Recycling Compressed Gas Cylinders and “Whipping Cream Chargers”

Earlier this year, I posted about large nitrous oxide cylinders entering the waste stream in our region in significant quantities. While nitrous oxide is used for food processing and auto racing, it is also known as laughing gas and provides a sense of calm and euphoria when inhaled. These cylinders have caused explosions at the Metro Vancouver Waste-to-Energy facility, damaging equipment and jeopardizing worker safety.

Post Combustion Nitrous Oxide Cylinders. Select the image to enlarge.

As a result, the Metro Vancouver Regional District provides free recycling for all single-use valved cylinders (not just nitrous oxide), whether gas-filled or empty, at its recycling and waste facilities.

As I posted, the Regional District would like to see the federal government prohibit the import and sale of large single-use valved nitrous oxide cylinders.

As you may know, most of the recycling programs in BC are funded by industry through the BC Extended Producer Responsibility program. For example, curbside recycling for detached homes and non-strata townhomes in Langley City is managed by Recycle BC.

Currently in BC, you can recycle empty aerosol spray containers used for cosmetic/beauty, health products, food, afresheners, and cleaning. An example would be shaving cream. The provincial government is expanding the Extended Producer Responsibility program to include more types of aerosol spray containers, small propane cylinders, and spray foam canisters. The Metro Vancouver Regional District would like to see nitrous oxide cylinders added to this expanded program.

Right now, it costs the regional district about $60 to recycle a nitrous oxide cylinder. Based on a quick Internet search, the cost of recycling is about the same as the price of a new, filled, larger-sized nitrous oxide cylinder.

I’m hoping that the province will add nitrous oxide cylinders to an expanded Extended Producer Responsibility program.

92% of Metro Vancouver Regional District Board Support Single Sewer Area Charge

One of the strengths of our region is that we work well together and share resources where it makes sense. For example, we all pay the same regional tax rates and fees for transit, water, solid waste, and parks. The only area where we pay different rates is for sewer; it is based on where your liquid waste is processed. This all stemmed from a decision in the mid-1990s about how to pay for a significant project to improve wastewater treatment at the Annacis Island Wastewater Treatment, which serves most of Metro Vancouver by area.

Because of our geography and history, the North Shore, half of Lulu Island (Richmond), and most of the City of Vancouver each have their own wastewater treatment facility.

Map of Metro Vancouver Sewerage Areas. Select the map to enlarge.

We all know the story of the North Shore Wastewater Treatment plant. Unfortunately, because of how we fund sewage services in our region, North Shore residents and businesses got stuck with a massive increase in sewer fees through no fault of their own.

This is the breakdown of typical household charges for regional sewer service in 2026.

Fraser Sewerage Area: $795
Lulu Island Sewerage Area: $825
North Shore Sewerage Area: $1,315
Vancouver Sewerage Area: $1,024

Langley City is in the Fraser Sewerage Area. All the sewage treatment plants and pipes in our region need upgrades to keep them in a state of good repair and meet modern wastewater treatment standards. Given that treatment plants aren’t based on population but on geography, the experience of the North Shore Wastewater Treatment plant costs distribution, and future sewage projects, 92% of the current Metro Vancouver Directors want to switch to a single sewage area. This would help spread the cost of these necessary sewage upgrades across all people and businesses in our region. It is a fairer approach and will reduce future spikes in sewage rate increases. While the Fraser Sewage Area currently has the lowest rate, it also has major sewer projects planned in the coming years.

I’m pleased to see that most elected people are working together for the benefit of all people in Metro Vancouver, and I look forward to seeing one sewerage area.

People Have Been Doing Their Part to Conserve Water in Metro Vancouver

As you know, the Metro Vancouver region was under Stage 2 water restrictions on May 1st and Stage 3 water restrictions on June 8th to help manage the demand for water. There were two primary reasons for that: the first was that the First Narrows Crossing, a collection of three water mains under the Barrard Inlet, was out of commission, reducing the maximum amount of water available on any given day; and because of a reduced snowpack and forecasted drought, which places a constraint on the water reservoirs.

