismic upgrade work in alignment with the program's conservation and retention objectives.
- The applicant must not be in arrears on property taxes or in contravention of City bylaws.
Who is eligible?
- Privately owned commercial building owners
- Non-commercial building owners
- Non-profit organizations operating eligible buildings
- Owners of buildings used for residential, industrial, institutional, or religious/spiritual purposes
Who is not eligible
- Single-family and duplex dwellings, multi-family conversions, row-houses, and similar smaller building typologies that are primarily of wood-frame construction (these may be eligible under a different program).
- Major redevelopment projects offering low retention levels of existing heritage structures or significantly altering heritage resources to accommodate new construction.
- Buildings/sites that have already received City incentives (such as zoning variances, density transfers, property tax exemptions, or grants) through past redevelopment, rehabilitation, or rezoning processes.
- Properties with façade-only retention proposals (facadism) as the main conservation approach.
- Applicants in arrears on property taxes or in contravention of City bylaws.
Eligible expenses
- Construction costs directly related to heritage conservation as defined by the approved conservation plan.
- Seismic and structural upgrade costs.
- Life-safety building system upgrade costs.
- Professional consultant fees for heritage evaluation, including the development of a Statement of Significance (SOS).
- Costs of preparing a conservation plan.
- Professional fees for structural and seismic assessment reports and upgrade proposals.
- Other professional assessment reports required for project approval.
- Costs for a quantity surveyor to prepare or certify cost estimates and provide final financial summary documentation.
Eligible geographic areas
- Businesses located in Vancouver (British Columbia), listed on the Vancouver Heritage Register.
Selection criteria
- Level of conservation program, including retention, use compatibility, and sustainable rehabilitation (up to 3 points).
- Extent of required upgrades, including seismic/structural systems and fire/life safety systems (up to 2 points).
- Contribution to other major City initiatives, such as priority housing, cultural use, or location within a historic area (up to 3 points).
- Extent of deterioration or dysfunction, with priority given to vacant or seriously underutilized properties (1 point).
- Private/public capital investment ratio, favoring projects with higher private investment relative to public funding (1 point).
How to apply
- Step 1: Review Program Policies and Procedures
- Download and review the Heritage Incentive Program Policies and Procedures.
- Examine the Step-by-Step Guide on Preparing to Complete the Expression of Interest Form.
- Step 2: Pre-Application Preparation
- Prepare and complete the Expression of Interest Form outlining how your proposal meets the program's intent and eligibility.
- Include a Statement of Significance for the property.
- Provide a project rationale and outline your heritage conservation strategy.
- Obtain a professional assessment of current building condition (structural/seismic/life safety systems).
- Include an early cost estimate for the conservation scope of work.
- Step 3: Submit Pre-Application
- Submit the completed pre-application package as per instructions in the program guide by the stated pre-application deadline.
- Step 4: Pre-Application Evaluation
- Wait for City staff to evaluate your submission based on established criteria.
- Receive notice of whether your project will proceed to the application phase, typically by July 1.
- Step 5: Application Phase Preparation
- If invited, prepare a full application, including a Heritage Conservation Plan, detailed Statement of Significance, conservation procedures, sustainable rehabilitation rationale, and maintenance plan.
- Obtain Structural/Seismic, Fire & Life Safety, and (if needed) Building Systems Assessment Reports, each with upgrade proposals.
- Provide a cost estimate by a Quantity Surveyor clearly identifying conservation-related costs.
- Prepare all documentation required for the Development Permit application.
- Step 6: Submit Full Application
- Submit the complete application package by the October 1 deadline.
- Step 7: Application Review and Council Consideration
- City staff process the application and present it to the Vancouver Heritage Commission for review.
- The application is then presented to City Council for decision and conditional approval of incentives.
- Step 8: Legal Agreements and Permitting
- If approved, work with City Legal Services to finalize and execute the restoration or Heritage Revitalization Agreement, which is registered on the property title.
- Obtain necessary permits as required before starting conservation work.
- Step 9: Project Implementation
- Complete conservation and upgrade work according to the approved plan and agreement, within three years of registration.
- Step 10: Project Completion and Grant Claim
- Upon project completion, submit a Letter of Completion along with the Project Completion Status Report prepared by your heritage consultant and endorsed by the owner.
- Submit a Financial Statement Summary (itemized payment/invoice summary) prepared by a quantity surveyor.
- Provide a copy of the Occupancy Permit.
- Include financial information required for grant disbursement.
- Step 11: Final Site Visit and Fund Disbursement
- Host a site visit for City staff and the heritage consultant to verify project completion status.
- Upon successful verification, the City processes and issues the grant payment.
Additional information
- The grant amount is calculated at $100 per square foot of total floor area, up to a maximum of 50% of eligible conservation costs and capped at $4 million per building.
- Transferable Heritage Density incentives may be available for sites in specific historic areas such as Gastown, Chinatown, Victory Square, and the Hastings Street Corridor, under certain conditions.
- Any conservation work funded under the program must be completed within three years from the date of legal agreement registration; a one-year extension is permissible in exceptional circumstances if requested within the initial period.
- The completion of work and final grant release is contingent on submission and approval of a comprehensive completion package and a successful site verification by city staff.
Contacts
elijah.sabadlan@vancouver.ca
604-873-7056
Vancouver, BC, Canada
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