BCBusiness
Privacy, island-style living and a tight-knit community are the main appeals of off-grid properties.
While city dwellers in Vancouver may be chasing the high life in swanky downtown apartments, others have found their version of luxury on Gambier Island. Located offshore from the community of Gibsons, the island is home to around 100 permanent residents who see their homes as a true escape from the city’s constant hum.
Most recently, two lots in Douglas Bay were sold together, making it one of the biggest land-only sales in the area to date.
Lot 29
Lot 30
Situated on the northeast corner of Gambier Island, this waterfront property comes with a new 10-by-60-foot private dock, which helps preserve a sense of seclusion for its owners. Combined, lots 29 and 30 deliver 375 feet of shoreline and 5.86 acres of land—room enough for a multi-generational compound while still keeping neighbours at a comfortable distance.
As a large portion of the island does not have connected power, owners responsible for their own power and water systems. Lots 29 and 30 differentiate themselves from other empty lots on the market by offering a fully excavated site with a solar array, 50 kWh of battery storage and a backup generator already in place. On the water side, two wells, four water tanks, septic and storage containers are included with the properties, dramatically reducing the complexity of going off the grid.
The property’s combination of privacy and infrastructure helped it achieve the highest sale price for a bare lot in the Douglas Bay development. Over the past two years, building-lot sales in Douglas Bay and the neighbouring Brigade Bay have averaged around $375,000, with individual lots ranging from the mid-$200s to high-$400s. Prices are usually dependent on shoreline, usability and topography.
While the rest of B.C. seems to be facing a real estate market slow down, Elliot Funt of Engel & Volkers Vancouver describes a different rhythm on Gambier. During the pandemic, he observed a surge of interest from buyers craving space, nature and simple cabin retreats. Since then, demand has normalized, with prices settling and buyers being able to move more deliberately.
One of the main reasons many choose to purchase off-grid properties is the privacy they offer, says Funt. Many lower mainland residents are drawn to Gambier for its island pace, immersion in nature, and the easy, tight-knit feel of the local community.
“One thing people love about Douglas Bay and Brigade Bay is the sense of community—neighbours genuinely help each other out,” Funt notes. “Whether it’s a tool or a bit of local knowledge, there’s always someone willing to step in.”
However, with seclusion comes accessibility issues, especially for buyers looking to build their home from scratch. As all materials needed for the home needs to be shipped by boat, it requires an immense amount of planning and coordination to put together.
“Finding people that want to take on projects like this can be a challenge as well,” Funt explains. “I think it’s a really interesting project for a lot of builders, but not all builders are necessarily set up with a boat to get out to some of these properties and to really take on the project.”
Even so, Funt argues the payoff is substantial: as a recent buyer himself, he points to the satisfaction of having a mini-retreat all to himself.
“I like being out in nature and having a spot that I can call my own,” he says. “I believe that this is a good way of living and it’s something people are not going to regret.”
Xiao Qing (Qing for short) is a Vancouver-based lifestyle writer with a passion for all things related to food and culture. If she's not writing, she's doing a deep dive into some niche topic just for the heck of it.
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