For more than two decades, Glenlyon Business Park in South Burnaby has been recognized as Western Canada’s premier suburban office park. The 133-acre site, formerly owned by CN Rail, combines a beautiful and natural landscape with direct access to the Greater Vancouver Area, creating one of the most attractive business locations in the country.
Following Canada Lands’ acquisition of the property in 1995, the company made great strides to preserve and protect the park’s natural elements, while also respecting the needs and processes required to do so. Throughout Glenlyon’s development, Canada Lands actively encouraged builders to incorporate Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) designs and best practices wherever possible. This, in turn, led to the addition of natural landscaping and native plant materials, and the enhancement of natural features that were already in existence at the site.
Now complete, Glenlyon Business Park includes an extensive trail for pedestrians and cyclists, open green space, an off-leash dog park and a playground. Landscaped medians, island features, many ponds and creek ways, curvilinear sidewalks, large setbacks from the roadways and an extensive path system have all been integrated to create a unique balance between work and recreation. The park has more than 2 million square feet of state-of-the-art office, industrial and laboratory space which, over the years, has attracted several high-profile companies such as Nokia, Telus, Ballard Power Systems, Best Buy and Ritchie Bros.
Together, innovative development practices, an outstanding natural environment, contemporary architecture and many service offerings have put Glenlyon Business Park in a class of its own. The prestigious park has earned several industry awards including the City of Burnaby’s Environmental Award and Inaugural Award for Planning and Development, as well as the award for Best Office Development from the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties.
Canada Lands’ near 20-year investment in Glenlyon Business Park’s has been valued at more than $400 million, and its return on this investment is estimated at $125 million in revenue. Additionally, the park has provided more than $9 million of direct tax revenue to the City of Burnaby.
Although the company sold the remaining parcels of land in 2014, the success of Glenlyon Business Park remains one of the strongest examples of Canada Lands’ commitment to developing projects that deliver solid financial results and provide lasting benefits to the communities in which they are located.
