Vancouver's Cycling Network Expansion Slows While Other Cities Accelerate
Recent research from Simon Fraser University has revealed concerning trends in Vancouver's cycling infrastructure development, indicating the city is falling behind other major Canadian municipalities in expanding and improving its bike network.
Stagnant Growth in Vancouver's Cycling Network
The comprehensive study, which analyzed changes in both the quantity and quality of cycling infrastructure across Canadian cities, found that Vancouver's bike network grew by less than one percent between 2022 and 2024. This represents the second-lowest expansion rate among all large Canadian cities with populations exceeding half a million residents.
"There hasn't been a lot of recent investment in Vancouver relative to the level of change that we are seeing in other cities across Canada," explained Meghan Winters, professor of public health at SFU and lead author of the study. "We're not continuing to add a lot of infrastructure to the picture."
Canadian Cities Leading in Cycling Infrastructure Expansion
While Vancouver's growth has stagnated, other Canadian cities have made significant progress:
- Edmonton expanded its cycling network by almost 40% between 2022 and 2024
- Brampton, Ontario increased its network by just over 22% during the same period
These cities demonstrate what's possible with sustained investment in active transportation infrastructure.
Quality Versus Quantity: Measuring Cycling Infrastructure
The SFU researchers employed a sophisticated methodology that considered not just the physical length of bike lanes, but also their quality and comfort level for users. Using the Canadian Bikeway Comfort and Safety classification system, the study weighted different types of cycling infrastructure:
- High-comfort bikeways (including bike-only paths, cycle tracks, and local street bikeways) were weighted three times more than low-comfort routes
- Medium-comfort bikeways received twice the weighting of low-comfort routes
- Low-comfort bikeways (such as painted bike lanes along busy roads) received the baseline weighting
"It's a bit less intuitive, but I think it represents something that's really important, which is, how safe and comfortable do people feel?" Winters noted about the classification system.
Vancouver's Position Within Metro Vancouver
The study's findings become even more concerning when examining Vancouver's performance within its own metropolitan region. Among Metro Vancouver municipalities with populations over 100,000, Vancouver ranked third from the bottom, only ahead of Coquitlam and Burnaby. Both of these neighboring cities actually experienced small decreases in the weighted length of their bikeways during the study period.
Winters suggested that these minor losses could result from temporary construction closures, infrastructure upgrades occurring during data collection, or actual reductions in cycling facilities.
The Importance of Tracking Cycling Infrastructure
Monitoring changes to cycling networks over time provides valuable insights into how effectively cities are supporting healthy transportation options. These active transportation networks deliver significant environmental benefits by reducing vehicle emissions and offer substantial health advantages by encouraging physical activity among residents.
"Within the city of Vancouver, there's lots of areas that have high access to safe and connected cycling infrastructure," Winters acknowledged, suggesting that while some neighborhoods are well-served, overall network expansion has slowed considerably.
The SFU study highlights the need for renewed commitment to cycling infrastructure development in Vancouver, particularly as other Canadian cities demonstrate what's achievable through sustained investment in active transportation networks.
