Our Air is Cleaner Than Ever, Saving Lifes

Sometimes, it seems that all we get is bad news regarding the environment, but there is a lot of good work going on, such as cleaning up our air, water, and land. One area where we have made a lot of progress is cleaning up the air. Metro Vancouver is part of the Lower Fraser Valley airshed, and the Metro Vancouver Regional District completes a comprehensive inventory of air pollutants every five years.

They recently shared trends of air emissions from 2000 to 2020. The bottom line is that “today’s cleaner air saves the lives of approximately 580 Metro Vancouver residents each year, compared to air quality in 2001.”

The following tables show the reductions of certain emissions types.

Volatile Organic Compounds Emissions Trend in the Fraser Valley 2000-2020. Select the chart to enlarge.

Nitrogen Oxides Emissions Trend in the Fraser Valley 2000-2020. Select the chart to enlarge.

Except for fine particulate matter emissions from wildfires, PM2.5 emissions are also declining.

Fine Particulate Matter Emissions Trend in the Fraser Valley 2000-2020. Select the chart to enlarge.

Of course, more work needs to be done to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

GHG Emissions Trend in the Fraser Valley 2000-2020. Select the chart to enlarge.

What Does It Cost to Build an Apartment Parking Spot?

Parking is one of those topics that people can feel very passionate about, whether people believe we have too much or too little parking. In Langley City today, most of our community north of the Nicomekl River does not have minimum parking requirements for residential use per provincial law as they are within provincial designated transit-oriented areas.

Building residential parking, especially in apartments, is expensive. Many numbers have been used over the years to quantify the cost of underground parking. The Metro Vancouver Regional District recently commissioned a study to determine the cost per stall.

The cost ranges from $117,382 to $137,721 per apartment stall. It might seem surprising initially, but parking is more expensive per stall in communities with higher per-unit parking requirements. This cost does make sense. Building a two-storey underground parkade is far more expensive than a one-storey parkade. With new six-storey wood-frame apartments in Langley City, parkades range from one to two stories.

The regional district also updated its apartment parking utilization study. Below are the results for South of Fraser Communities.

Municipality	Residential Stall/Unit (Sampled)	Residential Stall Utilization	Visitor Stall Utilization
Delta	1.39	72%	47%
Langley City	1.27	75%	57%
Langley Township	1.37	63%	41%
Surrey	1.31	70%	40%
White Rock	1.8	59%	35%

The parking utilization for residential parking demand was surveyed between 11:00 pm and 1:00 am, and visitor parking demand was surveyed between 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm.

While Langley City Council does not control residential minimum parking requirements in most areas designated for apartments, there are still a few small areas outside the provincial designated transit-oriented areas that we do. A reduction in our residential parking to one parking space per unit for apartment buildings in these areas could reduce per-unit costs around $30,000, helping with affordability while providing adequate parking based on actual utilization.

To clarify, the study did not look at parking costs or utilization for townhouses, 'plexes, or detached homes.

Bring History to Life in Langley City: James Douglas Plaques

It was a hot day yesterday, so I decided to ride my bike down to McBurney Plaza and grabbed a cold brew coffee and a cookie from Oldhand Coffee. It is one of several excellent independent coffee shops in Downtown Langley City, along with Coastal Coffee, Cozy Bean Bakery, Cup O' Cafe, Red Velvet Cafe, and Twins Coffee.

Anyway, I was talking to the barista, and I think I mentioned that Langley City used to be called Langley Prairie. She thought it was interesting and said that people always ask her about the area's history.

I mentioned that McBurney Plaza exists because, in 1995, the historic Oddfellows Hall caught on fire twice. The plaza is where the hall used to be. I then pointed out some of the other century-old buildings in our downtown.

Our community has so much history, but I fear that it will be lost if we don't share that history.

Langley City's Arts, Recreation, Culture, and Heritage Committee has been busy bringing that history back to life along with community members.

You'll notice that there are many things named Douglas in Langley City. They are named after James Douglas, the first Governor of the Colony of British Columbia. I've posted about his connection to the historic Black community in BC. He was of mixed descent.

Unveiling of plaques about James Douglas and Black History in Douglas Park. Select the image to enlarge.

A few weeks ago, some Arts, Recreation, Culture, and Heritage Committee members officially unveiled new information plaques about James Douglas in Douglas Park. Be on the lookout for them, the next time you are at the park.

You'll notice signs about Langley City's railway history along Michaud Crescent and Grade Crescent that we rolled out earlier.

Vancouver, Victoria and Eastern Railway Sign at the south entrance of Sendall Gardens.

There is much more history to tell, and I'm excited that we are starting to bring that history to life.

June 23 Council Notes: Presentations from BC Nurses Union and Discover Langley City. Annual Report Approved.

