From rooftop pools to yoga studios, condo developers across Canada are doubling down on amenities to stand out in a crowded market. But are buyers really choosing homes based on the extras?

Taylor Musseau, partner at MLA Okanagan, said amenities help round out the lifestyle pitch for Stober Group’s new two-building development in Kelowna, where she is handling sales and marketing.

The development dubbed Movala, in Kelowna’s sought-after South Pandosy area, includes nearly an acre of shared spaces. Residents will have access to a pool, hot tub, al fresco dining areas, gardens, a gym, yoga room, cabanas, a bocce ball lawn, games room, guest suite and an indoor “great room” designed for entertaining. 

“It’s tailored to four-seasons living here,” Musseau said.

The two-building project totals 325 homes, with the first now welcoming residents and the second set to be completed next year. Musseau said building one is nearly sold out.

An outdoor dining area at Movala (photo: Stober Group)

Beyond the amenities, Movala’s draw is rooted in a mix of design, price and location. 

The development sits near a popular Okanagan beach. One-bedrooms start in the mid-$400,000s, while two-bed, two-bath homes are priced around $580,000, figures Musseau describes as “good value” for comparable constructions in the area.

She said the extra amenities haven’t added a lot of extra expense for residents because the costs are spread out amongst so many homeowners, noting fees come in at just under 50 cents a square foot.

After an initial marketing push targeting empty nesters and downsizers, the team has shifted its focus to younger buyers and families. 

“We’re looking more at young professionals, young couples, people who want to live here full-time,” she said.

Can buyers have it all right now?

Condo buyers in Vancouver are sitting in a strong position, said Adil Dinani of Royal LePage West Real Estate Services. 

“We’re in a buyer’s market for most segments right now, especially condominiums,” he said. “Buyers have selection and they have time. It’s a very unique time in the market. We haven’t seen the stars align like this since pre-COVID.”

With roughly 17,000 active listings in Greater Vancouver, and about 40 per cent of them condos, buyers can afford to be choosy.

Price and location still drive decisions, Dinani said, but amenities are becoming a bigger part of the conversation.

“The amenity offering is important,” he notes, pointing to demand from active baby boomers looking for fitness facilities, pools and saunas in their buildings.

But while the lifestyle features attract attention, they also come with higher costs. “You might have a 1,200-square-foot two-bedroom and your maintenance fees could be almost 80 or 90 cents per square foot,” he said, which would total about $900 a month.

He adds that while some residents love the idea of a saltwater pool or concierge, he has learned that not everyone capitalizes on the amenities in their buildings after they move in.

Sometimes, it’s simple things like air conditioning that drive demand, he said.

“A lot of older buildings, even those built as recently as 2015, don’t have A/C,” Dinani said. “Now it’s near the top of buyers’ lists.”

Community as an offering

Jeff Brown, executive vice president of NorthStar Development, is behind an up-and-coming project in his hometown of Port Coquitlam.

NorthStar took the project over from a previous developer who had completed the basement level, and has redesigned the building to match today’s market demands, said Brown.

Wellness and social living is at the heart of the concept for the 102-unit project called Livy.

“The desire for community is something that’s been growing, particularly post-2020, when we were all isolated,” said Brown. “There’s a growing expectation, we feel, for a curated lifestyle, which offers wellness and shared spaces that foster connection and could lead you to meet your neighbours.”

The vision for the golf simulator at Livy.

Livy’s design features more than 10,000 square feet of amenities, including an expansive rooftop space, a virtual golf simulator and high-tech wellness areas. Among the most alluring features is a Nordic-style spa with hot and cold plunges.

He said their target is first-time buyers. Junior one-bedroom units are priced at $389,000 and range up to $739,900 for two-bedroom plus den units, according to Livy’s website.

Brown said an expertly-drafted design helped offset the costs of the “extras” for residents. The spa, he said, adds an extra six cents a month to the average condo fee.

“We were able to put our heads together and execute without spending frivolously,” he said. “There’s a bit of an art to it.”

Courtney Zwicker

Courtney Zwicker is a digital reporter and associate editor for REM. Based in Atlantic Canada, she has over a decade of experience covering daily business news.

