Metro Vancouver bike infrastructure improving, but safety concerns rise

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Good morning,

On Monday I said the news was slowing down in anticipation of the holidays. Boy, I was wrong. We’ve got a bunch of big stories in today’s newsletter.

Every so often I like to highlight the work done by different publications. This is a great deep dive into the Broadway Plan, and is worthwhile reading if you’ve been wondering about the plan for the area.

Without further delay, let’s get into the second-to-last newsletter of the year!

— Geoff Sharpe, Lookout managing editor

PS - If you find this newsletter valuable, please consider forwarding it to your friends. New to the Lookout? Sign-up for free.

WEATHER

Wednesday: 7 🌡️ 4 | 🌤️

Thursday: 8 🌡️ 7 | 🌧️

Friday: 11 🌡️ 8 | 🌧️

CYCLING

Metro Vancouver bike infrastructure improving, but safety concerns rise

What happened: TransLink released their annual State of Cycling in Metro Vancouver report for 2024 and the data shows both the progress being made in building more safe infrastructure for cycling, and what areas of the region are lacking.

Background: The report uses what they call a Bikeway Classification System to rank different bike paths and infrastructure, with a focus on safety and exposure to motor traffic. Paths were ranked based on comfort level for people, including low-speed and low-traffic volume roads. 

Bike network growing: The good news is that the number of lane kilometres of bikeways has increased from 4,404 in 2019 to 4,870 in 2023, though that was only a slight increase of three per cent in the percentage of the network that is considered comfortable for most people, the highest possible ranking. 

The demand for cycling is very apparent in Metro Vancouver. Around two-thirds of people in the region want to bike more than they currently do. During the summer, around 375,000 to 400,000 adults cycle once a week. 

• But there’s been a recent decline in people who primarily bike to work. In 2016, it was 2.35 per cent, while in 2021 it was 1.86 per cent of the region. In Vancouver, it fell from just over 6 per cent in 2016 to just over 5 per cent in 2023. 

Safety up: Some good news is that cycling across the region is becoming safer. Between 2013-2017, there were 25.1 collisions per million bike trips, compared to 22.4 between 2018-2022. 

• Yes, but: There appears to be a disconnect between safety and perceptions of safety. Data showed that the percentage of people who felt cycling was very unsafe and somewhat unsafe rose from 32 per cent in 2019 to 37 per cent in 2023, while those who felt it was somewhat or very safe fell from 50 per cent to 43 per cent. Vancouver’s increase was higher, from 23 per cent to 33 per cent, but still slightly below the regional average. 

Region challenges: Everyone in Vancouver should be ecstatic that 80-100 per cent of the population has access to a “comfortable for most” bikeway. UBC, North Vancouver, New Westminster and Port Coquitlam also rank high. 

• Yet the fastest-growing communities in the region have far less access to the most comfortable forms of cycling infrastructure. Surrey, Richmond and Maple Ridge rank low, with only 40-60 per cent. 

Long-term goal: The plan is to build 850 kilometres of bike corridors by 2050, with connected bikeway networks between all major urban centres in the region. 

What it means: The region needs to work on improving both more comfortable ways to bike and the perception of safety in areas outside of Vancouver. 

Thought-bubble: While purely anecdotal, one thing I hear often is bicycle theft. According to Vancouver Police crime incident data, theft has been higher in 2022 and 2023. There could be a relationship between the number of fewer non-regular and potential cyclists in the chart above (though obviously there are many reasons that could be the case).

• One solution to this is bike valets, which allow you to check your bike safety, like a coat check. Victoria offers one year-round, but in Vancouver they are only seasonally provided by that service company. 

Another trend: A recent study by UBC has noted that e-bikes and stand-up electric scooters have rapidly increased in usage throughout the region, which makes sense given how accessible the devices are for everyone. But one problem, according to the Vancouver Sun, is that speeds on bike paths have increased by 11 per cent, which could cause danger for slower path users.

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VANCOUVER NUMBERS

📈 $9.4 billion: BC’s newly revised projected deficit, up from $8.9 billion in the last fiscal update in September. [Vancouver Sun]

🏢 38 and 52: The number of storeys proposed for two towers on city-owned land near the Burrard Bridge. The area is 1.8 acres. [Storeys]

📉 69.91 cents: The value of the loonie compared to the US dollar on Tuesday. Probably a good idea to shop in Canada instead! [Business in Vancouver]

🤔 $1 million: About how much BC United, formerly the BC Liberals, need in order to pay back vendors and candidates who paid for their own costs. [CBC]

DREAM HOME

Since it’s the last home of the year in the newsletter, I thought it might be worth finding a place that really summarizes Vancouver’s outrageous housing marketing.

This home is near one of the best neighbourhoods in Vancouver, next to Commercial. It’s an immaculately beautiful home with all the best amenities and a kitchen to die for. Truly a work of art.

But that’s where it ends. The place boasts just one bedroom, though you can turn some other rooms into them if needed. It’s hardly a place any family could call home.

And most ridiculous? It’s Vancouver so of course it’s the price. It truly symbolizes the problems with Vancouver’s housing market…

House of The Week is a home selected by the Lookout team and is not a paid advertisement. All ads are labeled as such. If you’re a realtor who wishes to feature your home in our newsletter, please contact our sales team. 

