Metro Vancouver’s Profile of First Nations with Interests in the Region

Our region, Metro Vancouver, is on the traditional and in most cases unceded territory of First Nations people. In order to help foster a better understand of First Nations in our regions, or First Nations that have interests in our region, the Metro Vancouver Regional District recently released its Profile of First Nations.

The profile provides information on the 11 First Nations; and, five First Nations, Tribal Councils, Treat Groups, and Associations that are located outside of Metro Vancouver that have interests in the region.

The profile contains maps of First Nations Reserves and Treaty Lands in Metro Vancouver.

First Nation Reserves and Treaty Lands in Metro Vancouver. Select map to enlarge.

Contact information, status of treaty negotiations, officials, basic geographic, and demographic information is provided.

Quick statistics about First Nations in Metro Vancouver including treaty stage information. Select table to enlarge.

The profile also contains some other basic facts about Aboriginal Peoples in our region. For example, 25% of Aboriginal Peoples in BC live in the Metro Vancouver region.

When I go to some events, organizers acknowledge that the region is on the traditional and unceded territory of First Nations people. This profile will help grow people's knowledge with a basic understanding of First Nations who's territory this is.

TransLink Ridership: SkyTrain Up, West Coast Express and SeaBus Down

The American Public Transit Association (APTA) releases transit ridership statistics quarterly for its participating members. TransLink is part of the APTA, and its ridership statistics are included in these quarterly reports.

The APTA has now released fourth-quarter and year-end ridership statistics, including the results for TransLink’s non-bus transit services. In 2016, a new ridership estimation methodology was introduced by TransLink which is likely why bus information is not available.

Mode	2016*	2015*	% Change
SkyTrain	137,376.0	118,565.0	15.87%
SeaBus	5,442.5	6,091.8	-10.66%
West Coast Express	2,459.0	2,630.9	-6.52%
* x 1,000

The launch of the Evergreen Extension to the Millennium Line is certainly a major reason for the massive increase in SkyTrain ridership. More accurate counting of people due to the Compass Card is also a factor in the ridership number increase.

It is likely that the one-zone bus fare introduced in the fall of 2015 has caused some people to switch from using the two-zone fare SeaBus to bus when commuting across the Burrard Inlet.

With the introduction of the Evergreen Line Extension, 555 Port Mann Express, and other services, it is likely that some people have also switched away from the premium priced West Coast Express service.

These results are consistent with the trends noted in TransLink’s third quarter report. It will be interesting to see the changes in ridership for bus service which should be included in TransLink’s yet-to-be release 2016 fourth quarter results.

Increased bus service coming to the South of Fraser April 24th

With TransLink’s 10-Year Vision for transit and transportation improvements in full-swing, starting April 24th, there will be improvements made to bus service throughout the region. This is the first round of bus service improvements with more transit service improvements in the works.

There following list shows the bus service improvements for the South of Fraser:

301 Richmond Brighouse/Newton Exchange
Weekday service to operate every 15 minutes, up from 20 minutes, from 6-9 am and 3-5 pm.

311 Scottsdale/Bridgeport Station
Weekday service to operate every 15 minutes, up from every 20 minutes, from 6-7 am.

319 Scott Road Station/Newton Exchange
Increased weekday service from 6-9 am, and 3 pm-12 am.

335 Surrey Central/Newton Exchange
Weekday service between Surrey Central Station and Guildford Exchange to every 8 minutes from 4-6 pm; increased Saturday service to every 20 minutes, up from every 30 minutes, from 4-8 pm; and, increased Sunday/holiday service to every 20 minutes, up from every 30 minutes, from 5-7 pm.

375 White Rock Centre/Guildford
One additional bus trip on weekdays at 10:48 pm, and two additional trips on Saturdays at 9:50 pm and 10:50 pm.

501 Surrey Central/Langley Centre
Increased weekday service from 7:30 pm-10:30 pm to operate every 30 minutes, up from every 60 minutes.

502 Surrey Central/Langley Centre
Increased weekday service from 7-10 am and 3-9 pm; Saturday service runs every 12 minutes, up from every 15 minutes, from 9 am to 7 pm; and, new late night service every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday from midnight to 2 am.

555 Lougheed Station/Carvolth Exchange
Improved weekday service from 6-9 am and 3-8 pm.

601 South Delta/Boundary Bay/Bridgeport Station
Increased weekday service every 20 minutes, up from 30 minutes, on the weekend between 10 am and 6 pm.

C50 Ocean Park/Peace Arch Hospital
Increased weekday service to every 30 minutes, up from every hour, from 6 am to 3 pm.

C51 Ocean Park/White Rock Centre
Increased weekday service to every 30 minutes, up from every hour, from 9 am to 3 pm.

C52 Seaside/White Rock Centre
Increased weekday service runs every 30 minutes, up from every hour, from 9 am to 3 pm.

C53 Cranley/White Rock Centre
Increased weekday service runs every 30 minutes, up from every hour, from 9 am to 3 pm.

C73 Guildford/Surrey Central Station
Increased weekday afternoon peak services to run every 20 minutes.

For more information, be sure to check out TransLink’s website starting March 31st.

Langley City’s new Downtown Transit Exchange

Back in the fall of 2012, I posted about the planning work that TransLink was doing with the City of Langley and Township of Langley for new transit exchanges at Willowbrook Mall and Downtown Langley.

The future of transit service renewal and expansion was in question during that time period, so I never followed up about the results of that planning work. Times have changed; TransLink’s 10-Year Vision is full-steam ahead.

In Langley City, the current Langley Centre Transit Exchange is in need of renewal. It is also located in a less than ideal location.

Over the last year, I’ve received questions from residents asking about the future of the Langley Centre Transit exchange. Because of its location and age, safety and access is a concern.

The concept plan for the new Downtown Langley Transit Exchange was completed in the fall of 2013. The biggest change for the transit exchange is that it will be relocated to Fraser Highway and an extended 203A Street/Industrial Avenue. The following map shows the location and design elements of the proposed new exchange, plus the proposed new roads to support the exchange.

Downtown Langley Exchange Concept Overview. Select image to enlarge.

This move will place the new transit exchange closer to more residents in Langley City. It will also be in a location with more “eyes and ears” on the street to increase safety. There will be more “eye and ears” on the street as the concept for the new transit exchange includes the requirement to built mixed-use buildings with ground-level retail.

Birds-Eye View of the Transit Exchange - Showing Future Neighbourhood Integration. Select image to enlarge.

While there has been no new news on when this concept will turn into reality. With B-Line service between SkyTrain and Langley City starting up shortly, and rail rapid transit to follow, this concept is closer to reality than it has ever been.