Presentation given by Ken Cameron and Jacint Simon at the SFU Centre for Dialogue on March 14, 2014.

1. Moving in a Livable Region March 14, 2014
What kind of transportation do we want and
how do we want to pay for it?
2012 Urban Futures Survey
www.urbanfuturessurvey.com
Ken Cameron, FCIP, RPP
kdcameron@kdcameron.com
Jacint Simon, Urban Studies Masters Candidate, SFU
jsimon@sfu.ca

2. Definition of Terms
“PlaceSpeak”
· A Vancouver-based social enterprise in which Ken Cameron is a director and investor
· An online, interactive consultation platform that allows proponents (municipalities, utilities,
developers) to sponsor consultation topics and receive feedback from citizens who can voluntarily
participate at no cost to them
“Urban Futures Survey”
· A comprehensive survey of public attitudes in Greater Vancouver developed by the late Dr.
Walter Hardwick
· Conducted in 1973, 1990 and 2012
· 2012 survey was a research project of PlaceSpeak conducted with a grant from the Real
Estate Foundation of B.C., the Cities of North Vancouver and Surrey, TransLink and Vancity

3. Ranking Challenges
Challenges 2012 1990 1973
Change
1990-2012
Provision of health care 1 3 9 +2
Traffic congestion 2 7 6 +5
Homelessness 3 NOT ASKED NOT ASKED NA
Increasing housing supply 4 8 8 +4
Air pollution from industry 5 1 1 -4
Water pollution from industry 6 2 2 -4
Air pollution from cars 7 4 3 -3

4. Traffic congestion and commuting experience
Net Agreement = total agreement - total disagreement

5. Ranking Policy Issues (11 total)
The residents of the region do not support the idea of
easing congestion by building more roads.
Issues 2012 1990 1973
Change
1990-2012
Expanding the public transit system 1 5 2 +4
Making more efficient use of present transportation 2 3 3 +1
Promoting comprehensive community planning 3 6 5 +3
Preserving the natural environment 4 1 1 -3
Improving highway transportation 9 9 10 0

6. 54 issue statements ranked
#1 “Diversified forms of transportation, such as street cars and light rail, should be encouraged.”
#7 “An expanded public transit system is the best way to solve Metro Vancouver's transportation
problem.”
#13 “Both public transit and highways will be essential to Metro Vancouver in the future.”
#18 “People should pay less when using public transportation at off-peak times.
#21 “The first task of improving transportation in Metro Vancouver is to make better use of existing
transit facilities.”
#24 “Bicycle use would increase if designated routes were expanded,”
#33 “The private motor vehicle is essential to our sense of freedom,”
#54 “There is no real traffic problem in the Metro Vancouver area.”
Explanatory note: if a statement is ranked #54 (last in the ranking), it means
that the vast majority of respondents disagree with that statement.

7. “Both public transit and highways will be essential
to Metro Vancouver in the future.”
Net Agreement = total agreement - total disagreement

8. “The private motor vehicle is essential to our
sense of freedom.”
Net Agreement = total agreement - total disagreement

9. Transportation Preferences
1990
● Prepared to pay more for transit
● Preference for transit over roads
● User pay principle preferred
● All taxation methods rejected
● General taxation methods were strongly rejected

10. 2012 - User pay principle supported; property tax
strongly rejected

11. Regional Differences in
Support for Funding Options

12. “Rank, in order of preference, the issues that you personally feel most urgently require government
action.”
Transportation 30%
Housing affordability 27%
Preservation of green spaces 12%
Job creation 8%
K-12 education 7%
Loss of rental housing stock 5%
Rising property taxes 5%
Changing appearance of neighbourhoods 2%
In-migration from outside the Metro Vancouver area 2%
More recreational facilities 1%

13. Darker areas represent higher urgency for transportation.
http://placespeak.com/ufs2012map/

14. Sponsored by

15. Moving in a Livable Region March 14, 2014
What kind of transportation do we want and
how do we want to pay for it?
2012 Urban Futures Survey
www.urbanfuturessurvey.com
Ken Cameron, FCIP, RPP
kdcameron@kdcameron.com
Jacint Simon, Urban Studies Masters Candidate, SFU
jsimon@sfu.ca