Short answer: a vending machine for an apartment building in Richmond, British Columbia is $0 to the building in the usual model. The operator buys, installs, stocks, services and eventually removes it. The building supplies a spot residents walk past every day, a grounded outlet and the electricity, about $15–20 a month for a refrigerated drink machine. Rental buildings decide through the owner or property manager; a strata goes through council, and owners vote if the change to common property is significant.
This page is for rental managers, strata managers, council members and caretakers in Richmond, from City Centre towers along No. 3 Road to mid-rise rentals and non-profit housing elsewhere in the city.
What Richmond's rental stock looks like
Richmond has far fewer purpose-built rentals than its neighbours. CMHC's October 2025 survey counted 2,998 rental apartment units in Richmond, a quarter of Burnaby's total, and the number has been flat since 2020. Most of those units are in mid-size buildings of 50 to 199 units. The survey counts only purpose-built rentals, so renters in condos, townhouses and suites aren't in that figure, and the condo towers they live in are run by strata councils rather than a single landlord.
Richmond apartment and strata buildings: what the data shows
| Source | What it shows |
|---|---|
| VendFynd Lead Finder, January 2026 | 36 apartment and residential building listings with a Richmond address within 5 km of the city centre (of 1,047 listings across 16 site types) |
| VendFynd Lead Finder, January 2026 | 40 non-profit and affordable housing listings with a Richmond address within 5 km of the city centre (of 1,047 listings across 16 site types) |
These are counts of map listings or licence records, not a survey, and they don't show how many businesses want a machine. In the January 2026 run, 10 of 46 results were left out as off-type listings. In the January 2026 run, 4 of 44 results were left out as off-type listings.
Which buildings work
The test is daily foot traffic past one spot, not the number on the building. A machine does well next to the mailroom, the elevator lobby, a fitness room or a laundry room on the same floor. A party room that's booked twice a month doesn't. In a podium tower, the ground-floor lobby that every resident crosses beats an amenity floor that only some use.
Size still matters. Our site-fit scorer gives full marks for size at 150+ units and partial marks from 80. A smaller building isn't ruled out, but say your unit count up front so the operator can suggest a compact machine or a smart cooler instead of a full-size one.
Approvals in a Richmond strata
Council acts for the strata corporation. The open question is whether one machine is a "significant change in the use or appearance of common property" under s.71 of the Strata Property Act. If council thinks it is, the proposal goes to a general meeting and needs a 3/4 vote. Read your bylaws for rules on commercial activity in common areas, and take advice from your strata manager if it's unclear. Our BC apartments and strata guide walks through the other sections that come up.
Power, fees and paperwork
The machine plugs into a common-area circuit, so the building pays its electricity, usually on BC Hydro's business rate. The operator should hold Richmond's $37.50 vending licence, carry liability insurance and give the building a certificate if its insurer asks.
What residents ask for
Drinks and snacks first, then the late-night basics: phone chargers, pain relievers that are sold outside pharmacies, and household items. Our condo stocking guide lists what's allowed. With VendFynd your residents choose the menu, we reply within 1 business day, and it's month to month: 30 days' notice and the machine is removed at no cost. Most buildings receive a commission, set per building and agreed in writing before install. See if your building qualifies, or read our host terms.