As I posted last week, Langley City's 2024 Annual Report is now available. Municipalities must provide an opportunity for people to provide official feedback on an annual report, whether written or at a council meeting. On Monday, Langley City Council provided an opportunity for people to speak to Council about our annual report. No one spoke, and we received no written feedback. Langley City Council officially approved the annual report.

Council received a presentation from the BC Nurses Union on how local governments can support nurses moving to and staying in our community. Munipciliaities need to support the creation of affordable housing (such as BC Builds projects where rents are 20% below market rates), build a variety of transportation options, expand childcare options (Langley City is considering expanding locations where childcare facilities can open as part of our new zoning bylaw), and provide recreation opportunities.

Later, Council received a spring update presentation from Discover Langley City, our tourism marketing organization that is primarily funded through a hotel room tax. Council learned about Discover Langley City's "Experience the Wonderland" winter campaign to attract people from BC and Washington to spend a night or two in Langley City to explore our community. We also learned about an upcoming sports tourism package they are putting together, as sporting events are big in Langley. I was able to attend a part of a FAM tour hosted by Discover Langley City. The tour included travel professionals and media and was an opportunity to show what our community offers.

Langley City Council Invites Bellingham City Council and Mayor Over for a Meal and to Plant a Tree

At the end of May, several news outlets reported that the City of Bellingham in Washington sent letters to municipalities in Metro Vancouver, including Langley City, expressing their support for our peaceful border and long-standing relationship between BC and Washington State.

There are strong ties between Bellingham and Langley City that go beyond cheap gas and groceries. For example, at one point in my life, I took part in Highland Dancing. The group I was part of included members from Langley and Bellingham, and we would attend events on both sides of the border. I know a few people in Metro Vancouver who have cabins in and around Bellingham.

Highland Dancing in the City of Bellingham in 2007.

At the time, several news outlets reached out to ask if I had anything to say about the letter. Unfortunately, Langley City was not in receipt of the letter at that time, as Bellingham City Council and Mayor sent it via mail.

In Canada, official letters are sent as PDF attachments in emails, including letters from other local governments, the province, and the federal government. As I found out, the proper protocol in the US is to send official letters via mail.

On June 6th, we received the letter from Bellingham, which you can see below.

Letter from the Council and Mayor of the City of Bellingham. Select the letter to enlarge.

Given the current federal dynamics in the US, I have not travelled to the US, and I am supporting local, BC, and Canadian businesses whenever possible.

That being said, Langley City and Bellingham share the same airshed and watershed and have historic personal and economic connections; we are also inextricably linked ecologically.

As a symbol and acknowledgment of our shared history, friendship between our communities, and hope for a brighter future, Langley City Council on Monday approved my sending a letter to the Council and Mayor of Bellingham inviting them to come up to Langley City to share a meal and plant a tree at a Langley City park.

The official motion was:

THAT Langley City Council direct the Mayor to write a letter on behalf of Council thanking the Council and Mayor of the City of Bellingham for their letter dated May 19th, 2025, and invite the Council and Mayor of the City of Bellingham to a meal and tree planting ceremony in Langley City.

June 23 Council Notes: Housing Matters

At its meeting on Monday, Langley City Council addressed several housing matters that are currently working their way through the approval process.

Council gave third reading to a bylaw to enable the rezoning of property at 4505 - 4535 200A Street to enable a 27-unit townhouse complex. The applicant will now work with City staff to finalize the design, engineering, and payments of deposits to the City before Council considers the final reading of the rezoning. You can read more about this in a previous post.

Rendering of proposed project at 20659 - 20679 Eastleigh Crescent to become 20675 Eastleigh Crescent. Select the image to enlarge.

Back in September 2023, Langley City Council gave third reading to a rezoning bylaw for the property at 20659 - 20679 Eastleigh Crescent (which will become 20675 Eastleigh Crescent). As these are purpose-built rental buildings, the rezoning is subject to Langley City's one-for-one market rental replacement policy and tenant relocation policy that was in effect at the time of the application (Council adopted a newer tenant relocation policy last summer). Council gave final reading to the rezoning, the housing agreement to secure the new rental units, and issued a development permit.

2024 Council Remuneration & Expenses and Other Annual Disclosures

Local governments are required by BC law to produce specific reports and disclosures annually. On Thursday, I posted about Langley City's 2024 Annual Report. In May, I posted about Langley City's 2024 Year-End Consolidated Financial Statements.

Municipalities must also produce a Council Remuneration & Statement of Financial Information report. Langley City has prepared its 2024 report, which is available for download on the City's website. It includes Council remuneration, salary information for municipal employees, and vendor payment information.

The following table shows Langley City Council's Remuneration for 2024.

