Willoughby is the south-of-Highway-1 growth zone of the Township of Langley. The Township-defined Neighbourhood Plan areas inside Willoughby are Yorkson, Routley, Latimer, Carvolth, Willoughby Slope (also called Williams), Smith, Jericho, Central Gordon, Southwest Gordon, and Northeast Gordon. Routley, for instance, is bounded by 68 Avenue (south), 196 Street (west), 200 Street (east), and ~73A Avenue (north). The original Willoughby Community Plan (Bylaw No. 3800, adopted 1998) governs current build-out; a draft new Willoughby Community Plan was issued September 2025 to consolidate Carvolth, Latimer, Jericho, Routley, and SW Gordon plans into a single Willoughby Transit Corridor Plan using Provincial Transit-Oriented Area densities along the 200 Street BRT.
This is one of the densest new-build neighbourhoods in the entire Lower Mainland. The major developers shaping the build-out: Polygon Homes (Red Maple Park, 172 townhouses, 2011; Mason & Green, 118 THs, 2014; Ashbury + Oak, 259 THs, 2016; Union Park condos); Vesta Properties (Latimer Heights master plan, 74 acres with 17 acres of greenspace, including The Towers at Latimer Heights at 8551 201 Street / 20065 85 Avenue — Langley's first concrete high-rise, twin towers, ~500 homes, completed 2024); Marcon (Athenry Gate at 8312 208 Street, 153 units completed 2013); Mosaic Homes (York by Mosaic at 8438/8476 207A Street); and Qualico Properties (Willoughby Town Centre at 80 Avenue & 208 Street — 181,029 sq ft, 763 stalls; tenants include Your Independent Grocer, Shoppers Drug Mart, RBC, G&F Financial, BC Liquor, plus restaurants An Indian Affair, BanChan Korean Bistro, Hi Five Chicken, and Mattu's coffee).
The big medium-term variable is the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension. The Province confirmed in January 2026 that in-service is targeted for late 2029 (pushed back from earlier 2028 estimates). The 16 km elevated guideway runs along Fraser Highway with 8 stations: Green Timbers, 152 St, Fleetwood, Bakerview-166 St, Hillcrest-184 St, Clayton, Willowbrook (NE corner 196 St & Fraser Hwy), and Langley City Centre (terminus at 203 St). Willowbrook Station sits at the southern edge of Willoughby and is the closest station for much of the neighbourhood. Construction is underway across all 8 stations as of H1 2026. Land-use along the 200 Street corridor is being repositioned through the Sept 2025 draft Willoughby Community Plan to use Transit-Oriented Area densities.
Recent Township council activity in Willoughby (2024–2026): Council approved (7-1) a Willoughby Community Plan amendment + townhouse rezoning at the 7000-block 204 Street and 20300-block 71A Avenue (40 units); preliminary approval (8-1) of a 6-storey 100-unit Carvolth apartment; 600+ unit and 334-unit Willoughby projects advanced through readings. Single-family rezonings were paused in Willoughby pending the broader plan update. Bill 44 / SSMUH (Bylaw 6020 adopted Nov 18, 2024) applies but the practical effect is more muted than in older established neighbourhoods because most Willoughby lots are already at or above the density that Bill 44 enables.
For schools, this is SD #35 (Langley). R.E. Mountain Secondary relocated to a new 160,000 sq ft facility (1,700-student capacity) at 7633 202A Street in September 2019 and is the only IB World School in SD #35 — Pre-IB Programme runs Grades 9–10, IB Diploma Programme runs Grades 11–12, open to all SD #35 residents by application. Other catchment-area schools include Yorkson Creek Middle, Peter Ewart Middle, Donna Gabriel Robins Elementary (opened 2021), Lynn Fripps Elementary (LEED Gold, opened 2012, 510 capacity, 6-classroom modular added 2024), and Richard Bulpitt Elementary (opened 2013, 510 capacity). Willoughby Elementary is being replaced under a February 2026 Township/SD #35 MOU — a replacement school is targeted to open ~fall 2028, after which the existing Willoughby Elementary site will host the long-promised Willoughby Community Centre.
Day-to-day amenities concentrate at Willoughby Town Centre. The community park network is significant: Yorkson Community Park (27.6 acres) has a turf field, splash park, dog park, adventure playground, and a 75-stall lot; Routley Park (8.2 acres at 19833 70 Avenue) has off-leash dog area, tennis/basketball, and a community garden; Northeast Latimer Park has full-size and junior soccer plus a wetland and playground adjacent to the new NE Latimer Elementary site. Carvolth Exchange at 202 Street and 86 Avenue (just north in Walnut Grove) anchors transit with the 555 Port Mann Express to Lougheed SkyTrain, plus connections to Surrey Central, Langley Centre, Maple Meadows Station, and the BC Transit 66 Fraser Valley Express.
