Metro Vancouver’s Transport 2050 phase one engagement report released

TransLink, the statutory authority responsible for the regional transportation network of Metro Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada has released the report from the first phase of public engagement for Transport 2050 – Metro Vancouver’s blueprint for the next 30 years of transportation. With input from every jurisdiction in the region, the engagement results aim to help shape the priorities identified in Transport 2050 when released in late 2020. This round of engagement had 31,700 responses and approximately 4,000 ideas submitted.

Respondents were asked to think about Metro Vancouver’s next 30 years and rank their top priorities, values and concerns from a range of possible answers. Here are the key results:

Top three priorities for Metro Vancouver’s future:

• Expanding and improving the transit system
• Increasing housing choice and affordability
• Creating jobs, homes, and services closer together.

Top three concerns about living in Metro Vancouver:

• Growing cost of renting or buying a home
• Congestion on the roads
• Loss of green space.

Transport 2050’s next round of engagement in spring 2020 will ask the public to help weigh trade-offs between different packages of projects, services and policies.

Kevin Desmond, CEO of TransLink, said: “To develop the strategy for the next 30 years of transportation, it was important to first take the pulse of the public. We heard loud and clear that the people of this region care deeply about the future – and Transport 2050 will outline a path to a more livable Metro Vancouver.”

Selina Robinson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, added: “Our government is committed to being an active funding and planning partner as we work together with the Mayors’ Council to shape the future of transportation. These survey results show that we all share a vision of building a transportation system that connects people, brings affordable homes and economic opportunities to the region and tackles the challenge of climate change.”