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Homes once used for drug production pose serious health and safety risks. From the contamination and structural damage caused by clandestine labs to the electrical bypassing and mold risk of grow-ops, the risks are significant and varied. These properties also endanger not only owners or potential renters, but also first responders, inspectors, Realtors, and tradespeople. 

Yet, despite the severity of these risks, there’s a patchwork of municipal bylaws here in British Columbia to govern the remediation and reintroduction of these properties to the market. 

University study outlines the risk

The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) has long advocated for a more unified approach to drug home remediation. As each municipality across the province currently has its own varying remediation processes, there are significant differences in methodology. This not only increases the risk for potential buyers, but it also contributes to the challenges they face in sourcing lenders and insurers. 

In 2017, BCREA commissioned a report from the Centre for Public Safety and Criminal Justice Research at the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) that underscored the fragmented nature of local policies and processes. That report called for a provincial framework to replace the inconsistent and often inadequate regulations found in municipal bylaws. 

Last year, we followed up with a second UFV study, which reviewed bylaws from 20 municipalities and districts and included interviews with 14 experts and stakeholders. The findings reinforced concern that the current system leaves too much to chance and identified significant gaps due to lack of standardization and differing municipal resources and approaches. 

Some municipalities require certification for remediation contractors; others don’t. Some mandate disclosure of a property’s drug-related history; others don’t. These inconsistencies erode public trust and create confusion for buyers, lenders, and Realtors navigating transactions involving these homes. 

Four-step designation recommended

The health risks are not theoretical. Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids can leave behind toxic residues that are hazardous even in trace amounts. Other immediate safety hazards include modified electrical systems as well as mold or other contaminants, depending on the type of former drug operation. Without clear, enforceable standards, there’s no guarantee a remediated home is truly safe. As a province, British Columbia could be doing better. 

The initial UFV report commissioned by BCREA recommended a standardized four-step process of provincial scope. The four steps include: 

• Inspection #1; 

• Remediation;

• Inspection #2; and 

• Designation

This standardized process would create a more reliable system of remediation and certification to provide stronger protections for buyers, and a stronger degree of assurance for financial institutions and insurers to verify that remediation has been done properly.

Call to action

BCREA is calling on the provincial government to adopt four key reforms:

• First, establish enforceable provincial health and safety standards under the Public Health Act to define safe levels of contaminant exposure.

• Second, require licensing and training for remediation professionals and home inspectors, overseen by WorkSafeBC.

• Third, implement a province-wide, standardized process of remediation.

• And, finally, develop a centralized, publicly accessible registry of inspection and remediation records.

These recommendations are not radical. They’re practical, evidence-based, and backed by a growing coalition of industry professionals, public health experts, and law enforcement. Groups like the Canadian Mortgage Brokers Association – British Columbia, the Appraisal Institute of Canada – British Columbia, and the Mortgage and Title Insurance Industry Association of Canada have joined the call to action.

We understand that stigma is a concern. Homes once used for drug production can face diminished value and buyer hesitation. Stronger, standardized processes of remediation will increase public trust, and make it easier for prospective buyers to access lending and insurance. 

The real estate sector is ready to do its part. Now it’s time for provincial leadership to do the same. We need to move past the patchwork and create a consistent system that protects buyers, sellers, Realtors, and communities alike. 

Bottom line

Once B.C. implements its standard, it could serve as a blueprint for other provinces to follow. Ontario, for example, also currently operates under a fragmented framework. 

The reality is that drug production is an issue in communities across the country. The implications and outcomes of this for the real estate sector could be far better, more comprehensively handled. In the end, this would better protect communities. 

With new and dangerous substances entering the country, a coordinated and consistent approach to drug home remediation is no longer optional. It’s essential.

The time for action isn’t someday. It’s now.

Jasroop Gosal

Jasroop Gosal is the Government Relations Manager at the BC Real Estate Association (BCREA). Before joining BCREA, he was the Spokesperson and Policy & Research Manager at the Surrey Board of Trade, where he advanced initiatives related to housing, infrastructure, and economic development. Jasroop brings a background in nonprofit leadership and business advocacy, with a focus on building cross-sector partnerships and driving local impact. He has also worked on strategic campaigns at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels, and is passionate about community-building, public policy, and empowering inclusive economic growth across British Columbia.

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