Elected Official	Remuneration	Expenses	Benefits	Total
Pachal, Nathan J.	$139,645	$6,804	$36	$146,485
Albrecht, Paul E.	$65,167	$7,871	$4,543	$77,581
James, Teri L.	$65,167	$1,588	$4,543	$71,298
Mack, Delaney	$65,167	$7,919	$4,543	$77,629
Solyom, Michael	$67,495	$4,980	$36	$72,511
Wallace, Rosemary H.M.	$65,167	$5,326	$4,543	$75,036
White, Leith	$62,840	$6,818	$4,543	$74,201

A few things to note. Each member of Council holds the Deputy Mayor role for two months per year. Due to the pay cycles, you may notice slight discrepancies in the remuneration of some Council members because of when their Deputy Mayor service falls. Some members of the Council may choose not to receive health or dental benefits, as they may be covered under a family plan with their spouse or another employer.

Expenses will also vary for Council members. Council members can attend up to three conferences per year. The Lower Mainland Local Government Association AGM and Convention, Union of BC Municipalities Convention, and Federation of Canadian Municipalities Convention. I've previously posted about these. In April 2024, Council sent a delegation to Ottawa on an advocacy mission, which included myself and a few other members of Council. Councillor Albrecht and Mack also attended a conference about the Crime Severity Index.

Read and Provide Feedback on Langley City's 2024 Annual Report

In BC, every municipality must produce an annual report. Langley City has published its 2024 Annual Report, which you can read or download from the City's website.

Langley City's Annual Report provides an overview of each municipal department, detailing what they accomplished in 2024 and outlining the key priorities they are working on for 2025.

For example, in 2024, the Engineering, Parks and Environment department awarded the multi-year Residential Curbside Solid Waste Management Contract to Emterra Environmental. In 2025, a key priority is to implement a Dog Waste Pilot Project to divert dog waste from landfills.

The annual report outlines the organizations that received community grants in 2024, the organizations that received permission for property tax exemptions, and our audited financial statement for 2024.

If you want to provide formal feedback about the annual report, you can email councilmeetings@langleycity.ca, or you can provide your feedback in person on Monday, June 23, 2025, at 7:00 pm to Langley City Council directly at its meeting.

Property Tax, Development Fees, Infrastructure, and the Feds

One of the questions I get from time to time is, with new construction and increasing population, why does property tax increase?

Each new resident and business requires additional city services, such as protective services, transit, recreation, and other services, such as libraries. Inflation also drives property tax, as providing the same level of service costs more each year.

Another local government responsibility is infrastructure, including roads, water mains, sewer lines, parks, and municipal facilities such as libraries, recreation centres, and cultural centres.

While municipalities, school boards, TransLink, and the Metro Vancouver Regional District charge fees for each new development project to help support new infrastructure, these fees don't cover all the infrastructure required to support growth. The federal government has been encouraging local governments to reduce these fees because it believes the fees contribute to the cost of building new housing. I posted about this last fall.

Municiliates also need to renew or replace existing infrastructure, which is primarily funded by property tax and utility fees. The federal government and provincial governments also contribute to some of these renewal projects. Canada's existing municipal infrastructure requires significant renewal after decades of underinvestment. Local governments are responsible for about 60% of all publicly owned infrastructure in Canada.

I recently read a slide from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities stating that, on average, each housing unit in Canada requires $126,000 in local government infrastructure. We aren't collecting anywhere near that today with property tax or development fees at any local government in Canada.

So what does this mean? Local governments are playing catch up, which is why property taxes increase year-over-year in every municipality in Metro Vancouver. Rapid growth also puts a strain on local governments; there is an opportunity for the federal government to come to the table with meaningful, predictable funding to support local government infrastructure. Asking local governments to reduce fees without providing a meaningful alternative funding source doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

The Future of Drinking Water in Metro Vancouver

Clean and available water is critical to maintaining the health of people in Metro Vancouver and, quite frankly, the viability of the region. Rapid population growth and the impacts of climate change are placing a strain on our water system. Our region must also prepare for earthquakes and the pending "big one."

To guide the management of our water and water supply system, the Metro Vancouver Regional District is updating its Drinking Water Management Plan, which will guide the actions of the Regional District for years to come once adopted.

The Regional District has proposed five overall strategies to manage drinking water.

• Ensure that climate change, natural hazards and disasters, aging infrastructure, and damage do not interrupt the delivery of drinking water in the region.
• Ensure that our drinking water remains safe and that we continue to have sufficient drinking water to meet the needs of a rapidly growing region.
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the drinking water system.
• Protect and enhance the ecological health of the lands, rivers, and lakes where Metro Vancouver operates, including ensuring the health of fish.
• Conserve water by expanding water metering, promoting water use reduction, reducing leaks in the system, and promoting non-potable water usage. (Non-potable water can include using rain barrels or, in larger buildings, rainwater capture systems for watering lawns or flushing toilets.)
• Training new and retaining current workers with the know-how to manage Metro Vancouver's complex drinking water system.