The good news is that the First Narrows Crossing was fully restored to service, and on July 16, the region moved back to Stage 2 water restrictions. While the City of Surrey did not take part in Stage 3 water restrictions, every other part of the region did. People did their part to conserve water, as shown in the following graph from Metro Vancouver.

Total water usage between May 1st and July 7th this year. Select the graph to enlarge.

As you can see, water usage was significantly down, including during the hottest days in June.

Total water storage in the Metro Vancouver water system. Select the graph to enlarge.

Water reservoir levels are on the lower end of the typical range, which is also good news.

For as long as I’ve been around, the region has moved through water restriction stages together and consistently. The Metro Vancouver Regional District plans to engage its member jurisdictions in the fall to review and update the Drinking Water Conservation Plan with, I’m sure, the goal of ensuring a consistent approach to water management.

New Audit: 15% of Buildings in Metro Vancouver Parks Slated for Removal

The Metro Vancouver Regional District Parks System is one of the jewels of our region. There are 354 buildings within regional parks with a total assessed value of $267 million that are maintained by the regional district. Another 40 are managed by other organizations within regional parks. Some of the buildings are for public use, such as washrooms, picnic shelters, and concessions. Others support park operations, and others are special-purpose, such as caretaker homes, heritage buildings, or vacant buildings. The regional district recently completed an audit of all buildings they managed within their parks.

There is a cost to maintaining buildings, and the park system's goal is to protect nature and connect people with nature. With this in mind, the regional district considered which buildings should be maintained, kept for now, or removed through sustainable deconstruction practices. The regional district assessment found that 74% of its buildings should be maintained, 11% should be put on the keep-for-now list, and 15% should be removed.

Example of a derelict barn that is slated for removal.

Some buildings support wildlife, including bats, barn owls, swallows, swifts, river otters, and skunks. For any building slated for deconstruction that supports this wildlife, additional measures will be implemented to ensure the wildlife isn’t affected, including providing replacement habitat, such as owl nesting boxes.

For example, in Aldergrove Regional Park, the following buildings have been slated for removal in the audit:

• Barn
• Horse Feed Storage Shed
• Louck's Big Barn
• Main Barn Rental Outbuilding
• North Shed Rental Outbuilding
• Rental House Rental House
• Storage Shed Rental Outbuilding
• Storage Shed 1
• Rental Outbuilding
• Storage Shed 2
• Tackroom Shed

As for next steps, the audit will help guide the maintenance of buildings within the parks and also which buildings will be removed over time.

Each New Resident Requires $80,039 in New Public Infrastructure in Metro Vancouver

When building a new home, there are costs for construction, including land, materials, and labour. There is also the cost of providing public infrastructure to the home and the people who live in it. The Metro Vancouver Regional District recently commissioned a study to determine the amount of provincial and local infrastructure required per household and per capita to support population growth in our region.

The per capita cost is $80,039. The per-household cost varies by density. For lower-density housing, such as detached homes, the new infrastructure cost is $272,568 per unit. For medium-density housing such as townhomes, the new infrastructure cost is $242,339 per unit. And for higher-density housing such as apartments, the new infrastructure cost is $152,535 per unit.

Local governments in our region are responsible for about 60% of the infrastructure required for new homes, with the remian 40% delivered by the provincial government.

In Langley City, we charge fees for each new housing unit to help cover some of these infrastructure costs. The total local government fees and contributions for a new apartment are around $50,000 per unit. For a detached home, it is around $80,000 per unit. The costs are nowhere near the cost of providing the infrastructure.

Table of infrastructure considered in the study. Select the table to enlarge.

A simple suggestion might be to increase the fees for building new homes. For example, to reach a break-even point, the City and region would have to charge an additional $40,000 in fees per new apartment unit, raising the fee from $50,000 to $90,000 per unit. Of course, this would affect housing affordability.

Local governments do rely on property taxes and user fees as well. We also have aging infrastructure in all municipalities. Generally, property taxes and user fees are used to fund the renewal of existing infrastructure and to support ongoing municipal operations, such as police officers, firefighters, and people who maintain our parks.

