Why does the Vancouver Plan matter to you?

Summary

The Vancouver Plan, a comprehensive 30-year vision for the city's future, has been shaped by extensive public input and engagement. It focuses on three key areas: equitable housing and complete neighborhoods, an inclusive economy, and climate protection with restored ecosystems. The plan outlines a land use strategy to achieve these goals, including increasing housing density, enhancing commercial areas, and creating ecological corridors. It calls for ongoing community involvement to tailor these broad objectives to specific areas and ensure a sustainable and vibrant city.

Takeaways

• 📜 The Vancouver Plan is a comprehensive document outlining the city's vision for the next 30 years and beyond.
• 🗣️ Over 25,000 survey responses and extensive engagement with residents, businesses, and First Nations communities contributed to the plan's development.
• 🏘️ The plan focuses on three main ideas: equitable housing, a working economy for all, and climate protection with restored ecosystems.
• 🏡 Equitable housing aims to provide affordable housing options in all areas of the city and ensure neighborhoods have necessary amenities within walking distance.
• 💼 An economy that works for all includes a wide range of employment opportunities and entrepreneurship, without exploiting people or the environment.
• 🌳 Climate protection involves reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preparing for climate change impacts while integrating and supporting natural ecosystems.
• 🎢 The land use strategy is likened to an amusement park layout, strategically placing elements to achieve the city's goals.
• 🛣️ The plan includes creating more housing along major transit routes and allowing 'missing middle' housing types like multiplexes and townhomes.
• 🏢 Economic opportunities are to be spread by allowing small businesses across Vancouver and protecting industrial employment areas.
• 🌊 The plan addresses climate change by proposing ecological corridors, green spaces, and expanding the city's network of greenways for active transportation.
• 📝 The Vancouver Plan serves as an overarching guide, with further detailed planning for specific areas of the city to follow.
• 🤝 Ongoing public engagement is crucial for refining the plan and ensuring it meets the unique needs of different areas within the city.

Q & A

What is the Vancouver Plan and what does it aim to achieve?

The Vancouver Plan is a comprehensive document that outlines the vision for the city's development over the next 30 years and beyond. It aims to address key issues such as child care, housing, ecology, and food systems, focusing on foundational principles of reconciliation, equity, and resilience.

How was the Vancouver Plan developed?

The Vancouver Plan was developed through extensive public engagement over three years. It involved interactions with residents, businesses, First Nations, and various organizations, resulting in over 25,000 survey responses, meetings with more than 250 organizations, and hosting over 500 events and meetings.

What are the three main ideas of the Vancouver Plan?

The three main ideas of the Vancouver Plan are equitable housing and complete neighborhoods, an economy that works for all, and climate protection and restored ecosystems. These ideas focus on affordable housing, diverse employment opportunities, and active participation in reducing greenhouse gas emissions while preparing for climate change impacts.

How does the Vancouver Plan address the issue of equitable housing?

The plan addresses equitable housing by proposing a land use strategy that protects and renews existing housing in areas that already have it and creates new housing in areas that don't. It also aims to add more housing along major transit streets and allow for 'missing middle' housing types like multiplexes, townhomes, and low-rise apartments.

What is the 'missing middle' housing mentioned in the Vancouver Plan?

The 'missing middle' housing refers to types of housing that fill the gap between single-family homes and large apartment buildings. This includes housing types like multiplexes, townhomes, and low-rise apartments, which can provide more affordable and diverse housing options within the city.

How does the Vancouver Plan propose to create an economy that works for all?

The plan proposes to spread out economic opportunities by allowing small businesses across Vancouver and protecting and expanding industrial employment areas. This approach aims to provide a wide range of employment and entrepreneurship opportunities throughout the city without exploiting people or the environment.

What is the significance of ecological corridors in the Vancouver Plan?

Ecological corridors are proposed in the Vancouver Plan to address climate protection and restored ecosystems. These corridors are areas where environmental impacts are minimized, and efforts are made to nurture wildlife by planting more trees, adding green space, and potentially collecting stormwater into natural waterways.

How does the Vancouver Plan intend to expand the city's network of greenways?

