Image: City of Abbotsford / Renderings of a proposed six-storey mixed use development proposed for 3474 Gladwin Road, home to Gladwin Heights United Church in Abbotsford, that could feature up to 68 units of low-income senior housing.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Zoning amendment

Abbotsford council OK’s amendment that could see low-income senior housing at Abbotsford church

Jun 26, 2025 | 9:22 AM

ABBOTSFORD — Abbotsford City Council has approved an amendment to its Official Community Plan that will enable residential uses like non-market housing to be built on land belonging to places of worship with the institutional designation.

According to a social media post from Abbotsford Councillor Dave Loewen, Abbotsford councillors approved an amendment to the city’s OCP that could pave the way for Gladwin Heights United Church at 3474 Gladwin Road to build a six-storey building containing religious assembly space, a child care centre, 12 beds of congregate care and up to 68 units of low-income housing for seniors.

Councillor Loewen said the OCP amendment will apply to any property belonging to a house of worship within its Urban Development Boundary designated as institutional.

The applicant behind the OCP amendment, the trustees of Gladwin Heights Pastoral Charge of the United Church of Canada, seeks to have space for religious worship for the United Church and First Methodist on the first floor.

Location of mixed-use building, 3474 Gladwin Road, in Abbotsford.

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A child care centre featuring pre-school, day care and before and after school care would also be on the first floor of the facility.

The second floor would feature 12 beds operated by the MSA Society for Community Living.

The third, fourth, fifth and sixth floors would feature non-market housing, including rental units for low-income seniors, consisting of 64 one-bedroom units and four studio units.

“This is a first for Abbotsford and will likely not be the last, as the City has numerous faith communities occupying sizeable parcels of under-utilized land,” Councillor Loewen said. “This applicant is creating a template for others to duplicate, thus helping the City to meet provincial housing targets and provide much-needed social housing for our aging population.”