Another suggestion might be to increase property taxes and user fees to pay for new infrastructure. This would also have affordability implications.

While property taxes, user fees, and municipal fees charged for each new housing unit will need to increase, the federal government has a role to play. They really do need to step up and increase federal funding for the infrastructure required to support population growth.

There are some limitations to the data, including regional variations in costs. For more information, please read the Regional Planning Committee Regular July 2, 2026 agenda starting on page 168.

Langley City Council Calls for Expanded Affordable BC Bus Pass Program

While Langley City is one of the most affordable places to live by Metro Vancouver standards, I know that the cost of housing, transportation, and food is a challenge for many people. A Metro Vancouver report noted that for most people, transportation expenses are about the same as housing expenses. Many households have two or more vehicles. Investing in high-quality, fast, and frequent transit supports lowering transportation costs as people can then have the option of reducing the number of vehicles they own and operate.

Transit is also linked to better social well-being and health outcomes, providing access to essential services and reducing social inequities.

TransLink has a reduced-fare program that applies to seniors and younger people. The provincial government has the BC Bus Pass Program, a low-cost transit pass limited to low-income seniors and people receiving disability assistance from the Province of British Columbia.

Metro Vancouver is one of the few major regions in Canada without a low-income transit pass for all ages and abilities—Halifax, Toronto, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Calgary each offer reduced-fare transit passes.

Many people who would qualify for BC Housing-funded or below-market rental housing would not qualify for the BC Bus Pass Program. Expanding this program would allow more people in Metro Vancouver access to opportunity, boost the regional economy, improve equity, and reduce fare evasion and its associated enforcement costs.

I’m happy to say that Langley City Council unanimously passed the following motion at its meeting last night.

THAT Council direct the Mayor to write a letter to the Provincial Minister of Transportation and Transit, requesting that the Province of British Columbia expand the eligibility requirements for the BC Bus Pass Program to include low-income households in Metro Vancouver.

Staying the Course with the Mayors’ Council’s Transportation Vision

Transport 2050 and Access for Everyone are TransLink's long-term and 10-year plans, respectively, which were approved by the Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation before the last local government election in 2022. Transport 2050 must be reviewed every 5 years. These plans take a significant amount of time to develop and update, so if a major update to either of these plans were required, TransLink staff would need to get working on it now.

Map of Priority Transit Improvement from Access for Everyone. Select the map to enlarge.

At last week’s Mayors’ Council meeting, TransLink staff asked the Council to re-endorse both plans without change.

Since 2022, there have been significant changes in finances, with rising inflation and general purse-string tightening in government, especially at the federal level. This means that both Transport 2050 and Access for Everyone will likely take longer to implement than originally envisioned, as federal and provincial capital funding is lower than expected and construction costs are higher.

Even with this in mind, both plans outline what is still required to keep our region moving and are still very valid. As a note, recent TransLink trip surveys find that about 30% of trips in the region are by walking, cycling, or transit, which is good news, but other factors, such as the affordability of our transportation system, are not on track.

Given the reduced capital funding available from the federal and provincial governments, TransLink staff recommended that the Mayors’ Council also approve a reduced number of projects from these plans to move forward within the short term. The intention is to work with the Mayors’ Council to select these projects over the coming months. Given that there is a local government election this fall, these projects would need to be confirmed again by the incoming Mayors’ Council.

The Mayors’ Council approved these next steps, except for the Mayor of the City of Surrey, who was not in favour.

I would expect that in September, the Mayors’ Council will have the next phase of projects selected.

Bus Delays Costs Region About $115 Million Annually

TransLink recently released its 2025 Bus Speed and Reliability Report and found that bus delays caused by congestion are a significant concern, slowing bus travel times and costing TransLink about $115 million annually to maitain service frequency. Simply, if you want a bus every 15 minutes, the slower the bus travels, the more buses you need to maintain the same level of frequency. If we were able to eliminate all delays, which of course is not possible, the region would be able to increase bus service by 13%, which is significant.

