What's Being Built in Willoughby, Langley & What It Means for You

by Alex Dunbar

Willoughby has 3 big projects under construction and 1 proposed: Willowbrook Station on the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain, with service expected in 2029, and the new Smith middle and secondary schools, which add 2,800 seats in September 2027. A replacement Willoughby Elementary is only an idea so far. If you're moving here, the timing of each one matters more than the headline.

What's Being Built in Willoughby Right Now

Aerial view over Willoughby in Langley with tower cranes on active construction sites, sports fields and new townhome neighbourhoods behind

If you've driven 208 Street or Fraser Highway lately, you've seen the cranes. Here's where the main public projects in Willoughby stand, based on what the Province and the Langley School District have published.

Where Each Project Stands:

•Willowbrook Station: under construction at Fraser Highway and 196 Street.
•Surrey-Langley SkyTrain: under construction, with service expected to begin in 2029.
•Smith middle and secondary schools: under construction, set to open September 2027.
•Replacement Willoughby Elementary: proposed, being studied, with no timeline yet.

3 of the 4 are real, funded and visibly underway. The 4th is a study. That difference is the whole point of this post: when you hear "they're building a school there" or "SkyTrain is coming," ask which of these it is and when it actually opens. If you're still getting a feel for the area itself, my guide to living in Willoughby covers the day-to-day side.

The Surrey-Langley SkyTrain and Willowbrook Station

Concrete guideway columns for the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain rising beside traffic cones and lanes of traffic along Fraser Highway

The Surrey-Langley SkyTrain runs along Fraser Highway and starts at King George Station in Surrey. The stop that matters most for Willoughby is Willowbrook Station, at 196 Street and Fraser Highway. One stop further east, Langley City Centre Station sits at 203 Street and Fraser Highway. Both locations come from the Province's December 1, 2023 project announcement.

On April 1, 2026 the project team posted that station construction was underway at Willowbrook. Then on September 21, 2026 the Province said the guideway was about 65% complete and that service is expected to begin in 2029. So the line is well past the planning stage, but it isn't something you can ride from Willoughby today.

What that means for you depends on your timeline. If you're buying to stay 10 years, a 2029 opening is close enough to count. If you need to commute by train next year, it isn't. And "near Willowbrook" is doing a lot of work in listing descriptions right now, so measure it yourself. I've written more about whether to buy near the new SkyTrain line if you're weighing that trade-off.

Living Next to the Construction

A station under construction is a different neighbour than a finished one. The project's April 2026 update for Willowbrook Station came with a notice about temporary noise and vibration from the work. That's normal for a build this size, and it's temporary, but it's real if your bedroom window faces Fraser Highway.

If you're looking at a home close to the station site, visit at different times of day, including a weekday morning, and ask the seller how the build has affected that block. Then picture the same street in 2029 with trains running instead of crews working. Some buyers will happily trade a few loud years for being steps from a station later. Others won't, and both answers are fine.

The New Smith Schools: 2,800 Seats Coming in 2027

Aerial view of a school and large green playing field surrounded by rows of new Willoughby homes with the North Shore mountains behind

The biggest change for families is in schools. The Langley School District announced on November 13, 2025 that new Smith middle and secondary schools are under construction, adding 900 middle school seats and 1,900 secondary seats. That's 2,800 seats in total. The district's announcement also says the area grew by an estimated 25% over the past 15 years, which is why these schools matter.

In its May 1, 2026 update the district confirmed both schools open in September 2027 and named the secondary school Emery Dosdall Secondary. If your kids will be in grade 6 or up by then, these are the schools to look at first. For how Langley's existing high schools compare, see my look at Langley secondary schools.

School Capacity and the 2027 Catchment Changes

Here's the line every Willoughby parent should read. In the same May 1, 2026 update, the district wrote that "nearly all of the schools on the Willoughby Slope have high enrolment and are currently at capacity." The new schools are the district's answer to that, and they come with new Willoughby Slope catchment boundaries that start in September 2027.

