Transit moves growth along

Every year, Metro Vancouver grows by 35,000 new residents. By 2021, our population will reach 2.8 million and by 2041, there will be 3.4 million of us residing here. Where will new residents live and in what types of homes? Four levels of government – federal, provincial, regional and municipal – continue to look for innovative solutions to accommodate growth that are easier on the environment and the pocketbooks of newcomers and taxpayers.

Transit-oriented development (TOD)

Transit-oriented development (TOD) is an approach which helps to maximize investments in improved transit by transforming underused sites into vibrant, high density, mixed-use, pedestrian friendly neighborhoods where residents live, work and play with less emphasis on cars. It attracts and generates transit riders. With TOD, the highest density (and most affordable) homes are often closest to transit stations, with progressively lower-density homes spreading out, from high rise apartments, to low-rise apartments, to townhomes, infill, smaller detached homes, and larger single family homes. TOD neighborhoods typically enjoy a high quality of life with community, child care and recreational facilities, affordable housing and green space all within 800 metres or a five minute walk from transit.

What can density look like?

In Vancouver, the Point Grey and Fairview neighbourhoods are both highly livable and offer an interesting comparison. Close to half of all Point Grey homes (44%) are detached, while just one per cent of Fairview homes are detached. Fairview mixes residential and commercial development at a higher density, with more infill, townhomes and apartments clustered around several small town centres. Development includes rehabilitated and reused structures and denser new development at the Olympic Village site.

Our changing demographics: Our families are smaller and we’re older

• There are now more couples without children than with children in Canada. Close to half (42.7%) of Canadian families are couples without children compared to 41.4% of families who have children.

• In 1986 more than half of Canadian families were couples with children (52.0%) while just 35.3% were couples without children.

• Today there are more than three times as many one-person households as households with five or more persons. And these households are older.

• In BC, in 1986, there were 104,265 residents age 75 to 84, and 29,755 residents age 85 years and older.

• Today the number of residents age 75 to 84 years has doubled to 210,265 residents and the number of residents age 85 years and older has almost tripled to 76,050 residents.

Source: Statistics Canada

Source: Rapid Transit Principles for the Broadway Corridor and the UBC Line Rapid Transit Study, City of Vancouver,

Policy Report, January 12, 2010.

TOD success stories

• Burnaby: after the opening of the Expo Line in 1985, Burnaby revitalized neighbourhoods and created new business along the line at Edmonds, Metrotown and Patterson station areas, accounting for 25% of building activity between 1986 and 1996. When the Millennium Line was constructed, TOD included Burnaby’s Madison Centre near the Brentwood station, a highdensity, mixed-use infill of 450 homes or 100 units per acre on green commons.

• New Westminster: the Expo Line activity accounted for 33.7% of the city’s total new residential construction in the decade following its opening, and resulted in a 644% increase in residential properties built within 500 meters of the New Westminster station.

• Port Moody: Newport Village, built in anticipation of the Evergreen Line, is a mixed use residential, retail and office TDO of high-rise and low-rise condominiums, providing options for affordability.

• Richmond: Richmond responded to the Canada Line (CL) by replanning its City Centre to build out (in 100 years) using the TOD approach. Around all five Richmond CL stations high-density urban villages are planned. The Richmond- Brighouse, Lansdowne (which serves the Oval Gateway Village) and Capstan stations include residential development. The Aberdeen and Bridgeport stations won’t have residential development because of aircraft noise, but will include office, commercial, entertainment and recreational uses. Approximately 40,000 residents now live in the City Centre. The new City Centre Area Plan allows for 80,000 more residents for a total of 120,000 over the long term. An additional 200 acres of parkland will be acquired here through development cost charges (DCCs).

This concentrated density reduces urban sprawl and preserves farmland. Just a few miles down the road, farmers grow and sell local produce on ALR class one and two land which also serves as wildlife habitat and green space.

• Vancouver: Arbutus Walk, built on an old brewery site, is a high density 100 units per acre mixed use TOD, which is within close walking distance of the bus rapid transit (BRT) 99B-Line on Broadway.

Along those lines – growth opportunities

Transit projects under consideration:

• $1.4 billion Evergreen Line connecting Burnaby and Coquitlam;

• $2.8 million rapid-transit line from Broadway Station to UBC; and

• $3.1 billion Expo Line extension through Surrey to Langley and White Rock.

But first, the big challenge – financing

Before local governments can leverage opportunities for growth management facilitated by linking communities through transit, this infrastructure requires funding. This is a big challenge for all partners. Transit is usually paid for by the federal and provincial governments, not local governments. The federal and provincial governments have put money on the table, but TransLink is still sorting out its financing options. Right now, it’s looking for a way to raise its $400 million share of the Evergreen Line. Potential contributions from any private partners are also still pending. So far, TransLink has been using property, gas and parking taxes and transit fares to fund growth. New funding options considered include a fuel tax, tolls and road or insurance taxes. To get the Evergreen Line on track, the province has promised to “fix TransLink” and is expected to introduce new legislation this session that includes a funding formula so the Evergreen Line can be built in partnership with local governments.

Governments have agreed to fund

• BC provincial funding: $163 million for the Canada Line, the Evergreen Line, other rapid transit projects and buses.

• Federal funding: $133.6 million for TransLink projects.

Transit saves commuters money

Riding public transportation saves a commuter about $9,215 a year including gas, parking, insurance and repairs. (U.S. dollars)

Source: American Public Transportation Association.

Coming to the corridor

As a result of the development of the Canada Line, Vancouver has completed the Cambie Corridor Planning Program, and adopted the Cambie Corridor Principles and the Cambie Corridor Interim Rezoning Policy. By autumn 2010, Vancouver will produce policies (land use, design, built form) for sites along the corridor and a coordinated strategy for the corridor between West 16th Avenue and Southwest Marine Drive, including the King Edward, Oakridge–41st Avenue, Langara–49th Avenue and the Marine Drive stations.

Marine Gateway project – is this the development of the future?

The proposed development around the Marine Drive station, if approved, will be a TOD on former industrial land including the old ICBC site. This proposed development would be a mixed-use project of 405 market condominiums and 245 market rental apartments, and retail/office built to LEED® Gold standards. If approved, features will include green roofs, a heat/energy recovery loop, grey water reuse, windows that open, parks, a daycare, a fitness centre, and a community police station. There are concerns that if the property is rezoned to CD–1 (Comprehensive Development) District from the current I-2 (Industrial), the city will lose industrial land to create jobs accessible by density. The trend in TOD planning could potentially be the beginning of densification around transit stations and corridors.

Province legislates green OCPs

A new green municipal era is about to begin. Under amendments made in 2008 to the Local Government Act and the Vancouver Charter, by May 31, 2010, all local governments must establish greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and actions in their official community plans (OCPs). In some communities, higher-density mixed-use development is difficult to construct because zoning and building codes favor low-density development with segregated uses. Incorporating TOD in OCPs helps achieve smart growth objectives by more efficiently using serviced land which reduces greenhouse gas emissions and brings down high energy costs in a time of shrinking budgets. This form of development also addresses community concerns about the environmental and health issues related to smog, traffic congestion and the loss of natural habitat.

Other sources: Metro Vancouver, TransLink, and various local government websites. Special thanks to Terry Crowe, Manager, Policy Planning, City of Richmond.

Vancouver Realtor Website