Harold Kalman, an architectural historian stated, "The showcase residential community was planned in the early 1970s, with curved roads and cul-de-sacs serving a mix of housing types and income levels.

The majority of the Champlain Heights area is leasehold property (pre-paid 99-year leases from the City of Vancouver, expiring in the 2080s).

The education in the area is serviced by Champlain Heights Community School, designed by one of Canada's foremost architects, Arthur Erickson.

Harold Kalman, an architectural historian stated, "The showcase residential community was planned in the early 1970s, with curved roads and cul-de-sacs serving a mix of housing types and income levels."

According to planning documents, the goals for Champlain Heights were to accommodate a broad range of lifestyles and incomes within the community, to establish identifiable neighbourhoods, to separate pedestrian from vehicular traffic where possible, and to retain and emphasize the natural amenities of the area and integrate them into the development.