Can I buy a unit at Sen̓áḵw?

No. Sen̓áḵw is being built as 100% rental — there is no condo / strata component, and individual units are not for sale. The land underneath is Squamish Nation reserve land held in federal jurisdiction; the project is structured to keep the rental stock and the underlying land economics with the Squamish Nation as a long-term, multi-generation revenue source rather than monetised once through condo sales. If you are searching for a Vancouver West Side condo to buy, Sen̓áḵw is not the right project — Kitsilano, Fairview, or False Creek strata buildings nearby are. If your search is rental, Sen̓áḵw will be one of the largest single concentrations of new-build rental supply Vancouver has ever delivered.

How does Squamish Nation reserve-land tenure work?

Sen̓áḵw sits on Squamish Nation reserve land — federal jurisdiction under the Indian Act framework, not provincial / municipal land. The legal instrument the Squamish Nation uses to develop reserve land for residential / commercial purposes is typically a long-term lease or designated-lands arrangement; for a 100%-rental project, that means the building is owned via the Nation's development partnership and units are leased to tenants under standard residential tenancy. For tenants, the practical day-to-day experience is residential tenancy under BC's Residential Tenancy Act framework — but the macro-level structure (federal jurisdiction, no Vancouver zoning bylaw application, no condo strata) is unique. Verify any tenancy-specific question against the operator's lease and current published terms.

When does the first phase deliver?

Construction has been underway since 2022. Initial phase occupancy is publicly cited as starting from approximately 2026 onward, with subsequent phases delivered over the following years across the ~6,000+ unit, 11-tower programme. Phase dates have shifted modestly across press cycles, so confirm the live delivery window via senakw.com or the Squamish Nation's published updates before making any move-in plans. The full build-out is multi-year — this is not a single-delivery project.

Is Sen̓áḵw inside the Vancouver School Board catchment?

Sen̓áḵw is on Squamish Nation reserve land — federal jurisdiction, not under Vancouver's municipal zoning. School-catchment treatment is a separate question handled by the Vancouver School Board (VSB / SD 39) under its enrolment policy: VSB accepts students based on residence, and residents of Sen̓áḵw will have the same access to VSB schools that other Vancouver residents do, with the specific catchment determined by the unit's address through the standard VSB myschoolfinder process. The federal-jurisdiction status of the underlying land does not block VSB enrolment for residents living there. Confirm the catchment per address via myschoolfinder.vsb.bc.ca once unit addresses are published.

Who is the development partner on Sen̓áḵw?

The Squamish Nation is the owner and lead partner. Westbank is the development partner — a publicly identified Vancouver-based developer working alongside the Squamish Nation on planning, construction, and delivery of the build-out. Confirm the current ownership / operator structure of any specific tower against senakw.com and Westbank's own published material.

Where exactly is the site?

At the south end of the Burrard Bridge in the Kitsilano / Vanier Park area of Vancouver — a roughly 10.5-acre site on the south shore of False Creek's western entrance. The location places residents within walking distance of Vanier Park, the Kitsilano waterfront, and the Burrard Bridge crossing into downtown / West End. It is the urban-core real estate that the 1913 displacement removed from the Squamish Nation — the geography is a meaningful part of the project's significance.

Development landing — Vancouver, Squamish Nation reserve land

Sen̓áḵw (Vancouver) — Squamish Nation Rental Development Buyer + Renter Guide

Last reviewed May 10, 2026 by Bronson Job PREC, REALTOR®Sources: Squamish Nation (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw), Westbank, senakw.com, BC Residential Tenancy Branch, Government of Canada — Indian Act / Indigenous Services CanadaCC BY 4.0How we verify

Sen̓áḵw is the largest Indigenous-led residential development project in Canadian history — approximately 6,000+ rental units across 11 high-rise towers on roughly 10.5 acres of Squamish Nation reserve land at the south end of the Burrard Bridge, in the Kitsilano / Vanier Park area of Vancouver. The project is being built by the Squamish Nation (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw) in partnership with Westbank, on land that was a Squamish village before the Province forcibly displaced its residents in 1913 and that was returned to the Nation by a 2002 federal court decision. The tenure is 100% rental — there is no condo / strata component, and the underlying land is in federal jurisdiction, not subject to the City of Vancouver’s zoning bylaws. Companion to the Kitsilano pillar and the Vancouver Special & cultural-housing pillar.

