British ColumbiaVancouver Mayor Ken Sim has announced he’s throwing his weight behind a new proposal for a Filipino cultural centre and hotel in Mount Pleasant — but some existing community groups have concerns about due process.Proposal has not been submitted to the province, according to arts ministryLauren Vanderdeen · CBC News · Posted: Nov 13, 2025 7:49 PM EST | Last Updated: November 14Listen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.Mayor Ken Sim (centre) announced he will support a development including a much-desired Filipino cultural centre and hotel rooms in Mount Pleasant at a news conference Thursday, Nov. 13. (Nav Rahi/CBC)Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has announced he’s throwing his weight behind a new proposal for a Filipino cultural centre and hotel in Mount Pleasant — but two existing community groups have concerns about due process.Planning for the creation of a Filipino cultural centre has been in the works for decades to support the more than 174,000 residents of Filipino descent in B.C., speakers said at a news conference hosted by the city Thursday.The high-rise tower project with 500 hotel rooms is being proposed by the new non-profit Filipino Legacy Society of Canada, as well as developer PortLiving.”This announcement is not just about bricks and mortar, it’s about building something deeper. It’s a home for our stories, our music, our food, our language and our spirit,” said Warren Dean Flandez, chair of the Filipino Legacy Society.The cultural centre, planned at 1940 Main St. and 143 East 3rd Ave. — currently home to an auto shop — would offer language and cooking classes, event and gallery space and the largest Filipino art collection outside the Philippines, according to Sim.Warren Dean Flandez, chair of the Filipino Legacy Society, announces the proposal for a Filipino cultural centre in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood Thursday. (Nav Rahi/CBC)Flandez said the hotel aspect of the development “will be part of what propels that cultural centre forward.””The hotel will be contributing in perpetuity funds from their revenue to the operational costs of the cultural centre. That is significant,” Flandez said.A rendering of the Filipino cultural centre proposed by the Filipino Legacy Society and supported by Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim. (Filipino Legacy Society)If the motion passes with Sim’s ABC party majority, staff would be directed to prioritize the development’s rezoning application.’No consultation’: Mabuhay House SocietyBut another community group, Mabuhay House Society, has raised “red flags” about the project. The non-profit, which has a mission to create a Filipino cultural centre in B.C., has been working on its own proposal since 2021 and has endorsements from more than 90 Filipino organizations.Mabuhay House said it will not support the Main Street proposal due to concerns about duplicating and fragmenting efforts that were already underway.”The biggest issue is basically there’s no consultation,” said Lester De Guzman, chair of Mabuhay House.He said while there was some consultation with Mabuhay House around the motion, it felt rushed and there was no further discussion on governance.LISTEN | Liberal MP talks Filipino Cultural Centre funding:The Early Edition7:31Liberals include funding for Filipino Cultural and Community Centre in budgetThe Liberal government is including funding for a new Filipino Cultural and Community Centre in the federal budget. Liberal MP Taleeb Noormohamed tells guest host Lyndsay Duncombe about how this project came to be included in the budget.De Guzman also expressed concerns that there hadn’t been conversations about the private development aspect.De Guzman said Mabuhay House will keep consulting with the province, federal government and local municipalities on its own feasibility study for a cultural centre.Lester De Guzman, chair of Mabuhay House, has concerns about a proposal for a Filipino cultural centre in Vancouver. (Ryan McLeod/CBC)Filipino B.C., which also has its own plan underway for a cultural centre in South Vancouver, said in an emailed statement that any development of a Filipino cultural centre, particularly in the wake of the Lapu-Lapu Day tragedy, must be undertaken with the utmost transparency and informed consent of the community.Filipino B.C. said it reached out to the Filipino Legacy Society to begin engagement and address community concerns, including transparency around leadership and consultation.”At this time, many questions remain unanswered,” Filipino B.C. said.The B.C. Ministry of Tourism and Arts said no formal proposals for a Filipino cultural centre in Metro Vancouver have been submitted to the province at this time. “Nothing has been decided about the vision, scope or location for a centre.”Collaboration possible, says groupFlandez said the Filipino Legacy Society, which was formed in August this year, has the sole goal to deliver a Philippine cultural centre.”Just because the society is new doesn’t mean we are new to the community,” Flandez said.But he said there is room for collaboration.A rendering of the tower proposed by the Filipino Legacy Society. (Filipino Legacy Society)”We invite the community and other organizations to partner with us to be part of this. And if any of them brought forward projects that are at this stage or further, we’d be happy to support them.”Mable Elmore, MLA for Vancouver-Kensington, supported the Filipino Legacy Society project and said the project will need partnerships with all levels of government.If Sim’s motion passes on Nov. 26, city staff will be directed to work with the Filipino Legacy Society to find an interim community space where programs can start “right away.”ABOUT THE AUTHORLauren Vanderdeen is a web writer for CBC British Columbia. She formerly worked for community newspapers, including the Burnaby Now and New West Record. You can reach her at lauren.vanderdeen@cbc.ca.With files from Pinki Wong
Vancouver mayor wants to fast-track Filipino Cultural Centre project but community groups have concerns