Knowing this, TransLink has been working with municipalities to speed up bus travel times. In Langley City, we have bus lanes on Fraser Highway, 203rd Street, and Logan Avenue as a result of this program.

Some of the more recent successes include the installation of bus lanes on Scott Road, which has improved bus travel times by 20% (about 10 minutes) from Scott Road SkyTrain to Newton. Another example is the ramp queue-jumper lanes on Highway 99 and 17A, which allow buses to zip past congestion, improving bus route travel times by 30%.

One of the priorities is to grow the amount of bus priority measures along the frequent transit network. Between 2018, when the program was launched, and today, the share of bus priority measures along the frequent transit network has increased from 9% to 17%, a success story.

The following map shows bus priority measures implemented since 2019.

Map of Bus Speed and Reliability Project from 2019 to 2025. Select the map to enlarge.

TransLink is continuing to work with municipalities to identify areas for bus priority measures with a new funding intake this fall. These projects pay for themselves over time as they allow TransLink to reinvest bus service hours to improve service.

I look forward to seeing the continued rollout of this program, which is essentially like finding free money. To learn more, please read the full report.

Langley City Received $12.6 Million in Road, Cycling, and Walking Funding From Translink Since 2017

I’ve posted about this every so often, as many people do not know that TransLink is responsible for major roads in our region and provides funding, through a cost-sharing formula, to local governments to keep these roads in good repair. In Langley City, 200th Street, Fraser Highway (Excluding Between 203rd and 208th), the non-provincial section of the Langley Bypass, and 203rd/204th Street between Fraser Highway and the Township border are part of the TransLink-funded major road network.

TransLink also provides base-allocated and competitive grants to enhance the capacity, efficiency, and safety of the major road network, with a requirement to improve walking and cycling infrastructure. TransLink also provides funding specifically for costly road structures, such as overpasses, bridges, retaining walls, and large culverts.

Outside the major road network, TransLink provides base-allocated and competitive grants for general cycling, walking, and bus-speed infrastructure (such as bus lanes).

Between 2017 and 2025, Langley City has received $4.2 million in base-allocated funding and $7.2 million in competitive grants from TransLink. In 2026, Langley City will receive $1.2 million in base-allocated funding from TransLink.

Langley City received per-km funding to keep our section of the major road network in a state of good repair. We also received funding for the following projects since 2017.

• 48 Avenue Bike Lanes
• 200 St Culverts Rehabilitation
• 208 St Bike Lanes
• Douglas Crescent and 203 St Pedestrian Safety Improvements
• Duncan Way Sidewalks
• Fraser Highway Upgrades
• Fraser Highway (East of 208 Street) Cycling and Walking Safety Improvements
• Glover Road Bike Lane
• Langley Bus Speed and Reliability Study (as Part of Master Transportation Plan)
• Langley Bypass Roadway and Cycling Improvements
• Logan Creek Culvert Replacement
• Michaud Crescent Bike Lane
• Michaud Greenway

TransLink funding is an important part of how we work together as a region to support our major roads and improve transportation options for people.

Shared Bike, Scooter Growth in Metro Vancouver

Micromobility usage, including bikes, e-bikes, and e-scooters, is rising in the region, bringing challenges and opportunities. Along with the growth of private ownership, the shared usage of these devices has also increased. The City of Vancouver launched its bikeshare program back in 2016. Today, about 11 jurisdictions in the Metro Vancouver region have micromobility programs. E-scooters and e-bikes are growing in popularity.

Surrey piloted a bike-share program in 2025.

The following chart shows the growth in usage of shared micromobility devices in the region. Ridership is still primarily concentrated in the City of Vancouver.

Thousands of Shared Micromobility Trips by Month, Metro Vancouver, Jan 2021-Dec 2025. Select the image to enlarge. Source: TransLink

Compared to other regions in Canada, per capita ridership is significantly lower in our region. Some of the barriers to use in our region include multiple uncoordinated micromobility-sharing programs from different vendors, limited device availability, piecemeal service areas, and high prices. In regions like Toronto and Montreal, these services are coordinated and receive some public funding.