A note on spelling. The canonical Squamish-language name of the place is rendered Sen̓áḵw, with diacritics that mark Squamish phonology not present in standard English orthography (an n-with-comma-below, an acute accent on the “a”, and an under-dot k). Display copy on this page uses the diacritic spelling. URLs, route identifiers, and code-level slugs use the ASCII fallback Senakw because path-segment Unicode handling is brittle across crawlers, link unfurlers, and analytics systems — the Squamish Nation itself uses both forms in different contexts.

The defendable opinion

The single most-misunderstood fact about Sen̓áḵw — among buyer searchers, renter searchers, and journalists alike — is the tenure. Most Vancouver West Side new-construction projects of comparable visibility are condominiums, and reflexively get filed under “places I might buy”. Sen̓áḵw is not. It is a 100%-rental, multi-generation, Squamish-Nation-owned revenue project on land that exists outside Vancouver’s zoning regime. If your search is to buy, Sen̓áḵw is not your project. If your search is to rent, Sen̓áḵw will be one of the largest single concentrations of new-build rental supply Vancouver has ever delivered — with a unique tenancy and ownership backstory. Pricing the project as if it were a condo is the most common error; pricing it for what it actually is starts with that distinction.

Project at a glance

Owner / lead partner: Squamish Nation (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw)
Development partner: Westbank
Site: ~10.5 acres, south end of Burrard Bridge, Kitsilano / Vanier Park area
Land tenure: Squamish Nation reserve land — federal jurisdiction
Programme (publicly cited): ~6,000+ rental units across 11 high-rise towers
Tenure: 100% rental — no condo / strata
Construction: Underway since 2022
First phase delivery: ~2026 onward, phased build-out
Distinction: Largest Indigenous-led residential development project in Canadian history
Vancouver zoning: Not applicable — site is in federal jurisdiction

Historical context — 1913, 2002, 2019

Sen̓áḵw was a Squamish village. In 1913, the Province of British Columbia forcibly displaced the Squamish residents from the village, evicting them from the land at the urban-core entrance of False Creek — some of the most strategically valuable real estate on the BC south coast. The Squamish Nation pursued legal recovery for decades. In 2002, a federal court decision confirmed the return of the land to the Squamish Nation. In 2019, Squamish Nation members voted to approve the residential development of the returned reserve land in partnership with Westbank, which became the present Sen̓áḵw project.

The 2019 vote is the pivot point most contemporaneous Vancouver press coverage anchors on, but the 1913 – 2002 arc is the deeper story. A century after the displacement, the land returned. Two decades after that, the Nation chose its own development plan for it. The towers going up at the south end of the Burrard Bridge are the visible end-state of a recovery that began with a court file decades before any crane was ordered.

Tenure — rental-only, and what that means for your search

Sen̓áḵw is being delivered as 100% rental tenure. There is no condo / strata component, no presale, no individual unit ownership. The Squamish Nation retains the long-term economic interest in the underlying land and the rental stock through its development partnership; tenants occupy units under residential tenancies governed by BC’s Residential Tenancy Act framework.

If your search is to buy. Sen̓áḵw is not the right project. The closest comparable Vancouver West Side condo-buy markets are Kitsilano, Fairview / Mount Pleasant, and the False Creek / Olympic Village stratas across the inlet — all of which are conventional condominium buy markets with strata title and freehold ownership.

If your search is to rent. Sen̓áḵw will be one of the largest single concentrations of new-build rental supply Vancouver has ever delivered. The macro-effect on Kitsilano-area rental pricing, vacancy, and lease availability is likely to be material as phases come online. Renters considering Sen̓áḵw should treat the day-to-day tenancy experience as a standard BC residential tenancy — rent, deposit, notice, and renewal rules under the RTA — while understanding that the macro-level building / land structure is unlike most Vancouver rental projects.