The plan intends to expand the city's network of greenways to promote active transportation such as cycling and walking. This is aimed at making it easier and more comfortable for people to leave their cars behind, thereby reducing the city's carbon footprint.

What is the role of area-specific planning in implementing the Vancouver Plan?

Area-specific planning is crucial for implementing the Vancouver Plan as it allows for the creation of detailed plans for different parts of the city. These plans consider the unique needs and concerns of various areas, ensuring that the intentions of the overarching Vancouver Plan are effectively tailored to local contexts.

How can the public continue to be involved in the development and implementation of the Vancouver Plan?

The public can continue to be involved through participation in surveys, attending workshops, providing engagement touch points, and having discussions on the kind of city they want to live in. Ongoing public engagement is essential for refining and realizing the goals of the Vancouver Plan.

Outlines

00:00

📈 Vancouver Plan: Shaping the City's Future

The Vancouver Plan, a comprehensive document outlining the city's vision for the next 30 years, has been developed through extensive public engagement and input from various stakeholders. Over the past three years, the city has gathered feedback from residents, businesses, and indigenous communities, resulting in a 166-page document addressing key issues such as child care, housing, ecology, and food systems. The plan is structured around three main ideas: equitable housing and complete neighborhoods, an inclusive economy, and climate protection with restored ecosystems. It is grounded in the principles of reconciliation, equity, and resilience. The video script takes viewers through the plan, highlighting its foundational principles and the land use strategy that will guide the city's development to meet these objectives.

05:00

🌿 Land Use Strategy for a Sustainable Vancouver

The second paragraph delves into the specifics of Vancouver's land use strategy, which is crucial for achieving the city's goals of equitable housing, economic inclusivity, and climate protection. The strategy focuses on protecting and renewing existing housing in dense areas while creating new housing in less developed regions, particularly along major transit routes and through the introduction of 'missing middle' housing types. It also aims to establish more commercial hubs to ensure accessibility to essential services within a 15-minute walk. For economic vitality, the plan allows for the dispersion of small businesses across the city and the protection and expansion of industrial employment areas. Addressing climate change, the plan proposes ecological corridors, green spaces, and greenways to promote active transportation and reduce the city's carbon footprint. The paragraph concludes by emphasizing the ongoing nature of the planning process, with area-specific plans being developed to align with the broader intentions of the Vancouver Plan and the need for continued public engagement.

Keywords

💡Vancouver Plan

The Vancouver Plan is a comprehensive document outlining the city's vision for the next 30 years and beyond. It is central to the video's theme as it details the city's goals and strategies for development. The script mentions the plan as a result of extensive public engagement and outlines its 166 pages covering 11 policy areas.

💡Equitable Housing

Equitable housing refers to the provision of affordable housing options accessible to all residents, regardless of their income level. In the context of the video, it is one of the three big ideas of the Vancouver Plan, emphasizing the need for housing that is affordable and conveniently located near essential amenities.

💡Complete Neighborhoods

Complete neighborhoods are communities designed to meet the daily needs of residents within walking distance, reducing the need for a car. The video discusses this concept as part of the land use strategy to create neighborhoods with amenities like shops and services, contributing to the city's goal of equitable housing.

💡Economy that Works for All

This concept in the video refers to an economic system that provides a wide range of employment and entrepreneurship opportunities throughout the city, ensuring that economic growth does not come at the expense of people or the environment. It is one of the key ideas of the Vancouver Plan, aiming for a balanced and inclusive economy.

💡Climate Protection

Climate protection involves actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for the impacts of climate change. The video highlights this as a major goal of the Vancouver Plan, with strategies to integrate and support natural ecosystems and reduce the city's carbon footprint.

💡Land Use Strategy

A land use strategy is a planning tool that determines the location and allocation of different types of land use to achieve certain objectives. In the video, it is described as a powerful tool in the city's toolbox, essential for implementing the Vancouver Plan's goals, such as equitable housing and economic opportunities.

💡Ecological Corridors

Ecological corridors are areas of habitat connecting fragmented ecosystems to maintain biodiversity and allow wildlife to move safely. The video mentions the creation of such corridors as part of the Vancouver Plan's climate protection strategy, emphasizing planting more trees and adding green spaces.