The Regional District will be seeking feedback from people in the region on its proposed updated Drinking Water Management Plan over the summer. They are calling it "Our Water. Our Future" and will be at various events throughout our region, such as the PNE and other summer community celebrations.

Local Governments Call on Housing to Be a Human Right and Changes to Police Funding Model

Two important conferences take place annually for municipalities in the Lower Mainland, focusing on advocacy to the provincial government. The first is the Lower Mainland Local Government Association conference and annual general meeting. As part of the conference, municipalities and regional districts submit resolutions, which delegates debate. The Lower Mainland LGA forwards the resolution that the Lower Mainland delegates endorse to the Union of BC Municipalities for further debate and potential endorsement by delegates from local governments throughout the province.

There are similar local area associations throughout BC that follow the same process. Local governments can also submit resolutions directly to the UBCM for debate by delegates from throughout the province. This direct approach is discouraged because if you cannot get a resolution endorsed at your local area association, the odds of it passing at UBCM are reduced. Sometimes, municipalities jointly submit resolutions to UBCM directly from different area associations. Langley City Council supports two of these motions for debate at the UBCM conference this fall, as shared below.

Declaring Housing as a Human Right

WHEREAS recognizing housing as a human right fundamentally shifts government motivations by adding critical urgency and responsibility to ensure access to affordable housing (meaning housing costs are aligned with income) through policies that prevent homelessness, address the escalating housing and homelessness crisis, eliminate discrimination, and prioritize the needs of vulnerable and marginalized populations;

AND WHEREAS the Government of Canada affirmed the right to housing as a matter of international law and enshrined it domestically through the National Housing Strategy Act (2019), recognizing housing as a human right and establishing mechanisms for accountability and inclusion;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the UBCM call for the BC Government to enshrine housing as a human right in legislation and forthcoming housing and homelessness strategies, ensuring that housing policy in British Columbia is grounded in principles of equity, accessibility, accountability, and the inherent dignity of all people.

Police Services Funding Model

WHEREAS systemic social issues outside of a municipality's mandate, such as poverty, addiction, and mental health challenges, contribute to increased call volumes and demands on police services, creating high police services costs that are further exacerbated by the need to respond to and manage the impacts of these systemic social issues;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM urgently appeal to the Province of British Columbia to develop an equitable Police Services funding program for all BC municipalities and regional districts that takes into account the financial capacity and population size of each jurisdiction, as well as the additional demands placed on police services due to systemic social issues outside of a municipality's mandate.

June 9 Council Notes: Budget and Crime Prevention

As I posted previously, every year, local governments in BC must update their financial plans to reflect their independently audited year-end financial statements. As part of this process, people have the opportunity to provide feedback. Langley Council did not receive any feedback and on Monday approved updating our 2024 - 2028 Financial Plan.

Every year, Langley City Council must provide an "approval in principle" letter to the RCMP for the upcoming year's budget. This letter outlines the upper bounds of costs. The federal government uses this to help with its budgeting, as it covers 10% of policing costs. City Council may choose to reduce the budget but not increase it during our budget process, which starts in the winter. The RCMP is budgeting a 4.7% increase in policing costs, rising from $15.7 million to $16.1 million in 2026 with no new members (officers).

In the next five years, the RCMP estimates that we may need 12 additional members. This number could be lower or higher. As such, City staff also included in the "approval in principle" letter asking for the federal government to set aside a budget for two new members this year, which would increase the 2026 policing budget by an additional $533,594 to $16.5 million.

Langley City's Crime Prevention Committee, which includes volunteer members from the community, asked City Council to dedicate eight hours of the City's communication staff time to help the committee with social media messages focused on crime prevention, personal safety, and existing RCMP programs for residents and businesses, such as Block Watch. Council approved this request.

June 9 Council Notes: Housing Matters

On Monday night, Langley City Council gave first and second reading to rezone 4505-4535 200A Street to accommodate a 27-unit, three-bedroom townhouse project.

Rendering of proposed townhouse project at 4505-4535 200A Street

I wanted to highlight a few things about this proposed project. The project, if approved, includes retaining clusters of existing trees along the 200th Street frontage, bordering the school property and the walkway connecting 200A Street to the school property. The walkway would also be widened as part of this project.

The project includes a small, common passive greenspace and six visitor parking spaces (one of which is accessible). 17 of the 21 units have side-by-side garages.

As per the City's Townhome & Plex-Home Best Practices Guide. The proposed townhouses are set back 8 metres from 200A Street or step down in height to two stories.

