Point Grey Village
Neighbourhood Market Profile Point Grey is a mature, affluent and well-established community.1 The area is comprised of significantly more residents with British heritage than average for Vancouver. English is the dominant household language for area residents; however, many other languages can be heard in the area, including a strong Chinese base as well as German, Greek, Japanese and Dutch.
Household sizes in the area are larger than the Vancouver average but smaller than the GVRD average. There are more married families in this area than the City or GVRD average. There are significantly more homeowners than the Vancouver or the GVRD average, with more single-family homes than townhouses or apartments. Point Grey enjoys a stable residential base, with a lower percentage of movers in the past five years than in the rest of Vancouver. Reflecting their more mature age and higher education levels, Point Grey exhibits significantly higher household incomes than the Vancouver or GVRD average. Point Grey residents tend more toward employment in education, management, business as well as sales and service related industries. 1. For the purposes of this report, the Point Grey residential catchment area is defined as Blanca (west), 16th (south), Alma (east) and the waterline (north). About the BIAPoint Grey Village is a relatively small Business Improvement Area (BIA). Its boundaries include the three blocks between Tolmie and Discovery on West 10th near the UBC Gates, comprising 184 businesses and approximately 1,200 employees. Its primary residential base is the area between Blanca & Alma which comprises almost 12,000 residents. This report provides an overview of the Point Grey neighbourhood market, focusing primarily on population, household and spending statistics.2 The Point Grey Village Commercial Area Profile focuses on key market information including zoning and development potential as well as business and employee mix. 2. Unless otherwise stated, statistics used in this report come from Statistics Canada’s 2001 Census data. Census data is copyrighted material and any reproduction without prior approval is prohibited. Fast Facts BIA size: 3 city blocks; residential area size: 4 sq. km catchment area 12,000 resident and a daytime employee base of over 3,300 within the BIA Population density per sq. km: 30, compared with 48 for Vancouver and 7 for the GVRD Average household size: 2.5 people, compared with 2.3 for Vancouver and 2.6 for the GVRD Average household income: $105,404 compared with $64,889 for Vancouver and and $68,853 for the GVRD Average house price: $969,406, significantly greater than average for Vancouver Dominant languages: English, Chinese, German, Greek, Japanese and Dutch, significantly lower incidence of Chinese and Punjabi than average for the City. 16% of residents have moved within the past year, primarily from elsewhere in the city (8%), as compared with 20% for Vancouver and 16% for the GVRD. New Canadians: 4% international migrants in the past year, 3% for Vancouver and 2% for the GVRD; 7% international migrants in the past 5 years, which is lower than the City of Vancouver average of 11% and the GVRD average of 9%.
Physical Profile The Point Grey Village BIA is located at the western edge of the City of Vancouver, approximately 6.5 kilometres from City Hall and 6 kilometres from downtown.3 A firehall is located two blocks south of the BIA at 4396 W 12th Avenue. The Point Grey Village BIA is a small retail/commercial strip along West 10th Avenue, and is compromised solely of commercial zoning (C-2). 3. Source: City of Vancouver VanMap. Heritage and CultureThe Point Grey Village BIA is home to two heritage sites as listed on the Vancouver Heritage Register (4406-4412 W 10th Avenue and 2590 Trimble Street). Several others, primarily residences are in close proximity. RecreationThe West Point Grey Library is located within the BIA at 4480 W 10th. The West Point Grey Park is within walking distance four blocks north of the BIA. The West Point Grey Community Centre is nine blocks north of the BIA. EducationQueen Mary Elementary School is located four blocks north of the BIA on 2000 Trimble. Lord Byng Secondary School is within walking distance at 3939 West 16th. TransportationWith plenty of street parking, the Point Grey Village BIA is easily accessible by vehicle. The BIA is also well served by frequent transit service along the #7–Nanaimo Station/Dunbar route, the #9–Boundary Loop/Broadway Station/Granville/Alma/UBC route and the #17–Oak/Downtown/UBC route. Night service routes between Downtown/UBC and Downtown/Dunbar also operate along 10th and Alma. The 99-B Line (Broadway Station/UBC) provides convenient service to Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver Community College and the Skytrain Expo and Millennium Lines. The Off-Broadway Bikeway runs east-west along West 8th one block north of the centre of the BIA, while the Ridgeway Bikeway/Greenway runs north-south along Discovery at the east end of the BIA. Key Population Indicators PopulationWith a total population of 11,816 the Point Grey neighbourhood is comprised of 48% men and 52% women, approximately typical for the City of Vancouver.4 The age profile of Point Grey area residents is slightly older than the Vancouver and the GVRD average, as illustrated in Figure 2. The average age for Point Grey residents is 39.3 years as compared with 38.4 for Vancouver and 37.1 for the GVRD. The dominant age range in Point Grey is 45-54 years. Reflecting limited housing growth, the area saw negligible population growth between 2001 and 2005, as compared with 3% for the Vancouver average and 5% for the GVRD average. 
4. Population base includes all residents within catchment area of Blanca, 16th, Alma and the waterline. Ethnic Origin Ethnic origin refers to the culture or ethnic roots with which residents identify themselves. In Point Grey, the top 5 ethnic origins in order are English, Scottish, Canadian, Irish and Chinese. 
