Living in South Slope, Burnaby
South Slope grades B overall (75/100), #5 of 20 residential areas in and around Burnaby. Its strongest categories are transit, parks and childcare.
South Slope has about 2,267 home addresses across 3.4 km². Out of 20 residential areas, South Slope ranks #3 for families, #11 for seniors and #11 for commuters. It grades A for schools, parks, nature & outdoors, childcare, transit.
Explore South Slope on the mapGrades by category
| Category | Grade | What we measured |
|---|---|---|
| Schools | A (90) | Homes within 1 km of a public elementary school and 2 km of a public middle/secondary school |
| Kids at home | B (65) | Share of households that are families with children at home (2021 Census). Used in the Families score only |
| Road safety | C (49) | ICBC-reported crashes per km² per year, 2021–2025 |
| Parks | A (99) | Homes within 400 m of a park, plus 500 m of a playground |
| Nature & outdoors | A (88) | How close homes are to a trail, natural area or shoreline the public can reach, to a bigger one for a bike ride (a river, lake or long trail), and to a major destination for a drive (a big lake, large park or the ocean) |
| Childcare | A (93) | Homes within 800 m of a licensed group centre or preschool, and 1 km of care for under-3s (home daycares alone don’t count) |
| Quiet streets | C (52) | How close homes are to traffic: right beside a highway counts most, fading out by 300 m; arterial roads fade out by 150 m and collector roads by 100 m (OpenStreetMap road types) |
| Shops & food | B (69) | Homes within 1 km of a grocery store or pharmacy, and 800 m of a café or restaurant |
| Transit | A (100) | Homes within 400 m of a bus stop, and of a stop with 40+ weekday departures |
| Health care | B (68) | Homes within 1.5 km of a walk-in clinic or hospital, and 1 km of a pharmacy |
| Commute time | C (55) | Workers with a commute under 15 minutes, less a penalty for commutes of an hour or more (2021 Census) |
| Highway access | C (60) | Average straight-line distance from homes to the nearest Highway 1 interchange |
Who lives here
About 8,680 people live in South Slope (2021 Census), with a median age of 45.9 (city: 41.5). 66.8% of households own their home and 33% rent. 34.5% of households are families with children at home, 13.1% of residents are under 15 and 23% are 65 or older. 48% of homes are houses and 10% are apartments.
Schools
100% of homes are within 1 km of a public elementary school, and 72.7% are within 2 km of a public middle or secondary school. Across Burnaby Schools (School District 41), 95.4% of students graduate within six years of starting Grade 8 (BC: 92.5%, 2024/2025); the Province doesn't publish this for single schools.
| School | Beats % of BC schools | Results |
|---|---|---|
| Glenwood Elementary elementary | 37 | FSA reading beats 41% of BC schools; FSA math beats 32% |
| Suncrest Elementary elementary | 81 | FSA reading beats 75% of BC schools; FSA math beats 86% |
| South Slope Elementary elementary | 71 | FSA reading beats 65% of BC schools; FSA math beats 77% |
Provincial test results (FSA 2023/2024–2025/2026, graduation assessments 2022/2023–2024/2025) compared with every BC school. They don't count toward any grade, because scores follow family income closely. How we work these out.
Nature & outdoors
100% of homes are within 1 km of a trail, natural area or public shoreline. Close to home: BC Parkway, Burnaby Fraser Foreshore Park, Central Park, Rumble Urban Trail, Rumble Street Urban Trail and Riverway Sports Complex. A bike ride away: Fraser River (North Arm), Deer Lake Park, Burnaby Lake Regional Park, Central Valley Greenway and South Arm Fraser River. A short drive away: Sturgeon Bank Wildlife Management Area, Ocean or tidal shoreline, Pacific Spirit Regional Park, Seaside Greenway and Roberts Bank Wildlife Management Area.
Parks
13 city parks covering 46.2 hectares. 100% of homes are within a five-minute walk (400 m) of a park.
Transit
46 bus stops with 4,310 weekday departures on routes 026, 031, 049, 100, 116, 146, 147, 148. 100% of homes are within 400 m of a stop.
Road safety
ICBC recorded 356 crashes inside South Slope from 2021 to 2025, 111 of them with injuries or deaths.
Garbage day
Wednesday (zone 3B) for 71% of homes; Thursday (zone 4B) for 29% of homes
Crime
No public crime data exists at the neighbourhood level, so we don't estimate it.
Common questions about South Slope
Is South Slope a good place to live?
South Slope grades B overall (75/100), #5 of 20 residential areas in and around Burnaby. Its strongest categories are transit, parks and childcare. For families it ranks #3, for seniors #11 and for commuters #11. Grades come from public data only, never from reviews or opinion.
What outdoor spots are near South Slope?
100% of homes are within 1 km of a trail, natural area or public shoreline. Close to home: BC Parkway, Burnaby Fraser Foreshore Park, Central Park, Rumble Urban Trail, Rumble Street Urban Trail and Riverway Sports Complex. A bike ride away: Fraser River (North Arm), Deer Lake Park, Burnaby Lake Regional Park, Central Valley Greenway and South Arm Fraser River. A short drive away: Sturgeon Bank Wildlife Management Area, Ocean or tidal shoreline, Pacific Spirit Regional Park, Seaside Greenway and Roberts Bank Wildlife Management Area. Nature & outdoors grades A.
What schools are in South Slope?
Public schools inside the boundary: Glenwood Elementary, Suncrest Elementary, South Slope Elementary. 100% of homes are within 1 km of an elementary school. Check catchments with Burnaby Schools (School District 41).
Are the schools in South Slope good?
On provincial tests, Suncrest Elementary beats 81% of BC schools, South Slope Elementary beats 71% of BC schools and Glenwood Elementary beats 37% of BC schools (FSA 2023/2024–2025/2026, graduation assessments 2022/2023–2024/2025). SD41 graduates 95.4% of students within six years (BC 92.5%). Test scores follow family income closely, so visit and talk to the school too.
How many people live in South Slope?
About 8,680 people (2021 Census), with a median age of 45.9. 66.8% of households own their home.
Is there good transit in South Slope?
100% of homes are within 400 m of a bus stop; 46 stops get 4,310 TransLink departures on a weekday. Transit grades A.
What day is garbage pickup in South Slope?
Wednesday (zone 3B) for 71% of homes; Thursday (zone 4B) for 29% of homes, on the City curbside schedule.
Compare Burnaby neighbourhoods
Best overall · Best for families with young kids · Best for seniors and retirees · Best for commuters
- Royal Oak B · 78
- Brentwood B · 77
- Heights B · 76
- Garden Village B · 76
- East Burnaby B · 75
- Edmonds B · 74
- Montecito B · 74
- Lochdale B · 73
- Metrotown B · 73
- Broadview B · 72
- Holdom B · 71
- Lougheed B · 70
- Buckingham Heights B · 67
- Deer Lake B · 66
- Big Bend C · 60
- Lake City C · 59
- Bainbridge C · 57
- Burnaby Mountain C · 54
- Central Valley C · 54
Data last built 2026-11-06. How these grades are calculated