Frequently Asked
- What's the difference between Willoughby and Walnut Grove?
- Both are Township of Langley neighbourhoods, but they sit on opposite sides of Highway 1. Willoughby is south of the highway and is largely post-2005 new construction — denser townhouses, smaller detached lots, modern layouts, with the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain at its southern edge. Walnut Grove is north of the highway and predominantly 1980s–2000s stock with larger lots and more established trees. Willoughby tends to attract newer-construction buyers and SkyTrain-adjacent investment positioning; Walnut Grove tends to attract buyers wanting an established feel with the Walnut Grove Secondary catchment (district's largest school).
- What are Yorkson, Routley, Latimer, Carvolth, and the other Willoughby sub-areas?
- They're Township-defined Neighbourhood Plan areas within Willoughby. Yorkson is in the north (around 208 Street and 80 Avenue). Routley is central — bounded by 68 Avenue, 196 Street, 200 Street, and ~73A Avenue. Latimer is the newer southeast section. Carvolth is the northern Highway 1 / 200 Street gateway. Willoughby Slope (also called Williams) is the southernmost portion. Smith, Jericho, Central Gordon, Southwest Gordon, and Northeast Gordon round out the plan areas. Each has its own pricing pattern based on age and proximity to amenities.
- What is R.E. Mountain Secondary and why does it matter?
- R.E. Mountain Secondary is SD #35's only IB World School. The school relocated to a new 160,000 sq ft facility (1,700-student capacity) at 7633 202A Street in September 2019. The Pre-IB Programme runs Grades 9–10 and the IB Diploma Programme runs Grades 11–12 — open to all SD #35 residents by application. R.E. Mountain originally opened in 1977 in adjacent Walnut Grove at 7755-202A Street; the IB program moved with the new building. For families prioritising IB, the school's catchment for Pre-IB and the application timing shape which Willoughby blocks make sense.
- How does the SkyTrain extension affect Willoughby?
- The Surrey-Langley extension runs along Fraser Highway south of Willoughby with planned stations at Willowbrook (NE corner 196 St & Fraser Hwy) and Langley City Centre (terminus at 203 St). The Province confirmed in January 2026 that in-service is now targeted for late 2029 (pushed back from earlier 2028 estimates). All 8 stations are under construction as of H1 2026. The southern edge of Willoughby is closest to Willowbrook Station, with much of the neighbourhood within bus-distance. The Township's draft new Willoughby Community Plan (September 2025) is repositioning the 200 Street corridor for Transit-Oriented Area densities.
- What's the typical price range for housing in Willoughby?
- Newer townhouses commonly sit in the $850K–1.3M range depending on size and age; newer detached homes typically transact in the $1.6–2.2M band; condos in the Town Centre core and at Latimer Heights fall in roughly the $500K–800K range, with the new high-rise Towers at Latimer Heights opening up larger units toward $1M+. Newer construction commands a premium over older stock. Benchmarks move with the market — current FVREB numbers can be pulled for the specific sub-area.
- How is the commute from Willoughby to downtown Vancouver?
- Currently, by car at peak, typically 60–80 minutes via Highway 1 from the 200 Street interchange. Transit means a bus to Carvolth Exchange (679-stall Park & Ride, opened Dec 1, 2012) then the 555 Port Mann Express to Lougheed SkyTrain (~21 min Carvolth → Lougheed). Once the SkyTrain extension opens (currently targeted late 2029), the rail option from Willowbrook or Langley City Centre to downtown becomes meaningfully more competitive — likely in the 60–70 minute range door-to-door for stations near each end.
- Who are the major builders shipping inventory in Willoughby?
- Polygon Homes (Red Maple Park 2011, Mason & Green 2014, Ashbury + Oak 2016, Union Park condos), Vesta Properties (Latimer Heights master plan including Langley's first concrete high-rise — Towers at Latimer Heights, twin towers ~500 homes, completed 2024), Mosaic Homes (York by Mosaic at 8438/8476 207A Street), Marcon (Athenry Gate at 8312 208 Street, 153 units 2013), and Qualico Properties (Willoughby Town Centre commercial, 181,029 sq ft, 763 stalls). Additional large projects (600+ units, 334 units) are advancing through Council readings.
- When will the Willoughby Community Centre open?
- Under a February 2026 Township/SD #35 MOU, the Willoughby Community Centre will be built on the existing Willoughby Elementary School site after a replacement school is built nearby. Replacement school construction is targeted around 2027 with opening ~fall 2028, after which community centre construction begins. So the practical opening is several years out. The original community centre design proved unaffordable in the 2026 budget cycle; the school-site repositioning is the current plan.