A shared micromobility program, if implemented correctly, can provide a cost-effective “last-mile” solution for getting people to and from transit and for short trips. For example, imagine being able to grab an e-scooter or bike at the future Langley City Centre SkyTrain station and zip back to your home. Just last week, a Langley City resident, who is also a senior, suggested that we roll out a bike share program in Langley City for this exact purpose.

In our region, TransLink could play a larger role. For example, having a single platform for transit and bikesharing would be helpful. If there were a desire at the regional level, we could help ensure lower prices and better access to a coordinated, region-wide system.

I believe that the expansion of SkyTrain service in our region presents a good opportunity to explore providing people with more ways to access rapid transit.

Enhancements to Transit Including to Campbell Valley and Gloucester

A few weeks ago, TransLink staff attended a Langley City Council meeting to discuss improvements to transit service, with a focus on Langley and the South of Fraser. There are two big changes coming in the Langley area. The first is that this summer, you can now get to Campbell Valley Park on transit. The route goes from the Langley Centre bus exchange down 200th Street. The bus will run hourly on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays.

A long-awaited service is also starting in September, connecting the Langley Centre bus exchange to the Gloucester Industrial Estates in the Township.

Green routes are already in service, blue routes start this year, and red routes are planned for 2027. Select the map to enlarge.

Further year-round service is being introduced to 68th Avenue,Tilbury in Delta, and Campbell Heights next year. The following map shows new services rolled out this year and next year. Missing from the map is the R2 RapidBus extension, which I posted about yesterday.

TransLink has also improved, or will improve, service on over 100 bus routes to address overcrowding and increase service levels (frequency or extended hours).

These enhancements are funded by the Mayors’ Council’s Investment Plan, which is funded through property taxes and support from the provincial government.

Bus Rapid Transit Planning Continues. R2 RapidBus Extension Launches in Fall.

As you may know, TransLink is completing the planning work for two new bus rapid transit routes. TransLink is also launching an extension to the R2 RapidBus route this September, which will connect Metrotown via Hastings St/Burnaby Heights and Willingdon, with buses every 6 to 7 minutes during the busiest part of the day. Planning is ongoing to convert this route to bus rapid transit in the future.

Bus Rapid Transit means that buses, for the most part, operate in their own right-of-way to avoid congestion and have stations with more amenities, such as real-time information and larger shelters.

Work is also ongoing for the two bus rapid transit routes in the South of Fraser. One along King George Boulevard and the other connecting Haney in Maple Ridge to the Willowbrook Shopping Centre. These lines will have about two-thirds of their routes operating in dedicated right-of-way, resulting in travel times similar to driving and significantly faster than existing bus service.

The following is a typical cross-section for a Bus Rapid Transit system.

Typical cross-section for a Bus Rapid Transit system. Select image to enlarge.

This is the current planned alignment for the King George Boulevard line.

Current planned alignment for the King George Boulevard BRT line. Select image to enlarge.

This is the current planned alignment plan for the Langley-Haney Place line.

Current planned alignment plan for the Langley-Haney Place line. Selet image to enlarge.

Currently, funding is available to complete detailed design work, which is expected to wrap up in 2027. There is no funding to build or operate these lines at this time.

Have Your Say on the Metro Vancouver Regional District Board Structure

I’ve been posting about proposed changes to governance at the Metro Vancouver Regional District. About a year ago, Deloitte Canada made 47 recommendations to improve governance at the Regional District, which provides services to over half of BC's population. The Regional District has a Board Governance Review Tracker where you can learn more about the implementation of these recommendations.

One of the larger recommendations is to review the size and structure of the Regional District Board to improve decision-making. The Regional District is actually four separate legal entities: the Metro Vancouver Regional District, the Greater Vancouver Water District, the Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District, and the Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation. Today, these entities operate effectively under a single board.

Today, there are 41 directors appointed by their respective municipalities, treaty First Nation, or directly elected in the case of Electoral Area A. There is a formula that determines how many directors each member jurisdiction has and how much weight each director carries based on population. This system is meant to balance having a voice at the table for each jurisdiction, no matter the population, while also ensuring population-based representation.

