Summary of the findings of the 2012 Greater Vancouver Urban Futures Survey conducted on PlaceSpeak

1. PlaceSpeak Board
June 11, 2014
GREATER VANCOUVER URBAN FUTURES
OPINION SURVEY 2012
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 Vancouver, North Vancouver and Surrey, TransLink and
Vancity

3. Survey Characteristics
• 1407 respondents representing 8 sub-regions or 22 municipalities.
• The margin of error is +/- 3.1 at the 95% significance level.
• The survey data was reweighted by gender distribution and
geographical location.
• Angus McAllister of McAllister Opinion Research compiled the
survey data. Ian McKinnon of Pacific Issues Partners, and Chair,
National Statistics Council reviewed the Technical Report.
• 82% of respondents voted in 2011 Municipal Elections

4. Ranking of Challenges
Ranking of 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

5. Ranking Policy Issues (11 total)
The residents of the region do not support the idea of easing
congestion by building more roads.
Ranking of 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. “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%

7. Transportation
 Congestion is a much bigger issue in outlying areas than in the
Burrard Peninsula
 The importance of the personal relationship with private
automobile increases with age
 “Improved transportation” means transit
 Respondents are receptive to user pay; opposed to general
taxation, especially property tax

8. 2012 - User pay principle supported; property tax
strongly rejected

9. Housing
 Homelessness
 Youth is the most concerned group
 Vancouver/UEL ranked Homelessness as the most important
challenge, above Provision of Health Care or Increasing the
Housing Supply
 Concern with housing supply and affordability is
highest among Burrard Peninsula respondents

10. Environment
 Concern with air and water pollution in the region
has decreased since 1990, reflecting the effect of policy
responses
 Overwhelming support (88%) in 2012 for waste-to-
energy approach for dealing with local waste.

11. Strong support for protecting agricultural
land; different picture for industrial land

12. Diversity / Density / Family Living
 Raising children in an urban environment is more acceptable
compared to 1990
 Apartment living is no longer a second choice
 Youth tend to seek out dense urban living environments that
are well served by transit
 Central city respondents agree to a higher degree that cultural
diversity would make their community a better place

13. Gender variations
“Rush hour commuters should pay more at peak times.”
 lower agreement in female
“It is important to maintain existing agricultural land for food production.”
 higher agreement in female
“Opportunities for urban agriculture should be encouraged.”
 higher agreement in female
“Local governments should support increasing child care spaces.”
 higher agreement in female
“It's all very well to have dissident groups but once the majority has reached
a decision, everyone should abide by it.”
 lower agreement among female

14. Publications / Presentations
Past Publications
 Op. Ed.: Metro Mayors Face Tough Sell in Transit Referendum.
 The Tyee – March 25, 2014
Past Presentations
 Regional Planning Advisory Committee – May 22, 2014
 Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation – April 28, 2014
 Moving in a Livable Region – April 14, 2014
Planned Publications
 Plan Canada – Official magazine of the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP)
 Bulletin – 4-6 page summary of findings

15. Sponsored by

16. PlaceSpeak Board
June 11, 2014
GREATER VANCOUVER URBAN FUTURES
OPINION SURVEY 2012
2012 Urban Futures Survey
www.urbanfuturessurvey.com
Ken Cameron, FCIP, RPP
kdcameron@kdcameron.com
Jacint Simon, Urban Studies Masters Candidate, SFU
jsimon@sfu.ca