Canadian Legislative Issues

Vancouver’s 2040 Transportation Plan has recently been adopted by City Council and is a result of a longstanding strategy to expand the city’s transportation system due to population growth. More specifically, the plan focuses on encouraging city inhabitants to commute by foot, bike, or public transit.

"Vancouver needs to be taking action now, and after one of the broadest and most-engaging consultation processes in our city’s history, the 2040 plan represents a major step toward a transportation future that supports bold safety goals, the needs of a growing economy and a greener Vancouver," said, Mayor Gregor Robertson.

What does this mean for cars? The plan intends to reduce car usage but encourage the use of alternative fuel cars and car sharing. For instance, here are the actions the city intends to take to support car sharing:

• Expand requirements and incentives for car sharing in new developments
• Continue to make priority on-street locations available for car sharing
• Adopt parking design guidelines for larger developments that enable non-residents to access on-site car- sharing vehicles
• Support legislative and technological advances that facilitate peer-to-peer car sharing

Additionally, Vancouver wants to provide the necessary infrastructure in order to promote the use of electric vehicles. Here are the actions the city has committed to:

• Continue to require all new developments to include electric vehicle charging infrastructure
• Develop a retrofit policy to facilitate charging infrastructure in existing buildings
• Partner with private industry to provide charging locations throughout the city, including retail locations, existing parking lots, and other under-utilized land

In conclusion, Vancouver’s 2040 Transportation Plan demonstrates how the city will be shifting towards low-carbon and electric vehicles through specific policies and providing the necessary infrastructure which might have an impact on fleet managers.