Today, the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade is releasing the results of the 2021 Transportation Survey. The survey was commissioned to create a better understanding of the impacts of the pandemic on transportation habits across the region and the extent to which those changes will become permanent.
The initial impact of the pandemic on transportation in the lower mainland has diminished in the past year but it remains unclear whether a full return to normalcy will occur in the near-term future, or at all. Interviews of Metro Vancouver residents were conducted by Mustel Group between April 16 and 28, 2021, the survey found that:
- When asked about trips taken by transit, respondents reported a decrease of 49% compared with pre-pandemic levels, a substantially higher reduction than trips taken by car (12%).
- 50% of all respondents said they expect ‘most’ (11%) or ‘some’ (39%) of the changes in transportation habits will be permanent.
- Support for investment in new public transit projects, such as the Surrey-Langley Skytrain and extension to UBC remains high, with 92% of Vancouver residents and 91% of respondents in Metro Vancouver supporting continued investment.
- Availability of funding for transportation infrastructure was ranked most likely to impact how we move and travel around the region (50%), followed by population growth (41%), technology (30%).