Mount Pleasant
Neighbourhood Market Profile Mount Pleasant is a young-adult, well-educated and mobile community with a high population density. The area is comprised of more residents with British (English, Scottish and Irish), Canadian and Filipino heritage than average for the City of Vancouver, and significantly fewer with Chinese heritage.
Household sizes in this area are smaller than the City or GVRD average, and with a higher proportion of apartment type housing, the area is home to a greater percentage of renters than average for the City. However, several new market residential condominium projects currently underway are creating a significant increase in the proportion of private dwellings for purchase, which can be expected to significantly effect the residential composition in the next five years. Reflecting their younger age and smaller household size, Mount Pleasant exhibits lower household incomes than the Vancouver or GVRD average. However, with higher than average education levels, these young residents have strong capacity for increased disposable income in the future. Not ones for business, administration and management, Mount Pleasant residents tend more toward employment in art, culture, recreation and sport as well
as sales and service.
About the BIA The Mount Pleasant Business Improvement Area (BIA) encompasses the commercial neighbourhood known as UpTown Vancouver. The BIA boundaries are Guelph to Ontario on East Broadway, 7th to 12th Avenue on Kingsway and 7th to 16th Avenue on Main Street (see Figure 1). It comprises more than 19,000 residents, 500 businesses and approximately 3,900 employees.1 This report provides an overview of the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood market, focusing primarily on population, household and spending statistics.2 The Mount Pleasant Commercial Area Profile focuses on key market information including zoning and development potential as well as business and employee mix. 1. Source of employee count is Mount Pleasant BIA business survey. 2. Unless otherwise stated, source of all statistics is Statistics Canada 2001 Census data, courtesy of Small Business BC. Fast Facts BIA size: 42 hectares; residential area size: 372 hectares 19,056 residents and 23,090 daytime employee base Population density per square kilometer: 51, as compared with 48/km2 for Vancouver and 7 for GVRD. Average household size: 1.9 people, as compared with 2.3 and 2.6 for Vancouver and the GVRD respectively. Average household income: $50,900, as compared with $64,889 for Vancouver and $68,853 for the GVRD. Average house price: $521,644 (detached); $234,222 (condo). Dominant languages: English, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, German and Spanish – significantly lower incidence of Chinese and Punjabi that Vancouver or the GVRD. 25% of residents have moved in the past year, primarily from elsewhere in the City (16%), as compared with 20% for Vancouver and 16% for the GVRD. New Canadians: 3% international migrants in the past year; 11% in the past 5 years. Both are in keeping with City of Vancouver averages and slightly higher than GVRD averages of 2% and 9% respectively.
Physical ProfileThe Mount Pleasant BIA is centrally located within the City of Vancouver – approximately 1 kilometre from City Hall and 2 kilometres from downtown. 
Comprised primarily of commercial zoning (C-3 and C-2C), with a mix of light industrial (I-1), mixed residential (RM-4, RM-4N) and comprehensive (CD-1 (111)), the Mount Pleasant BIA contains a vibrant mix of old and new developments. The area is undergoing a significant transformation, including several market residential housing/commercial developments as well as a mixed-use facility at 1 Kingsway (commercial, market rental, recreation and community centre).3 3. Source: City of Vancouver VanMap. Heritage and CultureThe Mount Pleasant BIA is home to nine heritage sites, including Heritage Hall at 3102 Main Street. The Mount Pleasant Public Library is also located within the BIA, at 370 East Broadway. The BIA is home to two series art pieces – one (Banners on Broadway) along East Broadway and one (Parkway) along the Ontario Street Greenway. The Teaswamp community garden and Nightingale school garden are within walking distance. RecreationThe Mount Pleasant BIA is within walking distance of four community parks: Jonathan Rogers, Teaswamp, Robson and Guelph. Just outside of the BIA is the Mount Pleasant Community Centre at 3161 Ontario. A new community centre is under development at 1 Kingsway. EducationNightingale, Mount Pleasant and Fraser elementary schools are within walking distance of the BIA. Sir Charles Tupper Secondary is approximately 1.5 km to the south. TransportationWith ample street parking, the centrally located Mount Pleasant BIA is easily accessible by vehicle. It is also well served by frequent transit service, including the #3 Main/Downtown, #9 Broadway, #19 Metrotown Station/Stanley Park and the 99 B-Line with connections to the Commercial Drive Skytrain station. The new Canada Line rapid transit system currently under construction will also stop close by. Bikeways in the area provide viable cycling access to the BIA, including north-south via the Ontario Bikeway and east-west along the 10th Avenue Bikeway, which are within the BIA as well as the adjacent Midtown Parkway. The Off-Broadway/BC Parkway just north of the BIA also provides additional convenient east-west access. Key Population Indicators PopulationWith a total population4 of 19,056, the Mount Pleasant BIA neighbourhood is comprised of 49% men and 51% women – the typical gender profile for the City of Vancouver and the GVRD. However, the area comprises a higher proportion of younger adults, with significantly more 20 to 44 year-olds than the city or regional average, as outlined in Figure 2. The area saw a population growth rate of 5% between 2001 and 20055, as compared with 3% for the Vancouver average and 5% for the GVRD average. 
