[Updated Oct 2020] A guide to serviced offices and office space for rent in Burnaby BC as well as general information that may be useful if you are considering renting office space in Burnaby.
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History & Geography
Burnaby is nestled on the foothills of its namesake Burnaby Mountain, on Burrard Peninsula in British Columbia. Burnaby is the third-largest city in the region after its neighbours, Vancouver and Surrey, and lies in the middle of the Metro Vancouver area. Surrounding Burnaby is a beautiful landscape of valleys, hills and ridges, all covered in forest and grass. During the mid-19th century, Europeans were drawn to the area later to be dubbed British Columbia. They were attracted by the lucrative fur trade in the area as well as other natural resources. When the city of Vancouver was founded the area’s population grew quickly. Burnaby is named after the famous politician and civil servant Robert Burnaby. As well as being a prominent merchant, Burnaby was the personal secretary to Colonel Richard Moody, the first Lieutenant-Governor of the colony of British Columbia. The nearby Burnaby Lake is also named for Robert Burnaby, who surveyed the lake in 1859. Burnaby was incorporated in 1892, however, was not granted city status until 100 years later in 1992. After it was established Burnaby grew rapidly, mainly due to the proximity of both Vancouver and New Westminster. Burnaby served as an agricultural supply centre to the cities and prospered quickly. By 1911 the city had installed its own fire hydrants and other important infrastructure. As infrastructure in the region grew Burnaby took on a new role as a transportation corridor between Fraser Valley, Vancouver and the rest of the country. This is a role that Burnaby still occupies to this day. As Vancouver gradually expanded, Burnaby also turned into a suburb of Vancouver, along with its neighbours of Richmond and North Vancouver. Burnaby has gradually shed its agricultural industry and is now a completely urban community and one of the most important western Canadian cities.
Economy
During the 19th century and much of the early part of the 20th century, Burnaby was an important agricultural centre, supplying neighbouring cities. However as the population and infrastructure grew, the city shed much of its agricultural industry and became urbanized. Today Burnaby has a diversified and healthy economy, the bulwark of which is technology. A host of successful technology companies have based themselves in Burnaby, including the video game company Electronic Arts, Ballard Power Systems, Creo, and Telus. Additionally, the Burnaby economy is also bolstered by the presence of some heavy industry companies such as Chevron Corporation and Petro-Canada, both of which have refineries in the city. Mobile phone maker Nokia has a large presence in the city, as does Future Shop and Richie Bros. Telus, Doteasy and Canada Wide Media are also major employers in Burnaby. Many companies are attracted to Burnaby for its excellent infrastructure and proximity to other large Canadian cities such as Vancouver. Burnaby has a few high technology and research parks which are attractive to tech companies and others, as well as efficient rapid transit systems and large commercial town centres which are popular with major retail companies.
Tourism & Culture
Burnaby lacks the thriving tourism industry that its neighbouring city of Vancouver has, however those that do visit Burnaby seldom regret it. The city is very accessible, whether by car, bike or on foot and is popular with shoppers for its varied and prolific retail industry. However, the main attraction of Burnaby and the surrounding region of British Columbia is the natural environment in and around the city. Burnaby has a host of beautiful parks popular with visitors and residents alike. The most used are Robert Burnaby Park and Kensington Park. Burnaby Lake is popular with bird watchers and hikers and is home to a variety of wildlife including beavers, ducks, eagles, herons and even the occasional black bear. The nearby Deer Lake and Squint Lake are also popular with nature lovers and hikers. The wider region of British Columbia is an outdoor lovers dream. Whitewater rafting, kayaking, sailing and sailboarding are all available on many of the region’s lakes and rivers. The Whistler Blackcomb area of British Columbia features some of the finest skiing on earth. In the summer mountain biking is popular, as well as horseback riding and camping.
Transportation
The best form of public transportation in Burnaby is the modern SkyTrain, which crisscrosses the city. The train has made reaching neighbouring cities such as Vancouver and New Westminster much easier and is heavily used by commuters. Burnaby is also served by Metro Vancouver’s bus system, a comprehensive system which spans the city. Many commute by bike in Burnaby, thanks to its extensive cycling trails. The nearest airport to Burnaby is the Vancouver International Airport, which is located on Sea Island in the City of Richmond, another suburb of Vancouver. It is Canada’s second busiest airport after Toronto and has flights to Asia, Oceania, Europe the US and Mexico every day.
Office space for rent in Burnaby BC
Currently, Burnaby has a total vacancy rate of 9.6 percent and an inventory of a little over nine million square feet. The Canadian economy is bouncing back from the economic crisis and the vacancy rate is the lowest that it has been since 2008 and demand is rising according to analysts. Much of the reason for the recent vacancy rate drop is the lack of supply in Burnaby and the surrounding Vancouver area. There are several major projects in the pipeline, however, especially in the downtown area.
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