As part of any redevelopment of market rental buildings, the current number of rental units must be secured in the new building for the life of that building. 20675 Eastleigh Crescent is subject to a rezoning and development application. You can read more about this in a previous post. Twenty-one units in the new building must be rental units, comprising a mix of 11 two-bedroom units, four one-bedroom units with dens, and six one-bedroom units. Council gave first, second, and third reading to a housing agreement bylaw to secure these rental units in the proposed new building.

Council also gave final reading to rezoning and issued a development permit for a 6-storey, 80-unit apartment building located at 20130-20150 53 Avenue and 20139-20153 52 Avenue. You can read more about this project in a previous post.

New Draft Zoning Bylaw for Langley City

As I mentioned last week, Langley City is rewriting its zoning bylaw. The zoning bylaw is one of the primary ways that the City implements the policies of the Official Community Plan.

The last major update of the zoning bylaw occurred in 1996. I was in grade 7 at the time, and Langley City had a population of 22,523. The needs of 1996 Langley City are different than today, and over the years, the current zoning bylaw has become a bit of a Frankenstein's Monster of a document.

One of the primary goals of the rewrite is to simply and modernize the zoning bylaw. This simplification includes reducing the number of zoning.

Map of Langley City with new draft zones. Select the map to enlarge.

The new zoning bylaw also thoroughly bakes in all the recent provincial government changes, such as transit-oriented areas and the ability to build up to four units of housing on any residential lot in the City. The new zoning bylaw also enables the addition of inclusionary zoning and density bonusing in the future, which allow the City to leverage private development to build below-market rental units.

Within our residential zoning, the zoning bylaw will enable detached homes, duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, carriage homes, garden suites, and secondary suites.

Without limiting the ability to build quadplexes with at least 50 m² per unit in accordance with provincial guidance, the zoning bylaw also encourages less boxy designs of housing up to three stories in height. You can build up to three stories today in Langley City on any residential lot.

The zoning bylaw also requires that a minimum of 5 percent of all units in apartment zones have three or more bedrooms.

The zoning bylaw also reduces the parking requirements for below-market rental units and boosts the number of required bike parking spots in transit-oriented areas.

The zoning bylaw also enables more zones that permit childcare.

We know that there are many "spas" in the City, which, in our new draft zoning bylaw, are called "Personal Health Enhancement Centres." The zoning bylaw bans this use outright (though existing spas are grandfathered.) As a note, RMTs, hair and nail salons, and barber shops are not included in the "Personal Health Enhancement Centres" definition.

The zoning bylaw is in draft form, and the City is now seeking feedback from our community, as I noted in a previous post.

If Council approves the new zoning bylaw, just like today, rezoning would still be required in many cases.

You can read the draft zoning bylaw on Langley City's website.

Traffic Fine Revenue in Langley City

Since 2004, the provincial government has provided all traffic fine revenue collected in a local government area to that local government. In Langley City, we receive about half a million dollars in traffic fine revenue per year. In Langley City, we earmark the funding directly back to our local RCMP detachment.

The following chart shows the absolute amount of revenue we receive per year between 2018 and 2024.

It was interesting to see an increase in traffic revenue fines during the pandemic.

This next chart shows the per capita amount due to population growth.

Traffic revenue is an area where, if an equal amount of enforcement is applied, we want to see a decrease in fines as people change their behaviour. Although there has been a slight decline in per capita traffic fine revenue after the pandemic, speeding and distracted driving continue to be significant concerns in our community.

Tree Bylaw and Zoning Bylaw Online Feedback and Open Houses

Way back in 2010, Langley City Council proposed a tree bylaw to prevent cutting down trees that had a diameter of 20cm or larger without a permit on private property. I was part of the City's Park and Environment Advisory Committee at that time. The bylaw caused panic in the community, and people started cutting down trees left, right, and centre, concerned that the bylaw would make it impossible to remove trees without costly studies and permits. The Council of the day abandoned the bylaw due to widespread concerns in the community.

Fifteen years later, Langley City is considering a tree bylaw again. Langley City's goal is to expand our tree canopy. A tree bylaw is one tool that can help with this goal. A tree bylaw can help manage trees on public property, during redevelopment, and on private property. While the City can use a tree bylaw to protect existing trees, the bylaw can also set requirements for tree replacement and how the City manages public trees. To prevent a repeat of 2010, the City is seeking feedback on what people would like to see in a tree bylaw. You can visit Let's Chat Langley City to provide your feedback on what you would like to see in a tree bylaw.

The City is also hosting an open house as follows. You can drop by anytime between 6 pm and 8 pm.

Date: Monday, June 16
Time: 6 pm to 8 pm
Location: City Hall/Timms Community Centre

Langley City's current zoning bylaw dates back to 1996. Though it has been updated over the years, it is long in the tooth. While the Official Community Plan sets the overall land-use vision for the community, the zoning bylaw implements the nuts and bolts of the land-use vision, such as maximum building height and how far a building needs to be set back from property lines. The City has been working on a new zoning bylaw.