💡Greenways

Greenways are networks of green spaces designed for cycling, walking, and other forms of active transportation. The video discusses the expansion of the city's greenway network as a means to encourage residents to leave their cars behind, contributing to a lower carbon footprint and healthier lifestyles.

💡Public Engagement

Public engagement refers to the process of involving the community in decision-making processes. The video script highlights the extensive public engagement that led to the creation of the Vancouver Plan, including survey responses, meetings, and events, emphasizing the importance of community input in shaping the city's future.

💡Policy Areas

Policy areas are specific domains in which policies are formulated and implemented. The video mentions that the Vancouver Plan covers 11 policy areas addressing key issues like child care, housing, ecology, and food systems, showing the plan's comprehensive approach to urban development.

💡Foundational Principles

Foundational principles are the core values or beliefs that guide the development and implementation of policies. The video describes the foundational principles of the Vancouver Plan as reconciliation, equity, and resilience, indicating that these principles underpin all policy areas and strategies.

Highlights

Introduction of the Vancouver Plan, a document outlining the city's vision for the next 30 years and beyond.

The plan is a result of extensive public engagement, including over 25,000 survey responses and 500 events and meetings.

Foundational principles of the plan include reconciliation, equity, and resilience.

The plan addresses key issues such as child care, housing, ecology, and food systems across 11 policy areas.

Three main ideas of the plan: equitable housing, an inclusive economy, and climate protection with restored ecosystems.

Land use strategy as a powerful tool for achieving the city's goals, likened to planning an amusement park.

Strategy to protect and renew existing housing and create new housing in areas lacking it, focusing on major transit streets and 'missing middle' housing types.

Establishment of commercial hubs and high streets to ensure accessibility of amenities within a 15-minute walk.

Concentration of businesses in specific areas due to zoning bylaws, limiting commercial activities.

Plan to spread out economic opportunities by allowing small businesses across Vancouver.

Protection and expansion of industrial employment areas, marking a shift from reduction to growth in industrial space.

Addressing climate change with a network of ecological corridors, green spaces, and stormwater management.

Expansion of the city's greenways to promote active transportation and reduce reliance on cars.

Acknowledgment of limitations in land use strategies for climate and ecological goals, suggesting a need for additional approaches.

Policy 3.1.2 focuses on enabling low carbon footprints through denser advanced area planning.

The Vancouver Plan serves as an overarching guide, with specific area plans detailing implementation.

Ongoing public engagement is crucial for the successful realization of the plan's objectives.