Federal jurisdiction — why Vancouver zoning does not apply

Sen̓áḵw sits on Squamish Nation reserve land. Reserve land in Canada is held under the federal Indian Act framework and sits in federal jurisdiction — constitutionally outside provincial / municipal land-use authority. The City of Vancouver’s zoning, density, and design bylaws apply to land within the City’s jurisdiction; they do not apply to land that is constitutionally outside it. The Squamish Nation passes its own land-use rules for the site.

This is the legal mechanic that allows Sen̓áḵw’s density — ~6,000+ units across 11 high-rise towers on ~10.5 acres — to substantially exceed what Vancouver’s zoning would otherwise permit on adjacent off-reserve parcels. The arrangement is not a regulatory loophole; it is the constitutional position of reserve land in Canadian federalism, applied to a site that has been Squamish land in fact even when it was not Squamish land in colonial law. Buyers and renters comparing Sen̓áḵw to other Kitsilano-area projects should price the comparison knowing the two sit in different legal regimes.

Phasing — the publicly cited build-out

Construction has been underway since 2022, with phased deliveries publicly cited from approximately 2026 onward. Phase counts and unit / tower mixes have shifted modestly across press cycles — the original 2019 announcement and the later refreshed programme cite different totals. The figures below track the publicly cited build-out at time of writing; confirm against senakw.com and the Squamish Nation’s published updates for the live numbers.

Phase 1
Initial towers fronting the south end of the Burrard Bridge — first occupancy phased from approximately 2026 onward per publicly cited Westbank + Squamish Nation timelines. Verify the live delivery window before signing any lease.
Phase 2
Subsequent towers extending north and east on the ~10.5-acre site. Construction is staged; phase delivery dates have shifted across press cycles. Confirm the current schedule against senakw.com.
Phase 3 + later
Final towers in the ~6,000+ unit, 11-tower programme. Build-out is multi-year; the project is the largest Indigenous-led residential development in Canadian history and is intended as a long-term, multi-generation Squamish Nation revenue stream rather than a one-shot delivery.

Surrounding neighbourhood — Kitsilano + Vanier Park

The site sits at the south end of the Burrard Bridge, where the bridge meets the Kitsilano / Vanier Park shoreline. Vanier Park is immediately adjacent — the home of the Vancouver Maritime Museum, the Museum of Vancouver, and the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, with a contiguous shoreline path that runs west to Kitsilano Beach and east toward Granville Island. Kitsilano proper — the West 4th Avenue spine, the Kitsilano Beach swimming area, and the W Broadway / Granville Island access — is the residential context immediately south and west of the site (see the Kitsilano pillar). The Burrard Bridge crossing places downtown Vancouver and the West End within walking distance of the north end of the bridge.

School catchments — how it works on reserve land

Sen̓áḵw’s federal-jurisdiction status applies to the land’s zoning and development regime — not to the public-school enrolment pathway for residents living there. The Vancouver School Board (VSB / SD 39) accepts students based on residence, and residents of Sen̓áḵw will have the same VSB access as other Vancouver residents. The specific catchment for any address is determined through the standard VSB myschoolfinder process at myschoolfinder.vsb.bc.ca once unit addresses are published. Renters with school-age children should confirm the catchment per address rather than assuming based on the broader Kitsilano grid.

