In Vancouver, the presence of corner stores indicates diverse, dynamic, and affordable neighborhoods. But is the disappearance of such stores from neighborhoods across the city a sign that residential areas are becoming unbalanced?
Can an independent corner store still survive in Vancouver? And, if not, what does that imply about the state of the city's residential neighborhoods? These questions were the topic of a recent discussion led by Andy Yan, an urban planner for Bing Thom Architects.
"We might not give much thought to these oases in the urban desert, but their existence can improve a neighbourhood and raise property values," writes Kerry Gold. "Because they succeed best in areas with diverse incomes and urban density, they represent an equilibrium, the happy existence of a multi-layered community. There is a correlation between the corner store and affordable housing. They go together."
But in Vancouver, "corner stores are disappearing from neighbourhoods, with 82 per cent in non-residential areas," worrying planners, developers, and business owners alike.
“The corner store is a sign that things are in balance,” says Jake Fry, a director of non-profit Small Housing B.C. “There is something about income and the corner store and population — they have to be balanced properly. It really is the biggest telling thing of a dynamic neighbourhood. It’s like the canary in the coal mine.”
FULL STORY: Corner stores mean solid neighbourhoods

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

HSR Reaches Key Settlement in Northern California City
The state’s high-speed rail authority reached an agreement with Millbrae, a key city on the train’s proposed route to San Francisco.

Washington State Legislature Passes Parking Reform Bill
A bill that would limit parking requirements for new developments is headed to the governor’s desk.

Missouri Law Would Ban Protections for Housing Voucher Users
A state law seeks to overturn source-of-income discrimination bans passed by several Missouri cities.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Ada County Highway District
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service