The Truth About Moving to Burnaby in 2025 (And Why Many Regret It)

Written in November 2025. Some details have changed since, so check current numbers before you act on this.

Should you move to Burnaby? It can still be a smart move, but only if you buy in the right pocket and go in knowing the city's reserves are gone, taxes are heading up, the tower corridors are congested and it's no longer the cheap alternative to Vancouver.

✅ Burnaby Looks Polished—But the Cracks Are Showing

Let’s be real—on the surface, Burnaby looks like a dream. Central location. Sleek new towers. Shiny glass everywhere. But dig a little deeper and you’ll see a city that’s burning through its reserves, losing grip on livability, and facing some hard truths that buyers need to know before writing that offer.

The so-called “debt-free city”? That title’s gone. CBC News reported in May 2025 that Burnaby’s $1.2B capital reserve was “basically exhausted.” Construction costs skyrocketed, provincial legislation changed, and suddenly, projects like the $240 million Confederation Park Community Centre got scrapped in January 2025. Now, a new infrastructure levy is hitting homeowners. Translation? If you buy here, your tax bill is going up.

🧠 Is Burnaby safe? Homelessness, crime and a city on edge

Burnaby’s homelessness jumped 69% between 2020 and 2023, CTV News reported in July 2024. The Mayor’s Task Force report, quoted by the Burnaby Beacon that same month, counted 77 people unsheltered in 2023, up from 19 in 2020. Many of the people affected are working residents or seniors who can’t afford housing anymore.

And while the city will tell you “crime is down,” that’s not what people feel. Violent incidents and gang activity—especially near Metrotown—are on the rise. When a city gets up to $2.96 million in federal funding, announced in January 2023, to fight gun crime and gang violence, you know perception isn’t paranoia.

If you’re moving a family here, you want to factor that in. Because feeling safe in your own neighborhood? That’s not a stat—it’s your daily reality.

✂️ Burnaby’s Urban Planning: Growth Without Soul

The towers of Brentwood and Metrotown were supposed to be the poster children of progress. Instead? They’ve turned into “faceless monoliths”—massive walls of glass, disconnected from the communities around them.

The result? Congestion so bad locals joke it’s “Blade Runner without the neon.” Lougheed, Kingsway, and every other main artery are jammed. Construction everywhere. Sidewalks forgotten. Pedestrians? Afterthoughts.

Burnaby built vertical—but forgot connection.

🌲 Concrete Over Green Space

Burnaby loves to brand itself as the city between mountains and nature. But according to a BCIT study, wealthier neighborhoods actually have less park access.

Meanwhile, Vancouver’s Greenest City plan ensures everyone’s within a 5-minute walk of a park. Burnaby? Not even close. Central Park is great, sure—but it’s not enough when the population keeps climbing and new towers keep blocking the view.

For families who want outdoor space, that’s a dealbreaker.

💸 Is Burnaby actually cheaper than Vancouver?

Let’s kill the myth: Burnaby is not the affordable alternative to Vancouver.

Detached homes now run neck-and-neck with East Van, and the current prices are in the Kyle Mark Report. Rent? In some of the new Brentwood and Metrotown developments, it’s higher than Vancouver.

And when Daily Hive reported in August 2025 that a Chapman University study named Vancouver the fourth most “impossibly unaffordable” housing market in the world, Burnaby sitting just behind isn’t exactly a comfort.

You’re not saving money—you’re just swapping one kind of stress for another.

⚖️ Should you still move to Burnaby?

Here’s the nuance: Burnaby isn’t “bad.” It’s just uneven.

There are fantastic pockets: Capitol Hill, Vancouver Heights, Willingdon Heights, Brentwood Park, areas that still offer community, proximity to parks, and less exposure to the chaos.

But if you’re looking at high-density condo living in Metrotown or Brentwood? Expect congestion, noise, and potentially rising property taxes as the city tries to rebuild its drained treasury.

📢 Bottom Line: Burnaby’s at a Crossroads

Burnaby’s in transition—and not all growth is good growth. The city’s model of developer-first expansion is colliding with livability.

If you’re thinking of buying here, you need a strategy—where to buy, what to avoid, and how to protect yourself from what’s coming down the pipe. If the commute is part of the decision, read the Burnaby vs Vancouver commuter math too.

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