4. Population base includes all residents within 1 km of Main and Broadway, as opposed to the BIA boundaries. 5. Statistics Canada; adjusted five-year forecast. All other statistics are 2001. Ethnic Origin Ethnic origin refers to the culture or ethnic roots with which residents identify themselves. In Mount Pleasant, the top 5 ethnic origins in order are English, Canadian, Scottish, Chinese and Irish – the same top 5 as for Vancouver and the GVRD. However, Mount Pleasant exhibits significantly less Chinese ancestry (14%) than either Vancouver (30%) or the GVRD (18%). As Figure 3 illustrates, Mount Pleasant’s strong British heritage (52%) is more aligned with the GVRD average (55%) than the City of Vancouver average (44%). Mount Pleasant also has more residents of Eastern European heritage, and fewer residents of South, Southeast and East Asian heritage. 
About 11% of Mount Pleasant residents are new Canadians, having migrated in the past five years (3% in the past year). This is in keeping with the city and regional average. However, a significantly high percentage of immigrants living in Mount Pleasant (29%) are from the Philippines, which is reflected in spoken language as discussed below. Spoken LanguagesAs with residents of the City and GVRD, English is the dominant language. However, Mount Pleasant exhibits differences in non-official spoken languages, with less Chinese, Punjabi and Korean and more Tagalog (Filipino) and Vietnamese. Figure 4 illustrates. 
Level of Education Mount Pleasant area residents tend to have slightly higher education levels than city or regional averages as outlined in Figure 5. Fully 74% of people 20 years of age or older have some form of post secondary education, as compared with 68% of Vancouver and 66% of GVRD residents. However, the population aged 15-24 is less likely than their city or regional counterparts to be attending school. If attending at all, they are more likely to be attending school part time. Whether this is reflective of higher educational attainment already or a behavioural shift is not evident. 
Household Income Despite their higher education levels, Mount Pleasant area residents demonstrate lower average household income levels than their city or regional counterparts, as Figure 6 illustrates. This is likely at least in part due to their lower than average household size as well as the young demographic of the area. 
Comparisons between Mount Pleasant and the rest of the region are summarized in Figure 7. 
OccupationReflecting their young age, a high percentage of Mount Pleasant residents are in the labour force. Fully 75% of the population 15-years of age and over is in the labour force, as compared with an average of 65% in Vancouver. The employment rate is also higher, at 70%, although the unemployment rate is within the city and regional average. Mount Pleasant residents tend to be employed in fewer management, business, finance and administrative positions than the city and regional average, and employed in more art, culture, recreation and sport as well as sales and service positions. This is illustrated in more detail in Figure 8. The top 5 occupations for Mount Pleasant residents are: clerical "other" sales and service natural and applied sciences art, culture, recreation and sport technical occupations art, culture, recreation and sport professionals
Family StructureMount Pleasant is home to 10,165 households. Of these, 4,281 or 42% are families6, significantly less than the Vancouver or GVRD average (57% and 71% respectively). Household and family sizes in this area are smaller than average, with fewer children per family, as Figure 9 illustrates. 
Mount Pleasant is also home to a smaller proportion of married families, and a correspondingly greater percentage of common-law and lone-parent families, as illustrated in Figure 10. 