Over the last few years, the City has received feedback from the community for the new zoning bylaw. Keep your eyes on Let's Chat Langley City for more details, but save the date for an open house of our proposed updated zoning bylaw.

Date: Wednesday, June 25
Time: 4 pm to 7 pm
Location: City Hall/Timms Community Centre

Planning for the Future Relies on Regional Data Models

As our population grows and communities change, people can take it for granted that water will flow, toilets will flush, and new streets and parks will be built. Assuming everything will just work is a good thing, but there is a lot that goes on that many people may not be aware of. In Metro Vancouver, we have access to high-quality data models that help us make better-informed decisions about how we plan for the future.

There are 21 municipalities in Metro Vancouver. We know that planning for the future requires looking at both the regional and local levels. As a result, local governments in Metro Vancouver have primarily tasked the Regional District with creating data models to help plan for the future. These models provide both regional-level and neighbourhood-level information.

The key data models used by local governments, TransLink, and the Regional District are as follows.

• Immigration Model - Models growth within the region based on past settlement patterns.
• Behavioural Model - Models where and what types of housing people want, including size, tenure (rent/own), and type (attached/detached).
• Growth Projections Models - Models future population, employment, and housing units required based on immigration and behavioural models.
• Land Use Model - Forecast land-use requirements based on the growth projections models.
• 3D Urban Form Model - Used in conjunction with the land use model to help visualize the future built form, including building heights and lot coverage.

No models are perfect, many factors can impact future growth, such as federal immigration numbers. City plans throughout our region, including Langley City's Official Community Plan, utilize these regional models to inform future planning decisions.

Green Bins in Apartments and Reducing Single-Usage Items

People in the Metro Vancouver region do their part to reduce waste and recycle. Over the last decade, we have reduced our waste by 11%, even as our region's population has increased. As I've posted in the past, people in apartments and townhouses recycle and use organics bins less than people who live in detached housing. There is an opportunity for changing behaviour.

From Metro Vancouver's Food Scraps aren't Garbage Campgain. Select the image to enlarge.

As people in townhouses and apartments often need to store organic waste under the sink or in their garage, there is concern that it may smell unpleasant, attract insects, and generally be messy and dirty.

With this in mind, Metro Vancouver has updated its resources with a larger focus on people who live in apartments and townhouses. Metro Vancouver's "Food Scraps Aren't Garbage" site has tips on how to manage organics cleanly and how to get a program set up in your building (if you don't have one already.) One tip is to store your green bin in the freezer.

This summer, Metro Vancouver's "What's your Superhabit?" educational campaign will be back. The program's goal is to educate people on easy ways to reduce the use of disposable cups, containers, and utensils. This year's campaign will focus on people under the age of 44 who tend to use more single-use items. Some simple reminders include using a travel mug, using a reusable water bottle and bringing a set of utensils to work.

While there are certainly other barriers to reducing waste and using the organics bin, changing behaviour is critical. The overall goal of Metro Vancouver's campaigns this year is to let people know that everyone is using fewer single-use items and using green bins, and that you should join the party.

Upcoming Events: State of the City, Community Dialogue on Safety

There are two upcoming events in the City this June that I wanted to highlight.

The first event is a Community Dialogue on Safety. As you may know, Langley City has a Citizens’ Assembly. The assembly consists of 29 members from our community who put their names forward and were chosen through a lottery system, taking into account our community’s demographic makeup. The mandate is to deliver a set of recommendations to Council that will improve community safety, transitioning from a more reactive to a proactive safety model.

An upcoming Community Dialogue will allow Citizens’ Assembly members to collaborate with attendees and share insights about safety and well-being in Langley City.

Name: Community Dialogue
Date: Wednesday, June 11
Time: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Location: Council Chambers, Langley City Hall

This event is open to anyone in the Langely City community. If you are unable to attend in person, you can also participate online.

The Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce will host the annual State of the City Address. I will deliver a presentation about what has been happening in Langley City over the last year and where we plan to go in the coming year. This year’s address will focus on community safety, community investments, and Langley City’s new data-driven approach to decision-making and organization accountability. We will be launching our KPI dashboard. KPIs, or Key Performance Indicators, are measurements that help track progress toward objectives and flag issues early, allowing organizations to make adjustments. There will also be a question-and-answer period and dinner.

Name: State of the City
Date: Thursday, June 19
Time: 5:30 pm  - 8:15 pm
Venue: Coast Langley City Hotel 
Cost:  $55

You can register to attend the State of the City Address on the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce website. The City will also post videos from the address on its website.

Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation Affordable Housing Update

The Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation, a part of the Metro Vancouver Regional District, builds and directly manages affordable housing throughout our region. Today, it has a portfolio of 4,491 housing units, making it one of the largest affordable housing operations in the region. The Corporation's operating costs are self-funding, though funding to build new housing comes from other levels of government and the Regional District.

The Housing Corporation is currently updating its 10-year plan. There are five main areas it is looking to update.

The first area is whether it should slow down, maintain, or increase the pace of building new housing units. The pace is primarily driven by funding commitments from the federal and provincial governments.

The second area is whether the Housing Corporation should continue to partner with member municipalities and the private sector or just the private sector to deliver new housing units.

The third area is to examine the affordability and unit-mix targets for its housing. Today, the target is to have 30% of its total housing units with Rent-Geared-to-Income and 70% of its units with 2- or more bedrooms.

The fourth area is where to focus on developing new housing. For example, the Housing Corporation does not have any sites in Langley City or Township. Should the Housing Corporation focus on creating a sub-regional balance or continue its current approach on sites where opportunities present themselves?

Table showing Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation units by sub-region. Select the table to enlarge.

The final area concerns the type and scope of tenant programs and services to provide.

The Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation is well-regarded and accountable to the people of our region, as it receives limited funding through our property taxes. I am hopeful that the Corporation will continue to build on its success, increasing the number of units it can deliver, including here in Langley City.

Image Source: https://metrovancouver.org/services/housing/facility/pinewood-place

TransLink Ridership in 2024: Everyone is Taking the Bus. Overcrowding a Concern.

Every year, TransLink produces a "Transit Service Performance Review," which includes a summary report and detailed route-by-route key performance indicators such as ridership, revenue, on-time performance, and speed. The agency recently released its 2024 summary report and data.

Transit ridership is returning to 2019 levels when we saw record transit ridership. While SkyTrain, SeaBus, and West Coast Express are critical parts of our transit system, the bus network handles the majority of transit trips in our region. In 2024, TransLink had the third-highest bus ridership in Canada and the USA in absolute numbers.

TransLink System-Wide Monthly Journeys and Regional Population Growth, 2019-2024. Select image to enlarge.

Ridership growth was the strongest in the South of Fraser, which includes Surrey, White Rock, Langley City and Township. Another notable increase is that West Coast Express ridership rose by 20% between 2023 and 2024 as more people commute to Downtown Vancouver.

While it is good that people continue to rely on transit as a way to get around the region, it is becoming overcrowded like it was in 2019. As a transit rider myself, I remember the crush loads on the 502/503 and SkyTrain. The following map shows the top 20 overcrowded bus routes in Metro Vancouver. Many of these bus routes are now in the South of Fraser.

Map of Top 20 Overcrowded Bus Routes, Fall 2024. Select image to enlarge.

TransLink has been reallocating bus service across the region to address the most severe overcrowding, but it can be a bit of stealing from Peter to pay Paul. Bus ridership in Vancouver/UBC declined in 2024.

Last month, the Mayors' Council approved a new 2025 Investment Plan. This investment plan will begin delivering more bus services immediately to address overcrowding, expand existing routes, and create new routes to areas such as industrial zones and regional parks.

For more information, including the summary report, dashboards, and data set, please visit the TransLink Transit Service Performance Review webpage.

May 26 Council Notes: Salmon, Habitat Compensation, Committee Work Plans, and Housing

Langley City Council received a presentation from Nigel Easton and Bruce Downing about the Nicomekl Enhancement Society (NES) on Monday. NES is a volunteer-led society that operates a salmon hatchery and performs environment restoration work along the Nicomekl River and its tributaries. NES volunteers release salmon into Pleasantdale Creek and Anderson Creek, which flows through City Park. The presenters requested that the City install signage indicating where they release salmon within the City. Council asked our Environmental Sustainability Committee to investigate installing these signs. Salmon are an indicator species; if you have healthy salmon in a river, you have a healthy river ecosystem.

Later in a meeting, Council gave first, second and third reading to amend the City’s 2024-2028 Financial Plan to reflect the year-end financial results. This amendment is a housekeeping item.

Council also approved our new Habitat Compensation Works on City Lands policy. This policy outlines the process to follow if development occurs in “low to moderately low” environmentally sensitive areas, which is strongly discouraged. Restoration should occur on impacted sites; however, if that is not possible, environmental restoration should be conducted on City property as close to the site as possible or within the City’s Habitat Bank areas.

Council approved issuing a development permit amendment to allow the strata at 20454 53 Avenue to convert an unutilized amenity space into a dwelling unit. The strata would still have both indoor and outdoor amenity spaces consistent with our current requirements, the required parking, and be paying development cost charges and community amenity contributions. The City issued the original development permit in 1980.