The Regional District is reviewing potential changes through the lens of governance effectiveness, size/scalability, member jurisdiction representation, public accountability, and ease of implementation.

Proposals include keeping the status quo, reducing the size, or including appointed non-political members on one or more of the four legal entities' boards.

One of the more interesting proposals for me is the inclusion of a smaller Major Projects Committee, which could have delegated authority on the most complex projects, such as wastewater treatment plants, and could comprise a blend of elected and externally appointed directors with technical expertise. The main board would still have ultimate control over the budget, but a committee such as this would be best practice.

Over the next month, the Regional District is seeking feedback on proposed changes to the governance structure. You can learn more, including how you can participate, by visiting the Metro Vancouver Regional District's Governance Review webpage.

Langley City Council received a presentation by Heather McNell, the Deputy CAO of the Regional District, on Monday about these proposed changes.

Metro Vancouver’s Water Supply for This Summer

As you know, Metro Vancouver is in stage 2 water restrictions, which means you cannot water lawns, top up or fill decorative water features (such as a fountain), or use your personal pressure washer or garden hose to wash impermeable surfaces, such as a concrete patio. The current lawn water restriction does not apply to municipal public spaces, such as sports fields. This is to ensure the water supply lasts throughout this summer.

According to the Regional District, there are a few reasons for these year's restrictions. One is that snowpack is at 44% of its historic average as of the beginning of this month. The second is that the Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel project means one of the main water supply connections will be out of service this summer. The third is that Environment Canada is predicting a hot, dry summer.

Graph of Capilano Watershed, Average Snow Water Equivalent. Select to enlarge.

The good news is that water reservoirs and the alpine lakes, Palisade, Burwell, and Loch Lomond, will be full by the end of spring.

With a hot summer predicted, the region will likely enter stage 3 restriction sometime in early June.

For more information on water restriction stages and impacts, please visit Metro Vancouver’s website.

Metro Vancouver Regional Parks Are Gems (Even if Not Hidden)

Metro Vancouver Regional Parks are among the best-maintained parks I’ve been to and offer unique experiences, diverse ecosystems, and areas to explore. I know that many people rediscovered or discovered the regional park system for the first time over the last 6 years or so.

A friend of mine made it a mission to visit every publicly accessible regional park, and they accomplished that goal.

The Regional District publishes an annual report on the parks system, and I want to highlight some of the work done in 2025.

The Regional District completed a restoration of Imperial Trail in Pacific Spirit Regional Park, opened a new three-kilometre regional greenway in Campbell Valley Regional Park, and opened Widgeon Marsh Regional Park to public access. The Regional District added 3.5 hectares to its parks system by expanding Widgeon Marsh Regional Park and Widgeon Marsh.

There were 14.7 million visits to regional parks and greenways in 2025, which is significantly higher than pre-2020 levels.

Annual visit to Metro Vancouver Regional District Parks from 2005 to 2025. Select the chart to enlarge.

Lynn Headwaters Regional Park and Crippen Regional Park on Bowen Island received a record number of visitors in 2025. While it is great that people enjoy our parks, it can also create localized capacity challenges, such as on Bowen Island, which is only accessible by BC Ferries or private boat.

The following table shows the number of visits to each park/greenway in 2025.

Park Name	2025 Visits
ƛéxətəm Regional Park	386,900
Pacific Spirit Regional Park	3,888,800
Boundary Bay Regional Park	1,148,200
Capilano River Regional Park	1,097,000
tәmtәmíxʷtәn/Belcarra Regional Park	927,500
Campbell Valley Regional Park	887,600
Derby Reach Regional Park	881,700
Tynehead Regional Park	604,600
Lynn Headwaters Regional Park	578,400
Grouse Mountain Regional Park	545,300
Kanaka Creek Regional Park	528,000
Aldergrove Regional Park	464,600
Crippen Regional Park	429,400
Burnaby Lake Regional Park	422,900
Deas Island Regional Park	362,800
Brunette-Fraser Regional Greenway	292,300
Iona Beach Regional Park	287,900
Pitt River Regional Greenway	229,700
Brae Island Regional Park	227,900
Minnekhada Regional Park	188,900
Surrey Bend Regional Park	130,800
Delta South Surrey Regional Greenway	63,200
Seymour River Regional Greenway	53,600
Glen Valley Regional Park	49,700
Barnston Island Regional Park	11,500

For more information, please check out the 2025 Regional Parks Annual Report.