6. Family is defined as a census family - a married couple, a common-law couple or a lone-parent with a child or youth who is under the age of 25 and who does not have his or her own spouse or child living in the household. Married couples and common-law couples may or may not have such children and youth living with them. Housing Profile Structural Mix Fully 81% of all Mount Pleasant dwelling units are apartments, while only 11% are semi-detached and 6% are detached housing, as Figure 11 illustrates. The dominant dwelling type in the Mount Pleasant area is apartments less than five stories. Mount Pleasant is home to a much greater percentage (75%) of this type of housing as compared with the Vancouver average of 34% and the GVRD average of 43%. This is primarily due to Mount Pleasant’s historical zoning mix. However, recent changes in zoning and associated higher density residential development will change this mix over time. 
TenureIn keeping with this housing mix, a greater proportion of Mount Pleasant area residents are renters (71%) as compared with the city average of 56% and GVRD average of 39%. The Mount Pleasant BIA includes one non-market housing complex at 2600 Watson Street. An additional six buildings are within two-blocks of the BIA boundary.7 7. Source: City of Vancouver VanMap. Age of Housing StockThe average age of housing in the Mount Pleasant area is similar to that of the city average, with slightly more pre-1946 dwellings and fewer 1971 to 1990 dwellings. Being an older area of the region, housing in this area is older than the GVRD average. The Mount Pleasant area has seen fewer housing developments than the rest of Vancouver and the GVRD over the past 15 years. However, a number of market residential housing projects are in the works, which are likely to significantly change the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood profile over the next five years. These include: 1 Kingsway (at Main) – mixed use development with 98 units of market rental housing (opening 2007); Corner of 12th and Main – mixed commercial and residential with 41 dwelling units; Sophia at 11th – 81 dwelling units; Kingsway at 12th – mixed commercial and residential with 97dwelling units.
Housing PricesHousing prices8 in the Mount Pleasant residential area are slightly below that of the City of Vancouver and GVRD. The 2005 average price for a detached house in this area was $521,664 as compared with $522,979 in Vancouver and $567,417 in the GVRD. However, rates are fast approaching regional averages – the one-year average increase in Mount Pleasant was 38% as compared with 22% for Vancouver and 19% for the GVRD. Reflecting new residential developments such as those outlined above, prices for apartment/ condominiums in Mount Pleasant are higher than the Vancouver average, and increasing at a higher rate than both the city and regional averages. For example, the average 2005 price in Mount Pleasant was $234,222 (up 31%) as compared with $230,574 (25%) for Vancouver and $282,079 (20%) for the GVRD. 8. Housing price information courtesy of the Real Estate Board of Vancouver. Spending PatternsIn part reflecting their smaller household sizes, Mount Pleasant households spend less per year than the average Vancouver or GVRD household. In 2005, Mount Pleasant households averaged $50,802 in household spending as compared with $62,536 for City of Vancouver and $65,917 for GVRD households. Spending patterns are very similar to Vancouver and GVRD averages, as Figure 12 illustrates. Figure 13 provides a complete breakdown of average 2005 spending per Mount Pleasant household. 
Survey Says...!The Mount Pleasant BIA regularly conducts resident household and shopper intercept surveys9. These surveys show that the BIA enjoys a mix of local shoppers as well as those living in other areas of Vancouver, and that shoppers are very satisfied with the BIA. In the 2005 shopper intercept survey, 63% of respondents were locals and almost 25% shop in the area on a daily basis. Other important survey results are as follows: 98% will return to the BIA. Top three reasons are diversity of people and culture (29%), centrality and convenience (27%) and community feeling (21%). 87% feel safe, primarily due to the significant number of people in the area. Groceries and the plentitude of local cafes are the primary reasons people come to Mount Pleasant.
Businesses these customers would like to see in the BIA include: 9. Statistics courtesy of the Mount Pleasant BIA. ConclusionsCentrally located in Vancouver and easily accessible, the Mount Pleasant BIA enjoys a satisfied and growing base of customers and an attractive setting for storefront style businesses. Businesses catering to young, well educated singles or couples with no children; small and primarily apartment households; and people those who enjoy culture, recreation and sport, will find the Mount Pleasant residential area an appropriate market in which to locate. Building on its cultural and heritage roots, Mount Pleasant is also rapidly becoming the new hot area for residential development. A number of key market residential developments are underway, which can be expected to bring a wider range of local clientele over the next five years. | 
