VANCOUVER, B.C. — Vancouver City Council has unanimously passed a landmark motion brought forward by Councillor Pete Fry to protect the Champlain Heights Forest Trail Network, ensuring this cherished greenspace is safeguarded for future generations and local residents.

The motion, Protecting the Champlain Heights Forest Trail Network for Future Generations and Residents, directs City staff to report back on options for protecting the trail system, including designating the trails as official parkland under the Vancouver Charter, examining alternatives for long-term preservation, and strengthening support for community stewardship efforts.

Located in Vancouver’s southeast, the Champlain Heights trail network winds through forested streets and rights-of-way, including paths like Birch, Fir, Orange Dogwood, Grey Gum, Blue Elderberry, Black Cottonwood, and Red Alder Trails. This green corridor offers vital ecological and community benefits: providing habitat, mitigating urban heat and stormwater, enhancing air quality, and offering quiet, natural spaces for physical and mental wellbeing in a part of the city with relatively limited tree canopy.

For decades, this landscape has existed in a kind of planning limbo: managed by the city’s engineering and park departments but not formally recognized as a park. As a result, it has had no formal protection and remained vulnerable to future development. Councillor Fry’s motion responds to community concerns that densification and upcoming planning initiatives could otherwise jeopardize this treasured forest network.

“Champlain Heights’ trails are an irreplaceable part of this neighbourhood’s character and a rare ecological gem within the city,” said Councillor Fry. “This motion helps ensure that as Vancouver grows, we hold space for nature right where people live, walk, and play.”

Strong Community Support

The motion was shaped and supported by months of community advocacy, including outreach and stewardship by local non-profit Free the Fern Stewardship Society and residents. Free the Fern volunteers have helped maintain the network with thousands of hours of invasive species removal and native plantings, underscoring not just the environmental value of the trails but their social and community importance.

On October 8th, a delegation of community leaders—including Indigenous representatives, health professionals, and local residents—spoke passionately at City Hall in support of the motion. Their testimonies highlighted the cultural, ecological, and health benefits the trails provide to Vancouverites.

Next Steps

With Council’s unanimous approval, staff will now:

• Report on options to protect the Champlain Heights trail network legally and practically
• Explore designating the area as park space under the Vancouver Charter
• Engage with Free the Fern and other community partners to support ongoing stewardship
• Formally recognize the contributions of local volunteers who care for the trails.

This motion sets a strong precedent for balancing urban growth with environmental stewardship, ensuring that green spaces remain central to Vancouver’s evolving neighbourhoods.

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