Choosing a Last-Mile Logistics Site in Metro Vancouver
Traditional distribution chases highways and the port. Last-mile chases rooftops. In Metro Vancouver that flips the site selection math, and the premium for a close-in building is often worth paying.
July 9, 2026 · 2 min read · By Samuel Brahem, in association with NAI Commercial
A different scorecard
A 100,000 sq. ft. regional DC in Campbell Heights wins on rate and border access and fails the last-mile test for Vancouver's core. A 25,000 sq. ft. building in East Vancouver costs more and delivers cheaper. Score sites on delivery radius coverage within a 2 to 4 hour window, population density per kilometre, peak traffic patterns and return logistics.
Submarket read
- Vancouver and Burnaby: closest to the population centre, vacancy about 5.4% and 4.9%, net rents about $20.10 and $19.67 per sq. ft., older stock with 22 to 26 ft clear and little yard
- Richmond: tighter at about 3.4% vacancy, net rents about $20.26, airport and Sea Island access; Bridgeport and the Knight Street corridor draw last-mile demand
- Surrey and Delta: home of the larger last-mile boxes; Delta about $17.91 and Surrey about $18.66 net, with Port Kells and Campbell Heights offering 32 ft plus clear, ESFR and trailer parking
- Langley and Abbotsford: about $19.20 and $17.09 net, bigger floor plates, longer drives; best for Fraser Valley coverage or as a feeder node
Specs that make or break a site
Dock ratio of one door per 5,000 to 7,000 sq. ft. rather than the standard one per 10,000. Cross-dock layouts for flow-through. Yard depth of at least 120 ft, ideally 130 to 150 ft, which alone eliminates most Vancouver and Burnaby options. Clear height of 24 to 28 ft is workable, which opens up older urban buildings. Check electrical capacity now; fleet electrification will need it.
For last-mile, yard depth kills more deals than rent does.
Lease terms worth fighting for
- Shorter initial term with renewals, or termination rights tied to volume thresholds
- Explicit 24-hour operating rights
- TI or landlord work for dock additions, power and yard
- Exclusivity against direct competitors in multi-tenant parks
Think in networks
The best answer is often a Surrey hub feeding small cross-docks in Vancouver and Burnaby, not one perfect building. Model total occupancy cost against delivery performance before you tour. Define the customer geography and delivery window first; then the submarket choice makes itself.