Frequently asked questions

Can I buy a unit at Sen̓áḵw?
No. Sen̓áḵw is being built as 100% rental — there is no condo / strata component, and individual units are not for sale. The land underneath is Squamish Nation reserve land held in federal jurisdiction; the project is structured to keep the rental stock and the underlying land economics with the Squamish Nation as a long-term, multi-generation revenue source rather than monetised once through condo sales. If you are searching for a Vancouver West Side condo to buy, Sen̓áḵw is not the right project — Kitsilano, Fairview, or False Creek strata buildings nearby are. If your search is rental, Sen̓áḵw will be one of the largest single concentrations of new-build rental supply Vancouver has ever delivered.
How does Squamish Nation reserve-land tenure work?
Sen̓áḵw sits on Squamish Nation reserve land — federal jurisdiction under the Indian Act framework, not provincial / municipal land. The legal instrument the Squamish Nation uses to develop reserve land for residential / commercial purposes is typically a long-term lease or designated-lands arrangement; for a 100%-rental project, that means the building is owned via the Nation's development partnership and units are leased to tenants under standard residential tenancy. For tenants, the practical day-to-day experience is residential tenancy under BC's Residential Tenancy Act framework — but the macro-level structure (federal jurisdiction, no Vancouver zoning bylaw application, no condo strata) is unique. Verify any tenancy-specific question against the operator's lease and current published terms.
When does the first phase deliver?
Construction has been underway since 2022. Initial phase occupancy is publicly cited as starting from approximately 2026 onward, with subsequent phases delivered over the following years across the ~6,000+ unit, 11-tower programme. Phase dates have shifted modestly across press cycles, so confirm the live delivery window via senakw.com or the Squamish Nation's published updates before making any move-in plans. The full build-out is multi-year — this is not a single-delivery project.
Is Sen̓áḵw inside the Vancouver School Board catchment?
Sen̓áḵw is on Squamish Nation reserve land — federal jurisdiction, not under Vancouver's municipal zoning. School-catchment treatment is a separate question handled by the Vancouver School Board (VSB / SD 39) under its enrolment policy: VSB accepts students based on residence, and residents of Sen̓áḵw will have the same access to VSB schools that other Vancouver residents do, with the specific catchment determined by the unit's address through the standard VSB myschoolfinder process. The federal-jurisdiction status of the underlying land does not block VSB enrolment for residents living there. Confirm the catchment per address via myschoolfinder.vsb.bc.ca once unit addresses are published.
Why is Sen̓áḵw not subject to Vancouver zoning bylaws?
Because the land is Squamish Nation reserve land in federal jurisdiction. Reserve land is held under the federal Indian Act framework rather than the Province of British Columbia's land regime, and the City of Vancouver's zoning, density, and design bylaws apply to land within the City's jurisdiction — not to land that is constitutionally outside it. The Squamish Nation passes its own land-use rules for the site. This is the legal mechanic that allows Sen̓áḵw's density (~6,000+ units across 11 high-rise towers on ~10.5 acres) to substantially exceed what Vancouver's zoning would otherwise permit on adjacent off-reserve parcels. The arrangement is not a regulatory loophole — it is the constitutional position of reserve land in Canadian federalism, applied to a site that has been Squamish land in fact even when it was not Squamish land in colonial law.
What is the historical context of the Sen̓áḵw site?
Sen̓áḵw was a Squamish village. In 1913, the Province of British Columbia forcibly displaced the Squamish residents from the village, evicting them from the land. The Squamish Nation pursued legal recovery for decades; in 2002, a federal court decision confirmed the return of the land to the Squamish Nation. In 2019, Squamish Nation members voted to approve the residential development of the returned reserve land, leading to the current Sen̓áḵw project in partnership with Westbank. The development is therefore not just a residential project — it is the largest Indigenous-led residential development in Canadian history on land that was taken from the Squamish Nation in 1913 and returned a century later.
Who is the development partner on Sen̓áḵw?
The Squamish Nation is the owner and lead partner. Westbank is the development partner — a publicly identified Vancouver-based developer working alongside the Squamish Nation on planning, construction, and delivery of the build-out. Confirm the current ownership / operator structure of any specific tower against senakw.com and Westbank's own published material.
Where exactly is the site?
At the south end of the Burrard Bridge in the Kitsilano / Vanier Park area of Vancouver — a roughly 10.5-acre site on the south shore of False Creek's western entrance. The location places residents within walking distance of Vanier Park, the Kitsilano waterfront, and the Burrard Bridge crossing into downtown / West End. It is the urban-core real estate that the 1913 displacement removed from the Squamish Nation — the geography is a meaningful part of the project's significance.