Condos in Downtown New Westminster

Downtown New Westminster is the city’s original commercial core, on the slope above the Fraser River along Columbia Street and up toward Royal Avenue. Housing is mostly condos: older low-rise and mid-rise buildings, newer towers near the SkyTrain, and a few homes in converted heritage blocks. With two Expo Line stations, New Westminster and Columbia, it suits commuters, downsizers and anyone who wants to live without a car.

At a glance

• Housing: mainly strata apartments, from older walk-ups and mid-rises to high-rise towers next to New Westminster Station, plus a smaller number of townhouses.
• SkyTrain: New Westminster Station (8th Street and Columbia) and Columbia Station (Columbia Street at 4th).
• The river: directly downhill. Westminster Pier Park is reached by the Fourth Street and Sixth Street overpasses.
• Schools nearby: École Qayqayt Elementary (85 Merivale Street, K to 5, Early French Immersion) and Fraser River Middle School (800 Queens Avenue, Grades 6 to 8). New Westminster Secondary is the district’s secondary school. Catchment depends on your exact address, so confirm it with New Westminster Schools.
• Parks: Westminster Pier Park and the Esplanade, plus Tipperary Park and Friendship Gardens around City Hall.

History

The city describes this land as a gathering place for more than 10,000 years. It lies within the traditional territory of the Coast Salish peoples, in particular the Qayqayt First Nation. According to New Westminster Schools, Qayqayt was the name of a 19th-century village on what is now Front Street. After 1859, Indigenous residents were pushed out of the city core onto nearby reserves, and the New Westminster reserve was closed in 1916. Chief Rhonda Larrabee revived the Qayqayt First Nation in the 1990s, and the downtown elementary school now carries its name.

Governor James Douglas made New Westminster the capital of British Columbia in 1859. The Royal Engineers under Colonel Richard Moody chose and surveyed the site, and Queen Victoria named it New Westminster. In 1860 the Engineers laid out Columbia Street as part of a grid running parallel to the river. Victoria became the permanent capital in 1868, but the CPR, the docks, the BC Electric interurban and the ferry to Surrey kept downtown a regional hub.

On the night of September 10 to 11, 1898, the Great Fire burned most of the commercial district, the market and the docks. Rebuilding started almost at once, and the Canadian Register of Historic Places credits the years 1898 to 1913 with Columbia Street’s consistent look. Buildings from that era still stand, including the Burr Block, the CPR station and the Westminster Trust Building. In the 1940s and 1950s the street was known as “The Golden Mile.”

The original SkyTrain line opened in 1986, and housing has been drawn toward the stations ever since. The result is a housing stock in layers: heritage blocks, older apartments on the slopes, and towers near the stations.

Living here

Downtown suits people who want to walk to everything and take SkyTrain for the rest. Columbia Street has heritage storefronts and the Columbia Theatre, which opened in 1927. Hyack Square has the statue based on the 1940 “Wait for Me, Daddy” photograph, and Douglas College brings a steady student and staff population.

On a sunny day the riverfront is your backyard. Westminster Pier Park connects to the Esplanade boardwalk, which the city says together form a 2.5 km waterfront park with a festival lawn, a play area, a basketball court and a spray plaza. Uphill, Tipperary Park and Friendship Gardens surround City Hall, with ponds, the cenotaph and a seasonal farmers market.

Expect hills. Downtown climbs steeply from the river, so think about which side of the slope you’ll walk every day. Noise from rail, trucks and SkyTrain near the waterfront and main roads varies a lot from block to block, so visit at different times of day before you commit.

Places to eat

Restaurants and cafés in Downtown New Westminster rated 4.5 stars or higher on Google when we last checked (October 2026). We re-check this list every few months.

• Picnic K-Street Food: Korean street food, 800 Carnarvon Street
• Kioku Kitchen: Japanese and sushi, 888 Carnarvon Street
• Galbi Korean BBQ: Korean barbecue, 825 Carnarvon Street
• Vancouver Pizza Heaven: pizza, 81 Sixth Street
• Royal Tandoori: Indian, 83 Sixth Street
• Gastronomia Italia: Italian deli and market, 601 Columbia Street
• Taverna Greka: Greek, 326 Columbia Street
• Delicia Cafe & Bakery: café and bakery, 656 Columbia Street
• Moodswing Coffee + Bar: café, 655 Front Street

What condo buyers and sellers should know

Downtown buildings span many decades, so due diligence matters more here than in a newer district. Many date from the late-1980s and 1990s building boom behind BC’s leaky-condo crisis. For any building from about 1985 to 2000, ask for the depreciation report and the building envelope history, and find out whether it has been rainscreened.

BC requires strata corporations with five or more lots to get a depreciation report every five years, and existing stratas can no longer vote to defer one. Topics worth reviewing:

• the contingency reserve fund balance
• recent and planned special levies
• rental, pet and short-term rental bylaws
• parking and storage allocation
• elevator, roof and mechanical work coming up
• the strata insurance deductible

In heritage conversions, ask whether a heritage revitalization agreement or designation limits alterations. If you’re selling, order your Form B and gather the strata minutes early. It saves days once an offer arrives.

Getting around

• SkyTrain: New Westminster Station on the Expo Line, with a bus loop underneath. Columbia Station is where the Expo Line splits toward King George in Surrey and Production Way–University.
• Bus: routes from New Westminster Station include the 103 to Quayside, the 105 and 106 to Uptown and Sixth Street, and the 112 along Twelfth Street. Check TransLink for current schedules.
• Cycling: the BC Parkway, a 26 km multi-use path, follows the Expo Line through New Westminster toward Vancouver and Surrey.
• Driving: Stewardson Way and Front Street run along the river toward the Queensborough Bridge and Richmond. McBride Boulevard climbs to Brunette Avenue and Highway 1. The stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge, opened in February 2026, crosses to Surrey; expect construction near the Columbia Street ramps while the old Pattullo Bridge comes down.

FAQ

Which SkyTrain stations serve Downtown New Westminster?

New Westminster Station and Columbia Station, both on the Expo Line.

Is Downtown New Westminster walkable?

Yes. Shops, the waterfront, City Hall and both stations are within walking distance. The streets are steep, though.

What should I check in an older downtown condo?

The depreciation report, the building envelope and rainscreen history, the contingency reserve balance and any planned special levies.

Are there heritage buildings downtown?

Yes. Columbia Street has many commercial blocks on the Canadian Register of Historic Places, most built in the years after the 1898 fire.

Which schools are near downtown?

École Qayqayt Elementary and Fraser River Middle School are downtown, and the city has announced a new elementary school next to Fraser River Middle. Always confirm the catchment for your address with New Westminster Schools.

Last reviewed 28 October 2026 by Adam Lloyd. Catchment boundaries change. Confirm your address with New Westminster Schools before you buy.