What 3PL and Fulfillment Operators Need From Metro Vancouver Warehouses

The building spec

• Slab: 400 plus lbs per sq. ft. for dense or mixed product, against the 250–300 of a typical warehouse; retrofits are not realistic
• Clear height: 32 ft. minimum, 36–40 ft. in premium product. Each extra foot is roughly 8–10% more rackable cube. Pre-2015 buildings often top out at 24–28 ft.
• Docks: one per 5,000–7,000 sq. ft. rather than one per 10,000. A 100,000 sq. ft. facility wants 15–20 positions plus grade doors for LTL and courier
• Power: 2,000 amp, 600 volt three-phase minimum under 100,000 sq. ft.; 3,000 plus with automation. Older stock at 800–1,200 amps means a $150,000–$400,000 upgrade and 6–12 months with BC Hydro
• Fibre confirmed by measured bandwidth, not by the listing

Lease terms that fit the model

Client contracts run 12–36 months. Industrial leases run 5–10 years. The lease has to bridge the gap. Expansion and contraction rights, including first right of refusal on adjacent units in multi-building parks, have become easier to secure with regional vacancy at 4.3% in the Q2 2026 reports. Sublease rights matter if a major client leaves; expect approval conditions and a floor on sublease rates.

Operating costs deserve a close read. An 18–24 hour operation drives HVAC, lighting and security well past a day-shift tenant's usage, so find out whether costs are proportionate or metered.

A 3PL lease is only as good as its expansion and exit clauses.

Where to look

Richmond, about $20.26 per sq. ft. net in Q2 2026, has YVR and Highway 99 but almost no available 3PL-grade stock; deals happen by assignment or build-to-suit. Surrey and Langley are the growth corridor, with Campbell Heights at about $18.66 and Langley at $19.20 and Highway 1 access, though shift-change traffic is real. Delta and Annacis Island at $17.91 serve port-centric operators, with Tilbury drawing containerized import work. Port Coquitlam runs about $20.17 with vacancy of only 2.2%, and older clears limit the options.

Only about 17 blocks over 100,000 sq. ft. are available across the region, even with net rents down 4% to 6% year over year.

Before you commit

Start the search 12–18 months before you need to be operating.

• Trailer staging: 10–15 spots per 100,000 sq. ft. minimum, more for cross-dock
• Column grid: 50x50 or 52x54 supports selective racking; tighter grids waste cube
• ESFR sprinklers for high-pile storage without in-rack heads
• Zoning that covers kitting, labelling and packaging, not only storage
• Transit access for the evening and weekend shifts