Laying in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia in in western Canada, Vancouver is a major urban metropolis and one of North America’s most important commercial and business hubs. A melting pot of ethnicities and cultures, it also boasts a thriving arts, theatre and music scene, while picturesque mountain ranges lend the city a dramatic backdrop.
Vancouver’s skyscrapers set against a mountainous backdrop (Photo: Ang Leal via Flickr / CC BY 2.0)
As part of Vancouver’s efforts to keep pace with global changes in working trends, the city has become home to a growing number of coworking spaces in recent years, enabling solo workers and small companies to share desk space in a communal and collaborative environment. If you’re planning to spend time in Vancouver and would like to use a coworking space during your stay, we’ve picked out 10 of the best across the city.
iQ Offices
A leading coworking company offering flexible office space, iQ Offices has two distinctive Vancouver locations. Billed as featuring office design with a local twist, their new offices on Robson Street feature a private ground floor lobby, a gorgeous live moss wall, and a large south facing outdoor terrace. Locally sourced design elements and colour palette inspired by the city’s landscape create a modern aesthetic with a relaxed west coast feel. The space features glass walls with frosted privacy screens, a state-of-the art sound attenuation system, and sound baffling. Hot desk membership is priced at $299 per month and a dedicated desk is $499 per month. All members gain access to amenities including massage chairs and a treadmill room.
550 Robson Street www.iqoffices.com
(Photo: iQ Offices)
L’Atelier
Housed in a heritage building in Vancouver’s vibrant Gastown neighbourhood, L’Atelier is a boutique, owner-operated coworking space that prides itself on its personalised customer service approach. Nurturing a happy atmosphere with good lightening and cheerful pops of colour, everything from the interior design to how they operate is linked to the core value of making work feel better. Hot desking rates start at $195 per month for 60 hours’ access per month and rise to £295 for unlimited access. Day passes are £35 per day. All members can also attend regular community events. As a response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the space currently has Plexiglass partitions installed on all desks and are following Work Safe BC guidelines for safe coworking.
319 West Hastings Street www.ateliervancouver.com
(Photo: L’Atelier)
MakerLabs
Spread across 42,000 square feet of workshops, studios and common areas, MakerLabs is a communal space created specifically for professional artisans and craft makers of every kind . The venue features a wide range of technical spaces and equipment including a wood shop, metal shop, CNC router table, laser cutters, sewing machines, and an electronics area. Collaboration and an exchange of knowledge are encouraged, while dedicated areas for hanging out and relaxing add to the sociable, inclusive vibe. Membership prices start at $150 per month, including 7 days-a-week access, as well as discounts on services, classes, and materials, and rise to $210 per month for extended hour packages.
780 East Cordova Street www.makerlabs.com
(Photo: MakerLabs)
HiVE
Founded in 2011, HiVE claims to be Vancouver’s longest standing coworking space that operates as a non-profit society. By using a shared space to cowork, host events and build community, it strives to support and amplify the social impact sector in a way that enables its members and partners to thrive. Entrepreneurs, creatives, activists, professionals and techies can all be found here. Hot desking packages starts at $49 for 5 hours’ access per month, and rises to $369 for unlimited access, and there’s also a one-time set-up fee of $100. Memberships are month-to-month, with no longer term commitment required. All membership tiers also include a certain number of meeting room use. On-site facilities include a kitchen and lounge area, unlimited tea/coffee, indoor bike storage, printing & copying equipment, and regular workshops and community events.
210-128 West Hastings Street www.hivevancouver.com
(Photo: HiVE)
The Profile
Providing the space and resources that entrepreneurs need to succeed, The Profile’s three flexible coworking spaces spread across both neighbourhood and city centre locations have been built for those that want to combine work and fun. Unique architecture, members-only events, and a growing community are the key cornerstones. A range of membership packages are available, including Part time Community Membership priced at $275 per month for part-time access or $375 for full-time access, as well as pay-as-you-go guest passes for $25 per day. No lease or long term obligations required. A dedicated business club hosts a busy calendar of events and activities exclusively for members and guests.
375 Water Street Suite 200 www.theprofile.ca
(Photo: The Profile)
Envision
Located in the heart of Vancouver’s vibrant Mount Pleasant neighbourhood, Envision offers a flexible, customised and purpose-built coworking space designed to help creative individuals, freelancers, entrepreneurs and businesses to thrive. Amenities include open lounges, private meeting rooms, an outdoor patio and BBQ area, and a shower room, and there are also regular networking events available for members. Hot desking membership rates start at $350 per month, providing full access to the space from Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm, as well as a 50% discount on the use of meeting rooms.
60 West 6th Avenue Suite 200 www.envisioncoworking.ca
(Photo: Envision)
Hervana Coworking Collective
Set up to help ambitious women join a thriving community, meet new people, learn new skills, and grow both as an individual and as a business, Hervana Coworking Collective offers shared office space with monthly and hourly memberships. Monthly membership packages start at $270 per month and the first two months are free. The venue also runs regular workshops, talks and networking events, all created with the aim of helping women overcome barriers.
595 Howe Street #506 www.hervanavancouver.com
(Photo: Hervana Coworking Collective)
The Network Hub
Delivering coworking spaces to entrepreneurs, startups and small businesses in Vancouver since 2006, The Network Hub’s downtown venue offers maximum flexibility designed to allow teams to shrink or grow as they require. On-site services and amenities include high-speed internet connectivity and use of printing & scanning equipment. Membership packages start at $400 per month for 9am-5pm weekday access to a shared space, rising to $460 per month for unlimited 24/7 access to a dedicated desk. There are also drop-in passes priced at $5.
422 Richards Street #170 www.thenetworkhub.ca
(Photo: The Network Hub)
VanCubers
Situated in the heart of downtown Vancouver, VanCubers is a coworking space for entrepreneurs and local businesses. The venue is designed to minimise sound, so you can focus and get your job done, and there are also high ceilings, windows all around with lots of natural light, and comfy chairs with modern white desks. Hot desking membership is priced at $350 per month with unlimited access, or for $400 per month you get a fully equipped Smart Hot Desk complete with a 24″ monitor, PC/Mac connectors, keyboard and mouse. Day passes are available for $30 per day, too. All members also have access to printing/scanning, full kitchen facilities, and all day free tea & coffee.
997 Seymour Street #250 www.vancubers.com
(Photo: VanCubers)
CubeCreative
Laying at the very southern end of the Cambie Street Bridge, and within brisk walking distance of downtown, CubeCreative is a purpose-built shared urban workspace for independent creatives and design professionals. The venue offers highly flexible lease terms, with shared desk membership priced at $300 per month. All paid-up members gain 24/7 access to amenities including a lounge area, high-speed internet, a showroom, and a resource centre.
363 West 6th Avenue www.cube-creative.ca
(Photo: CubeCreative)
