Rail Operator Opposes New Westminster Tiny Home Village Over Safety Concerns

Canadian Pacific Kansas City has formally objected to a B.C. Housing tiny home village planned for 502 20th Street in New Westminster, sending a letter to council that warns of risks to public safety and rail operations. The rail operator's pushback adds an institutional layer to already-vocal neighbourhood opposition to the 30-unit transitional housing project, which is scheduled to begin assembly this month and be operational by the end of 2026.

The site sits close to a rail yard and the Queensborough Bridge, near the Fraser River. B.C. Housing confirmed the village will use shipping containers previously deployed for a similar project in Victoria, with 24/7 on-site staff and services. The nearest SkyTrain access is the 22nd Street station, about a 15-minute walk away.

CPKC's letter did not include publicly disclosed specifics about what mitigations, setback distances, or operational changes it was seeking. The railway warned broadly of risks to both public safety and rail operations given the proximity of the proposed housing to active tracks. No response from council to the letter has been reported.

New Westminster Mayor Patrick Johnstone confirmed the project bypassed the standard rezoning process because it was already compliant with the city's current Official Community Plan. Johnstone acknowledged the inherent difficulty of siting tiny home villages in dense urban areas like New Westminster, citing the footprint they require, but said he believes the model gives unsheltered people a path to stabilize and eventually find permanent housing.

Not everyone on 20th Street shares that confidence. Barb Quon, who lives near the site, was direct about her concerns: "They should not put these homes in residential area, especially in a dead-end street ... there's going to be mayhem down here." She added some nuance: "But on the other hand, I'm not against people having a home, even if it's here."

Neighbour Daniel Millar focused his objection on process rather than principle. "We've lived in places with these problems before, and it's not necessarily a good thing," he said, arguing that B.C. Housing did not conduct adequate community consultation before moving forward.

With assembly set to begin and CPKC's safety letter now before council, how the city responds to the rail operator's concerns could determine whether the project hits its end-of-year operational target or faces further delays.