Small bay availability remains thin under 5,000 sq. ft.
Functional grade-loaded options under 5,000 sq. ft. continue to lease quickly. Tenants who wait into Q2 face higher rents and fewer choices.
Vancouver industrial is tight, expensive, and usually gone before most tenants start looking.
Loading, clear height, power, yard, zoning. The shortlist passes or fails on these.
Renewals deserve the same lead time as new searches.
Most failed shortlists fail on loading, not rate.
Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, Delta, Surrey each solve a different problem.
NAI-listed, co-brokered, landlord-permissioned, or future feed-sourced.
Editorial commentary on supply, demand, and deal activity — without republishing third-party listings.
Functional grade-loaded options under 5,000 sq. ft. continue to lease quickly. Tenants who wait into Q2 face higher rents and fewer choices.
Tenants in the 8,000–15,000 sq. ft. band are competing for limited functional product. Older buildings with reliable loading are leasing faster than expected.
Distribution and food users are continuing to push for modern product with dock loading and 26 ft+ clear. Newer strata absorption is steady.
Tenants in older stock are increasingly asking about relocation options. Owners with redevelopment timelines should plan tenant communications early.
Tight, especially under 10,000 sq. ft. The functional small bay segment in East Van and South Van rarely sits available for long.
For most tenants, 9–12 months before occupancy. For larger or specialized requirements (food production, cold storage, heavy power), 12–18 months.
Vancouver is the scarcity market. Burnaby is the closest functional alternative. Richmond is your logistics answer. Surrey/Langley is where new product is actually being built. The right answer depends on truck routing, customer access, labour, and budget.
Loading, ceiling height, power, parking, yard, zoning, truck access, operating costs, escalations, renewal terms, expansion rights, and exit flexibility. Rate is just one input.
Send the requirement. We will tell you what is realistic, where to look, and what to do next.