Vancouver, with its gleaming downtown and light rail projects, may be an urban planner's dream. But new census data show its growth is similar to that south of the border.
Over the last five years, Vancouver's population has grown in line with the overall province's rate and more than half has gone to the new supply of housing downtown. Meanwhile Surrey has grown by nearly 14 percent as residents chase affordable family dwellings. The pattern makes it hard for even ambitious transit projects to accommodate lifestyle patterns and relieve the cost of living or the environment.
Similarly, Seattle is a shrinking part of the metropolitan area. Both cities are examples of why development incentives and transportation infrastructure need to be in sync.