Council also approved the Socio-Economic Development Advisory Committee work plan and the Environmental Sustainability Committee work plan.

“Let’s Chat, Langley City!” Launched. Win a $450 Stay and Dine Package

Today, information about Langley City’s projects and initiatives is not in one centralized platform, making it trickier to stay current on what the City is doing. It is now much easier to stay informed and provide feedback.

Langley City has launched a new project and initiative information and feedback platform called “Let’s Chat, Langley City!” To help launch the new platform and get folks familiar with it, the City is holding a photo and video contest that uses the new platform. You can submit your photos and videos until June 9th, and then you can vote for your favourite. The winner will get a Stay and Dine package courtesy of Cascades Casino Resort valued at $450.

The other initiative on the new platform is the Citizen’s Assembly on Community Safety. You can stay current on the Assembly’s work, provide feedback, and learn about upcoming in-person events, such as the Community Dialogue on Community Safety on June 11th.

This platform will become the one-stop location for feedback and information for Langley City. You can sign up to the platform and receive updates on current and upcoming projects and initiatives on “Let’s Chat, Langley City!”

Metro Vancouver’s Governance Review Missing Key Requirement

The North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant fiasco shook many people’s confidence in the Metro Vancouver Regional District, including its governance. Today, municipalities appoint directors to the Metro Vancouver Regional District board with votes based on population. I’m simplifying some aspects of the board’s makeup for this post. The Regional District’s board is political, and in my mind, that is OK.

Deloitte recently completed a board governance review of the Regional District and presented 49 recommendations. Under provincial legislation, the Regional District consists of three entities: the Metro Vancouver Regional District, the Greater Vancouver Water District, and the Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District.

One of the challenges with today’s decision-making on water and sewerage infrastructure is that the projects tend to be complex and challenging to “see” if corners were cut, if the project delivered as it was supposed to, or if it was a gold-plated solution.

While some people point to other challenges in the Regional District, the biggest challenge is the lack of independent review of large water and sewer projects. I observe that some of these projects become like trains; once they leave the station and pick up speed, they are hard to adjust or even stop if required.

One big recommendation from Deloitte is to have the Water and Sewerage Districts have smaller boards with a mix of elected and independent, non-elected members. The independent members would be appointed based on their qualifications to manage large utilities. Would this hybrid model work better? It reminds me of the TransLink Board, and I think the jury is still out on that governance model.

The other significant recommendation is to include feedback from the existing technical advisory committees in board reports to provide a broader perspective. These technical advisory committees include staff representatives from member municipalities in Metro Vancouver.

Deloitte interviewed me as part of this governance review. When I talked with them, I told them I wanted to see the creation of an independent technical advisory group that reviews the Regional District’s significant projects and plans to determine if they are delivering value for money for our region and meeting the overall strategic goals of the board.

Deloitte recommends enhancing the current internal auditing at the Regional District, but it does not capture what I think is needed.

It’s scary to think I’ve held elected office for nearly a decade. I’ve observed that governance is rarely the problem; it is whether people decide to be good or bad actors in a political system. You cannot governance your way out of bad actors; that is what elections are for.

I’m happy to see many of Deloitte’s recommendations. Still, I think they missed the Regional District’s biggest challenge: the need for the board to have independent technical advice for major plans and projects.

Enrollment Numbers - Langley Schools

One of the questions I get from time to time is about the number of students attending schools in our community. Langley City is part of the Langley School District, so while there is no such thing as a City or Township school, some schools serve most of the students in Langley City.

The Langley School District regularly provides a Funding and Enrolment Update report. The most recent public report is from October 2024.

The following chart shows the total headcount for all school-aged students in Langley.

Langley School District - School-Aged Student Headcount from 2011 to 2024. Select the image to enlarge.

As you can see, it has been growing at a steady rate. The following chart shows the total number of students (government-funded and international) for both 2023 and 2024 for the Langley Secondary catchment area.

School	2024	2023	Change
Langley Secondary School (incl Focus)	1204	1069	135
H D Stafford Middle School	759	766	-7
Blacklock Elementary	303	276	27
Douglas Park Elementary	350	314	36
James Hill Elementary	365	371	-6
Nicomekl Elementary	426	454	-28
Simonds Elementary	160	142	18
Uplands Elementary	242	253	-11

As a note, Nicomekl is getting a 200-student classroom expansion, which is under construction right now. This expansion is like getting another Simonds Elementary-sized school and provides room to grow for students in one of the fastest-growing neighbourhoods in Langley City.

On a side note, the R E Mountain catchment area continues to see the most growth, with 399 more students between 2023 and 2024, compared to the Langley Secondary School catchment area, which grew by 164.

The School District and City work closely to understand how new growth impacts school enrollment, which helps the School District plan for growth or a decrease in students at individual schools.