Transcripts

what i have in my hand is the vancouver

plan hot off the press it's a document

that lays out what the city will look

like over the next 30 years and beyond

and how it all came together is really

the result of thousands of people

providing their input on what we should

prioritize as a city yes for the past

three years the city has been engaging

with residents businesses musqueam

squamish and slay with tooth first

nations and many many organizations it

received more than 25 000 survey

responses met with more than 250

organizations hosted over 500 events and

meetings 52 000 engagement touch points

318 000 postcode 110 youth activities

okay you get the idea and the result of

all that

the vancouver plan 166 pages of ideas

spread across 11 policy areas to address

some of the key issues facing our city

in the next 30 years everything from

child care and housing to ecology and

food systems these policy areas are

rooted in the plan's foundational

principles which are reconciliation

equity and resilience

and now i'd like to take you to the plan

page by page starting

with the title page as you can see it's

got a nice big 2050 on the front

we flip next to the table of contents

very important okay maybe not the best

idea but skip ahead to page 39 and you

can see that the plan really boils down

to three big ideas the first big idea

equitable housing and complete

neighborhoods housing that's affordable

to anyone anywhere in our city and

connected to everything you need in life

the second idea an economy that works

for all where people can find a wide

range of employment or entrepreneurship

opportunities throughout our city and

making sure that our economy doesn't

come at the cost of exploiting people or

the environment and finally we have

climate protection restored ecosystems

we want our city to play an active role

in reducing greenhouse gas emissions

while preparing for the impacts of a

changing climate we also generally just

want a city that integrates and supports

its natural ecosystems rather than

disrupting them

was this really necessary okay so that

sounds great and all but how can we

actually make this happen how does a

city accomplish its goals well i want to

get into one of the most powerful tools

in a city's toolbox a land use strategy

think of an amusement park you have the

rides you have food stands and you have

carnival games

well someone thought about where each of

those things should go to best

accomplish the amusement parks goals

except their three big ideas were for

people to have a good time have very

nutritious food and spend lots and lots

of money i mean contribute to the local

economy the city of vancouver kind of

does the same thing it thinks about

where things should go in the city in

order to achieve certain objectives and

that is how we can start tackling these

three big ideas

let's start with equitable housing and

complete neighborhoods when you look at

a map of the housing we have in

vancouver you can see that parts of the

city already have lots of dense and

relatively affordable housing while many

areas mostly have expensive single

detached houses we can also see that

many neighborhoods don't have amenities

like shops and services within walking

distance where it's really difficult to

access basic needs without a car

so the land use strategy protect and

renew existing housing in areas that

already have it and create new housing

in areas that don't we'll generally add

more housing along major transit streets

and allow for missing middle housing

like multiplexes townhomes and low rise

apartments throughout the city we'll

also establish more commercial hubs and

high streets so that everyone can access

basic needs like groceries within a

15-minute walk from their home

let's move on to an economy that works

for all if you look at a map you'll

notice that most of vancouver's

businesses are concentrated in specific

parts of the city and that's no accident

the city's zoning bylaw doesn't allow

for most commercial activities and all

these areas highlighted in yellow only

housing is allowed here at the same time

we're running out of spaces for large

and loud industrial businesses like

factories and warehouses that can't just

be dropped into any neighborhood these

businesses provide well-paying jobs

beyond office work so it's important to

keep them around so the land use

strategy well on top of the commercial

hubs i mentioned earlier the city also

wants to spread out economic

opportunities by allowing small

businesses all across vancouver so if

you live in a neighborhood like this you

could have a business running out of

your house right there or if you need to

get your hair cut you can get it done at

a salon across the street and if you're

feeling hungry well you can just grab a

bite to eat at the cafe on the street

corner

on top of that the vancouver plan also

states that the city will protect and

expand industrial employment areas which

would mark the first time in recent

history where the city is actually

expanding industrial space not reducing

it

and finally we have the last big idea

climate protection and restored

ecosystems now there are many ways to

address this issue in our city but it's

helpful to start with this map it shows

the areas where we should expect

flooding if sea levels rise by one meter

in fact there are already areas in

vancouver today that flood and get

damaged during a storm or receive a

barge that nobody can move with climate

change these issues are only expected to

get worse

[Music]

when it comes to land use the vancouver

plan proposes a network of ecological

corridors where we exercise extra

caution for environmental impacts while

nurturing wildlife in these areas we'll

plant more trees add green space and

potentially collect storm water from our

streets into waterways that mimic old

streams we'll also expand the city's

network of greenways for cycling walking

and other active transportation so that

more people feel comfortable leaving

their car behind to get around the city

but we have to admit this is also an

area where land use strategies have some

limitations when it comes to our city's

climate and ecological goals we'll need

to use other approaches as well

then we move on to policy 3.1.2

advanced area planning to enable and

encourage low carbon footprints for

residents through denser so what happens

next

well the vancouver plan is the

overarching plan for the city so a lot

of the work now is to create plans for

specific parts of vancouver this is

where we get into the details of how the

intentions of the vancouver plan can

meet the unique needs and concerns of

different areas in fact some of that

work is already underway the city

recently passed a plan for the broadway

corridor earlier this year and they've

just started to work on a plan for the

areas around the rupert and renfrew

skytrain stations the work is definitely

not over yet there'll be lots to do and

much more public engagement to come so

if there's anything i can leave you with

for this video

it's to take part in all this we all

have ideas for how we can improve our

city but it really takes people showing

up answering surveys attending workshops

giving engagement touch points and

ultimately just having a discussion on

what kind of city we want to live in to

put those ideas

on the map

[Music]

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