At Planning & Development Committee (PDC) on September 25th, Council authorized the City Solicitor to bring forward amendments to the Burnaby Zoning Bylaw concerning childcare and R1 District housekeeping items. In July 2021, Council adopted the Child Care Action Plan, including action to review the Zoning Bylaw to reduce barriers and increase opportunities for childcare development. In response to this action, staff have reviewed the Zoning Bylaw to identify potential barriers and develop proposed amendments to facilitate the creation of more childcare spaces while remaining aligned with the provincial Child Care Licensing Regulation. 

In expanding the childcare opportunities, the following changes are proposed: 

• R1 District: 
• Permit home-based childcare facilities within any dwelling unit on a lot, including primary dwelling units or secondary suites. 
• Permit home-based childcare facilities up to two dwelling units per lot.  
• Permitting standalone childcare facilities with up to 25 children in the R1 District. Some restrictions apply. 
• RM Districts: 
• Excluding childcare facilities from GFA calculations in RM Districts to remove the conflict between housing and childcare priorities 
• Employment Districts: 
• Adding childcare facilities as a permitted use in the M4, M5, and M8 light industrial districts and the B1 and B2 Business Centre Districts. The compatibility of a childcare facility with adjacent uses within light industrial areas would be determined by Fraser Health on a case-by-case basis. 
• CD Districts: 
• Allowing childcare facilities in previously established CD-zoned sites without the need to go through a rezoning process, subject to the site containing a District in which childcare facilities are a permitted use. 
• Parking and Loading: 
• Requiring 1 off-street parking space for each 55 m2 (592.02 sq.ft.) of gross floor area in alignment with the new commercial requirement, including a maximum of 4 required spaces for facilities within the R1 District, in alignment with existing R1 District parking restrictions in Section 800.6(8). 
• Excluding childcare facilities from loading space requirements. 

Additional amendments are proposed to support the ongoing implementation of the new R1 District by continuing to harmonize pre-existing regulations with the new small-scale multi-unit housing (SSMUH) framework as well as updating regulations to better reflect contemporary design and siting needs. 

More information can be found in the full report by City staff.