2026 Lower Mainland Local Government Association Conference

Last night, today, and tomorrow, elected representatives from local governments across the Lower Mainland are at the annual Lower Mainland Local Government Association (LMLGA) conference and annual general meeting in Whistler. About 190 people are attending the conference, including members of Langley City Council, Paul Albrecht, Mike Solyom, Rosemary Wallace, Leith White, and me. Paul is the current president, and I am the Metro Vancouver Regional District representative on the LMLGA board. Paul delivered opening remarks last night to kick off the conference, and then we heard from former Lieutenant Governor of BC, Janet Austin, on the role of local government and the lack of funding for it.

Paul Albrecht, the president of LMLGA, delivers the opening welcome.

Today and tomorrow, there is a series of educational panels. Some of the highlights included a panel on “Lessons Learned from Municipal Council Conflict”, which I will be moderating. Other sessions include how we can help build sustainable and inclusive government, the top concerns of people in BC, and how to strengthen citizens' participation in local government decision-making.

One of my favourite parts of the conference is the resolution session, where we debate motions submitted by local governments throughout the Lower Mainland that typically call on the provincial government to take action. Resolutions endorsed by the LMLGA membership inform our advocacy efforts to the province and are forwarded to the Union of BC Municipalities for debate by all local governments at its conference in the fall. Langley City has a resolution calling on the province to develop consistent rules for micro-mobility devices, such as mobility devices for people with disabilities, e-scooters, and the like.

One of the fun traditions is that each local government provide a small item that represents their community for a door prize. Langley City’s door prize is the book “On the Trail: 50 Years of Engaging with Nature” by the Langley Field Naturalist.

I always learn something new at the conference that can be applied back in Langley City.

Population Growth Stalls, Transit Ridership Declines in Metro Vancouver in 2025

While normally TransLink’s Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation meets monthly, the first public meeting of the Mayors’ Council will happen on April 30th. The heavy lifting for the Mayors’ Council happened last year as we moved towards approving the 2025 Transportation Investment Plan; the next Investment Plan must be approved in early 2027. Currently, the focus is on advocating to the province and the federal governments to increase funding for transit in our region and start delivering that funding as soon as possible.

Last year was an interesting year for population growth in Metro Vancouver. While we typically seen a 2% growth rate, in 2025 there was essentially no population growth. Of course, this isn’t evenly distributed. The City of Vancouver saw about a 1% population decline, whereas typically high-growth areas like Surrey saw only a 2% growth rate.

Overall, the transit system experienced a 1.5% decline in transit journeys in 2025 compared to 2024. Bus ridership declined 2.5%, and Expo/Millennium lines declined 2.6%. Canada Line ridership increased 1.1%, SeaBus ridership increased 3.8%, HandyDART service increased 6%, and West Coast Express ridership increased 11.2%. Over 60% of transit journeys are by bus. TransLink attributes the decline to fewer young adults in our region, resulting from changes in federal immigration targets, young adults leaving Metro Vancouver, and a smaller overall Gen Z population compared to millennials.

When you look at subregions, the largest decline was in the South of Fraser, though transit ridership there is still significantly higher than before the pandemic.

Annual Ridership Growth (First Number) between 2024 - 2025 & Share of System-Wide Boardings (Second Number) by Sub-Region in 2025. Select the map to enlarge.

Population growth will likely return to a stable growth rate in the near future, and transit ridership will likely resume growth as a result. There is no indication that transit is in a permanent ridership decline.

Reducing Odorous Air Contaminants in Metro Vancouver

Many people don’t know that the Metro Vancouver Regional District is responsible for regulating air quality in our region.

