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Lower Mainland > Vancouver

Robson Street

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Robson Street BIA
Neighbourhood Overview

Robson Street is Vancouver’s iconic shopping and dining destination. With world famous fashion and beauty retail, lifestyle stores, café patios and fine dining, this vibrant and bustling stretch of Vancouver attracts locals as well as visitors from around the world.

It is one of the smallest BIAs by area, covering just three city blocks that are packed with excitement – 73% of businesses are either retail or food and beverage establishments.

The Robson BIA is the place to see and be seen both night and day. It is the perfect location for new and trendy retailers looking for exposure.

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Population by Age

A total of 108,128 residents live within the Robson BIA market area. Residents are young, working professionals, with 20 to 34-year-olds making up 37% of the population. The population has grown 12% from 2011-2016 - almost double the growth of Vancouver (6.5%) and much higher than Metro Vancouver (4.6%).

Language & Ethnic Origin

English is the dominant household language in the Robson BIA market area (76%), higher than Vancouver (66%) and Metro Vancouver (67%). 61% of residents reported Western European heritage, and a lower percentage reported Chinese origins (13%). This figure is significantly lower than Vancouver (28%) and Metro Vancouver (21%).

Family Structure

Of the 65,400 households in the Robson BIA market area, only 37% are families, while 55% are single-person households. This is substantially higher than Vancouver (39%) and Metro Vancouver (29%). This is reflected in the smaller household sizes (1.6 persons per household) compared to Vancouver (2.2) and Metro Vancouver (2.5)

Education & Occupation

The dominant education level for residents is a Bachelor’s Degree (32%), which is higher than Vancouver (26%) and Metro Vancouver (20%). The most common occupations are in sales and service (22%), business, finance & administration (18%), management (16%) and natural & applied sciences (12%).

Income & Spending

The median household income for residents in the BIA catchment area is $58,802, which is lower than Vancouver ($65,327) and Metro Vancouver ($72,662). As a result, the average annual expenditure per household in Robson Street ($76,538) is notably lower than Vancouver ($84,710) and Metro Vancouver ($87,106).

Zoning

98% of the Robson BIA is zoned Downtown District (DD), a special designation that ensures the highest standards of design and amenity. 100% of the total building square footage in the BIA is dedicated to commercial use and within this commercial square footage, there are two office spaces.

Housing

Reflecting its downtown location, almost all dwellings in the Robson BIA market area are apartments (98%). This is significantly higher than Vancouver (80%) and Metro Vancouver (58%). Just 32% of residents are homeowners, a much lower figure than the rest of the city (47%).

Community

Robson Street BIA is home to almost any amenity a resident could want. There are plenty of private gyms, yoga studios and spas nearby, while world class shopping can be found within the BIA. The area also has some of Vancouver’s highest daily pedestrian counts.

Business Mix

195 businesses operate in the Robson BIA. Unsurprisingly, most of these businesses (50%) are retail, significantly higher than the Vancouver (18%) and Metro Vancouver (10%) figures. Restaurants make up almost a quarter (23%) of the remaining total.

Commercial Business Size

Small businesses are the dominant type of business in the Robson BIA (45%), but the presence of several worldwide brands ensures large businesses are well represented (10%). The BIA’s top employers include Muji Canada, Banana Republic, Earls and London Drugs.

Opportunities

Business opportunities, based on market demand, could include high-end boutiques and beauty services, destination restaurants and entertainment. Lease rates are consistently some of the highest in Canada and vary widely depending on the block ($80-$200+ per sq. ft.)

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