While these are also the top 5 origins for Vancouver and the GVRD, Point Grey has more residents of English and Scottish heritage and fewer of Chinese heritage. Figure 3 illustrates key differences between Point Grey residents’ ethnic origin as compared with the average for Vancouver and the GVRD. As illustrated, Point Grey’s strong British heritage is significantly higher than the Vancouver or GVRD averages. Point Grey also exhibits significantly more Canadian and eastern European ancestry as well as significantly less Chinese ancestry than either Vancouver or the GVRD. The Point Grey population base is more stable than average for the City and the region. 1% of Point Grey residents have moved in the past year as compared with 20% for Vancouver and 16% for the GVRD. Most have moved from elsewhere in the City (8%). About 7% of Point Grey residents are new Canadians, having immigrated in the past five years (4% in the past year). This is lower than the City (11%) and GVRD (9%) average. Spoken Languages As with other residents of Vancouver and the GVRD, English is the dominant language. However, Point Grey exhibits differences in non-official spoken languages with more than average German, Greek, Japanese and Dutch and less Chinese than the Vancouver average illustrated in Figure 4. 
Level of Education Point Grey residents tend to have significantly higher education levels than City or regional averages. 89% of people 20 years and older have some form of post-secondary education, as compared with 68% of Vancouver and 66% of GVRD residents. The population aged 15-24 is more likely than their City and regional counterparts to be attending school particularly on a full-time basis as Figure 5 illustrates. 
Household Income Reflecting their more mature age and significantly higher education levels, Point Grey residents exhibit significantly higher household income levels than their city or regional counterparts, as Figure 6 illustrates. Average 2001 household income levels in Point Grey were $105,404 as compared with $57,916 for Vancouver and $63,003 for the GVRD. Projected 2005 income levels are $117,108. 
Comparisons between Point Grey and the rest of the region are summarized in Figure 7. 
OccupationReflecting their higher education levels, a high percentage of Point Grey residents are in the labour force. 67% of the population 15-years of age and over is in the labour force, which is slightly higher than the average in Vancouver (65%) and the GVRD (66%). The employment rate is also higher compared to Vancouver and the GVRD; the unemployment rate is slightly lower at 4% (as compared with 5% for both the City and GVRD). Point Grey residents are employed in significantly more social science, education, government and religion as well as management positions than the City or GVRD. Significantly fewer are employed in business/finance/administrative, and sales and service positions. As illustrated in Figure 8, Point Grey residents are also more likely than their regional counterparts to be employed in natural and applied science, health and art/culture/recreation/sport positions. The top 5 occupations for Point Grey residents are: 
Family StructurePoint Grey is home to 4,783 households. Of these, 3,173 or 66% are families,5 significantly higher than the Vancouver average (57%) but lower than the GVRD average (71%). Point Grey households with families reflect Vancouver and GVRD averages for size and number of children as Figure 9 illustrates. 
Point Grey is also home to higher than average proportion of married families and a correspondingly smaller percentage of lone-parent families, as illustrated in Figure 10. 
5. 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 ProfileStructural Mix The dominant dwelling type in the Point Grey area is single-family homes. Point Grey has a greater percentage (58%) of this type of housing as compared with the Vancouver average (28%) and the GVRD average (43%). 41% of Point Grey dwelling units are apartments, significantly lower than the Vancouver average of 56% but higher than the GVRD average of 37%. Figure 11 illustrates. Almost all of Point Grey’s apartments are less than five storeys. 
With primarily RS-1 (single family) zoning, densification opportunities are limited. However there exists some RM-3 (multiple dwelling), CD-1 (comprehensive) and C-2 (commercial with appropriate residential) zoning within and adjacent to the BIA that provide some potential for increased density as market forces dictate. One example of this opportunity is the highly successful commercial/residential development Point Grey Place at 4597 West 10th Avenue, built in 1995, which includes 7 stories of residential and ground floor commercial. More recent examples are the former Varsity Theatre site at 10th and Sasamat that is being redeveloped as a stylish 3-storey commercial/residential building as well as Sasamat Gardens at 4400 West 9th, where former single-family zoning has been rezoned to a 42 unit high-end strata residential development. TenureIn keeping with this housing mix, 64% of Point Grey residents own their own homes, which is much higher than the Vancouver average of 44% and the GVRD average of 61%. There is no non-market housing within or near the Point Grey Village BIA. Age of Housing Stock Reflecting its more established roots, the housing in the Point Grey area is significantly older than the city or GVRD average. As Figure 12 illustrates, a significantly greater proportion of dwelling units in Point Grey were constructed pre-1946. 
Housing Prices Housing prices in the Point Grey residential area are significantly higher than that of the rest of Vancouver and GVRD.7 The 2005 average price for a detached house in Point Grey was $969,406 as compared with $522,979 in Vancouver and $567,417 in the GVRD. However, the one-year average increase in Point Grey was less than 4% as compared with 22% for Vancouver and 19% for the GVRD. Reflecting the low number of semi-detached and apartment units in Point Grey, comparable prices for these types of dwellings are not available for this area.
7. Housing price information courtesy of the Real Estate Board of Vancouver. Spending PatternsReflecting their higher education levels and household income levels, Point Grey households spend more per year than the average Vancouver and GVRD household. In 2005, Point Grey households averaged $105,844 in household spending as compared with $62,536 for City of Vancouver and $65,917 for GVRD households. On a percentage basis Point Grey residents spend more on taxes than the Vancouver and GVRD averages, and correspondingly less on health and personal care, transportation, shelter and food as Figure 13 illustrates. 
Conclusions Commercial businesses catering to affluent, ethnically diverse, highly educated professionals in primarily single-family households will find a solid market base in the Point Grey Village BIA. The BIA’s C-2 zoning, which provides for a wide range of goods and services to be marketed in a central location to the surrounding neighbourhood, offers plenty of potential for business in this area. The BIA is also close to the growing University of British Columbia residential area, with significant opportunity for businesses to capitalize on this expanding market segment.
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