THE AGENDA

🏢 A 115-year-old building that’s been vacant for more than a decade, and was on the heritage registration, has been ordered to be demolished after years of neglect. The building is located at 500 Dunsmuir Street and was single-room building for low-income residents. [Global]

🔢 Mayor Ken Sim has spent less time at council than the previous mayor, missing a total of 36 per cent of council votes. Meanwhile, he’s travelled to many conferences, and the budget for that travel has increased. According to data from the Vancouver Sun, those trips tend to spike in the summer as well. His trips included South by Southwest, London, Los Angeles, Boston, Seattle and São Paulo. [Vancouver Sun]

🚂 It doesn’t seem like the Stanley Park Christmas train will be opening any time soon. The train has been shut down after a worker experienced nausea and dizziness, which the city says may be caused by the exhaust from the train. Tests on the exhaust back during Halloween showed they were within safe limits. Crews are investigating if a fix can be made before the event ends on Jan. 4. The city has lost around $150,000 in revenue from the cancelled tickets. [Vancouver Sun]

👮 This is one of the few stories that touches both Lookout cities that we operate in. A man who lives in Vancouver has been charged with a stabbing death in Ottawa back in 1996. The man was arrested and charged last week, due to advances in DNA sequencing which allowed them to identify the man. [CBC]

👎️ A well-known business leader in Vancouver, Frank Giustra, is criticizing the city’s decision to look into adding Bitcoin as part of the city’s financial strategy, which could entail accepting Bitcoin as payment or holding reserves in cryptocurrency. He called it “reckless” and “stupid” and that advocates of it, like the mayor, gloss over the risks, pointing out that it traded at a third of its value last year. [Vancouver Sun]

🚎 According to commuter app Moovit, their data shows that Greater Vancouver has the worst transit trip times in North America, at 60 minutes. Greater Toronto is the second worst at 55 minutes. As a Vancouver Sun columnist noted, no level of government provides data on these trip times. [Vancouver Sun]

🏒 With the trade freeze ending last night, the Canucks are shopping around for a top-four defenceman and a winger, with a real need for more depth on defence after Filip Hronek went down to an injury. The team beat the Avalanche 3-1 on Monday, with Kiefer Sherwood getting the hat trick. [TSN]

⚽️ Vancouver’s professional women’s soccer club, the Vancouver Rise, have signed Jessica De Filippo. [Globe and Mail]

Outside Vancouver

💰️ Some Metro Vancouver small businesses have decided to not to adopt the GST sales cut due to how complicated it is, as it’s not mandatory that businesses offer it. [CityNews]

🦺 Lions Bay declared a state of emergency on Monday as they continue to search for a missing resident whose home was caught in a landslide. The village continues to deal with the fallout from the debris flow. One other person was killed. [Squamish Chief]

Could Grouse Mountain offer lodging? The owner of the mountain, Tom Gaglardi, says he hopes to offer hotel accommodation, a spa and other amenities in the longer-term, likely in the next five to 10 years. The mountain is also planning a bike park and mountain coaster next year. [The Breaker]

EVENT GUIDE

CP Holiday Train | Various locations across Metro Vancouver | Dec. 19-20 | Celebrate the season with the CP Holiday Train, featuring dazzling lights and free festive concerts by Juno winners Magic! and rising star Sofia Camara. 

Festival of Lights | Nightly until Jan. 5 | VanDusen Garden | Explore 15 acres adorned with over 1 million twinkling lights, including exciting new displays | Tickets $31

Bright Nights | Nightly until Jan. 4 | Stanley Park (Children’s Farmyard and Railway) | Train tickets are sold out for the year but you can still take in the extensive Bright Nights light display and support the Burn Fund | Admission by donation

Big Country Christmas | Dec. 20, 7 p.m. | The Wise Hall | Join the Vancouver Country Music family for a night of holiday celebration and support the Roll for Warmth charity campaign | Tickets $25

Outdoor Skating | Daily until Feb 28 | Robson Square | Enjoy some old-fashioned fun and celebrate winter in style with skating in the heart of downtown Vancouver. Skate rentals available | Free admission

Polar Bear Swim | Jan. 1, noon | English Bay Beach | Jump into 2025 with a splash and take an invigorating dip at this park board event | Free

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Bali Thai is the definition of hidden gem

Bali Thai, located in the International Village food court, has a grand total of one write-up online. With just under 100 words, the story from Daily Hive barely does the place justice. Because what’s lurking behind the innocuous logo and name — it’s not in fact Thai food, but Indonesian — is the type of food worth travelling for.

It also happens to be run by one of the kindest ladies you’re likely to meet in a food court, or any food establishment. Quick with a joke, with many suggestions, you can’t go wrong asking her for advice. 

Read the review

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VANCOUVER GUESSER

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• This flight deal isn’t for me, but all you Disney fans will love these discounted flights from YVR in May and June. [Vancouver Sun]

• Tell Air Canada unpaid work is unfair. [Sponsored]

• If you ride transit much, you’ll want to check out TransLink’s Winter Services Changes.

• Not related to Vancouver, but millennials like myself will want to read this story, about what to do with all our parents’ stuff as they downsize… 

• Here’s a helpful list of all the Vancouver running clubs. 

• The Grouse gondola looks pretty nice! [Reddit]

PHOTO OF THE DAY

I know, I know, it’s a lot of SkyTrain photos and I promise they aren’t paying for it. But there’s something I love about the SkyTrain, and this photo really captures them in a different way.