The Regional District is in the process of updating its air quality fee bylaw, which sets fees based on the amount of regulated air contaminants released. The goal of the bylaw is to use these fees to encourage facility owners to reduce the contaminants they release into the air.

Not surprisingly, the top air quality complaint the regional district receives is about odours. The following graph shows the number of complaints received since 2011.

Number of air quality complaints by complaint type from 2011 to 2025. Select the chart to enlarge.

The jurisdictions with the most complaints are consistently Vancouver, Burnaby, Delta, Richmond, Surrey, and the Township of Langley. Interestingly, complaints from Vancouver have been steadily increasing, while those from other jurisdictions have been fairly consistent.

Number of air quality complaints received each year by jurisdiction from 2021 to 2025. Select the chart to enlarge.

Given the number of complaints around odours, the proposed updated bylaw includes a list of odorous air contaminants and associated fees with the aim of reducing the release of these substances.

If you are interested in learning more about air quality and proposed changes to its regulation in our region, please check out the Metro Vancouver website.

Wrangling Solid Waste in Metro Vancouver

While a combination of public and private service providers in our region collect garbage, recycling, organics and other solid waste, it is the Metro Vancouver Regional District that manages the overall solid waste system. The Regional District is in the process of updating its Solid Waste Management Plan, which, if adopted, will impact Langley City.

I’ve posted about the overall goals of this proposed updated plan last summer: rethink, reduce, reuse, recycle, and recover. In short, it means thinking about how we design products and packaging to prevent waste in the first place and do everything we can to prevent waste from being burned at an incinerator or buried in a landfill.

To that end, the Regional District is proposing new waste-reduction targets for the next decade.

The plan’s target is to:

• Reduce per capita waste generation by 10% from 1.22 tonnes to 1.1 tonnes
• Reduce disposal per capita by 30% from 430kg to 300kg (burned or buried)
• Increase the recycling rate from 65% to 70% (material recycled into new products, including compost)
• Increase the diversion rate from 65% to 75% (includes all material recycled, plus any material used to create alternatives to fossil fuels)

Recycling and diversion rates have always been lower in our region for attached housing (townhouses and apartments) than detached housing, so one of the focus areas is to boost these rates. There is also significant waste generated during the demolition and construction of buildings, so another focus area is preventing the disposal of valuable building materials.

Our region has a strong track record of reducing waste. I’m optimistic that we will now be able to address reducing waste generation and further reducing disposal under this proposed new plan, if it is adopted.

Ensuring a Safe and Secure Drinking Water Supply

When I ask people what is required to support urban populations at the most basic level, they usually say roads and housing. And while important, the most basic requirement is access to a safe water supply and sewage. In the Metro Vancouver region, we have one of the cleanest drinking water supplies in the world, but we still face risks due to climate change and continued population growth.

The Metro Vancouver Regional District is updating its Drinking Water Management Plan to ensure a continued safe and secure supply.

The plan is organized into five main goals and five priority areas, with a total of 92 action items. The five main goals are:

• Provide high-quality drinking water
• Provide uniterupted drinking water service
• Manage the drinking water service in a cost-effective way
• Manage water to protect and enhance the environment for all
• Develop and manage a skilled workforce to support the drinking water service

The five priority areas are: a resilient water system; water supply quality and quantity; environmental protection and enhancement; conservation and efficiency; and operations workforce development. You can read more about the 92 actions in the draft report.

The drinking water system includes both Regional District infrastructure, such as water reservoirs, treatment plants, and water mains and member jurisdiction-owned and managed local water distribution systems.

Inside Langley City-owned water reservoirs

All member jurisdictions of the Regional District will need to endorse the plan for it to come into effect, including Langley City, as we will need to take actions to support it.

For example, if the plan is endorsed, Langley City would need to “protect water quality in local distribution systems by implementing a regional cross-connection control approach and collaborating with Metro Vancouver to optimize water quality” as an action.

If you’d like to learn more, please visit the Metro Vancouver Drinking Water Management Plan Update page.