That changes how you should shop. A catchment you looked up last year may not be the one that applies to your address in 2027. Don't go by the neighbourhood name or what a neighbour tells you. Check the exact address against the district's Willoughby Slope catchment page before you write an offer, and check it again closer to September 2027.

The Replacement Willoughby Elementary Is Still an Idea

You may hear that a new Willoughby Elementary is coming. Here's what's actually on record. In February 2026 the Township of Langley and the Langley School District signed a memorandum of understanding to study a replacement Willoughby Elementary on Township land along 80 Avenue, beside the Langley Tennis Centre. A feasibility study is part of that, and the district's February 19, 2026 release gives no timeline.

So treat it as a possibility, not a plan. If an elementary school within walking distance is a must for you, buy based on the schools that exist today and count this one as a bonus if it happens.

Tools & Resources

See how Willoughby stacks up against the rest of the Fraser Valley before you commit to a street.

Neighbourhood Matchmaker Compare Neighbourhoods Mortgage Calculator

Who Should Skip Willoughby, and Where to Look Instead

Willoughby works well for a lot of people, but not everyone. This is my honest read on who should look elsewhere.

•You need SkyTrain now: Langley service isn't expected until 2029. Look near King George Station in Surrey, where the new line starts.
•You want a finished street: building is still going on here. An established area like Walnut Grove is a better fit.
•You want acreage: Willoughby isn't built for that. Rural South Langley is where to look for bigger properties.

None of that makes Willoughby a bad choice. It means you're buying into an area that's still being finished, and the payoff, like a station and new schools, arrives on a schedule you don't control.

What to Check Before You Buy in Willoughby

Before you write an offer in Willoughby, I'd check these 3 things for the exact home, not the neighbourhood.

•Your September 2027 school catchment: look up the address on the Langley School District site, because the new Willoughby Slope boundaries start that month.
•Your real walk to Willowbrook Station: time it from the front door to 196 Street and Fraser Highway, not the straight line on a map.
•What's proposed on your block: ask the Township of Langley what development applications are in near the home, so the empty lot next door doesn't surprise you.

If you'd like help comparing a few specific homes against those checks, that's exactly the kind of thing I'm happy to walk through with you.

Thinking About Buying or Selling in Willoughby?

The best first step is a quick conversation. Pick a time in the calendar that works for you and we'll talk it through.

Langley Homes for Sale Langley Relocation Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

When will the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain open in Willoughby?

The Province said on September 21, 2026 that service is expected to begin in 2029, with the guideway about 65% complete. Willowbrook Station, at 196 Street and Fraser Highway, is the stop that matters most for Willoughby.

Where is Willowbrook Station?

At 196 Street and Fraser Highway, according to the Province. The next stop east, Langley City Centre Station, is at 203 Street and Fraser Highway.

When do the new Smith schools in Willoughby open?

The Langley School District says the new Smith middle and secondary schools open in September 2027. They add 900 middle school seats and 1,900 secondary seats, 2,800 in total. The secondary school has been named Emery Dosdall Secondary.

Are Willoughby schools full?

The Langley School District said on May 1, 2026 that "nearly all of the schools on the Willoughby Slope have high enrolment and are currently at capacity." New Willoughby Slope catchment boundaries start in September 2027.

Is a new Willoughby Elementary being built?

Not yet. A replacement Willoughby Elementary is proposed on Township land along 80 Avenue beside the Langley Tennis Centre. The Township and the school district signed an agreement to study it in February 2026, and there is no timeline yet.

Is Willoughby a good fit if I need SkyTrain right away?

Probably not. Service to Langley is expected in 2029. If you need SkyTrain now, look near King George Station in Surrey, where the new line starts.

Sources: Province of BC (December 1, 2023 and September 21, 2026), Surrey-Langley SkyTrain project (April 1, 2026), Langley School District (November 13, 2025, February 19, 2026 and May 1, 2026). Read November 8, 2026.