Author | Lightnews

brianch.bsky.social @brianch.bsky.social · 6d

I should add that this is one of many things we're trying to advocate for at @bettertransityyj.ca ! And it's especially relevant since BC Transit is looking for feedback on the future of regional transit right now: bsky.app/profile/bett...

Better Transit YYJ @bettertransityyj.ca · 11d

BC Transit is looking for input on the new Regional Transit Plan!
engage.bctransit.com/victoria-reg...

Want some ideas on what feedback to give? Check out our guide: bettertransityyj.ca/2025/10/12/s...

Victoria Regional Transit Plan

We need your input! BC Transit is seeking input into the long-term goals and network design priorities for the Victoria Regional Transit Plan. The plan is being developed with input from the Capital R...

engage.bctransit.com

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brianch.bsky.social @brianch.bsky.social · 6d

Providing coverage to that part of the Peninsula is hard given limited (i.e. no) expansion resources. That said, I think there are opportunities to improve things with the new regional plan, and you should let BC Transit know as much! engage.bctransit.com/victoria-reg...

Victoria Regional Transit Plan

We need your input! BC Transit is seeking input into the long-term goals and network design priorities for the Victoria Regional Transit Plan. The plan is being developed with input from the Capital R...

engage.bctransit.com

brianch.bsky.social @brianch.bsky.social · 6d

@ohtheurbanity.bsky.social's experience here shows a gap not many think about: so many folks in the CRD have the same problem taking transit from home or to work. That includes people who work at the airport and its business park!

The Montreal comparison is apt because it does have night service.

Oh The Urbanity! @ohtheurbanity.bsky.social · 7d

Oops, I didn’t explain this clearly! Lack of sleep.

The bus from Victoria drops you off at a bus exchange here. In the day there’s another bus to the airport.

But the last bus at 9:06pm does not work for a flight arriving at 9pm.

Same with our morning flight.

Oh The Urbanity! @ohtheurbanity.bsky.social · 7d

Victoria’s transit does not go all the way to the airport for either of our scheduled flights. You have to take a 30 minute walk, partly along roads without sidewalks.

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Marco Chitti @chittimarco.bsky.social · 11d

In February 1972, Bologna conducted a cordon survey of cars entering the area inside the ring boulevard.

It's challenging to compare data across all entry points, but here's how the numbers for six selected access points look: 1972 vs 2022.

That's quite the reduction 📉

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Mark (he/him) @markedwardson.com · 11d

this was unthinkable a few years ago, so BC requiring munis to zone for 20-year housing need is having an impact

But something is clearly wrong if:
a) apartments and dense townhouses are still generally illegal
b) this upzoning is sufficient for 20-year housing demand
c) UVic still needs a rezoning

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Better Transit YYJ @bettertransityyj.ca · 11d

BC Transit is looking for input on the new Regional Transit Plan!
engage.bctransit.com/victoria-reg...

Want some ideas on what feedback to give? Check out our guide: bettertransityyj.ca/2025/10/12/s...

Victoria Regional Transit Plan

We need your input! BC Transit is seeking input into the long-term goals and network design priorities for the Victoria Regional Transit Plan. The plan is being developed with input from the Capital R...

engage.bctransit.com

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Mark (he/him) @markedwardson.com · 13d

There's the usual discussion about using BRT as a proof of concept for trains, but it's too bad we're not doing kicking cars off of Douglas, or even median bus lanes

(Draft design for Douglas below) 1/x

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Better Transit YYJ @bettertransityyj.ca · 17d

Join us next Thursday the 16th at 6pm for a sunset bike ride along the waterfront! Everyone welcome, we'll be talking about public transportation while enjoying active transportation 🚲🚌

Poster for Better Transit YYJ's Sunset Ride on October 16th at 6 PM. We'll be starting the ride at the corner of Johnson and Store St. Join us!

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brianch.bsky.social @brianch.bsky.social · 17d

The quality of research and reporting on many of their videos has been less than stellar, unfortunately. Especially the ones outside their area or jurisdiction of expertise.

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brianch.bsky.social @brianch.bsky.social · 17d

I was hoping neighbouring municipalities with parking minimum reduction policies would be better, but Esquimalt is only marginally and Saanich's policy only applies for non SSMUH above 12 units. Definitely more work needed.

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brianch.bsky.social @brianch.bsky.social · 18d

It's unfortunate that the resolution on small elevators didn't make it to UBCM, but the province/minister is on the record saying they're aware of it. Haven't heard anything about parking requirements, which increasingly seem to be a bottleneck in the CRD.

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Melissa & Chris Bruntlett @modacitylife.com · 20d

Interestingly, the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association, who had previously opposed the infrastructure, eventually reversed their position and became one of the city’s most vocal cycling proponents—calling protected bike lanes “the way of the future” and a “win–win–win for all users”.

People of all ages and abilities ride bicycles on protected cycling infrastructure on the streets of Downtown Vancouver.

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Better Transit YYJ @bettertransityyj.ca · 23d

The frequent serious accidents on this bottleneck demonstrate every time why we need proper grade separated transport Westshore -> Uptown -> Downtown.

inparts.bsky.social @inparts.bsky.social · 23d

Victoria Transit's network has a single point of failure at the geographic funnel between the Core and the West Shore, where any disruption (itself not exactly uncommon) results in crippling delays that cascade across the whole region. 1/5

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brianch.bsky.social @brianch.bsky.social · 23d

Oak Bay usually flies under the radar, despite their very central location next to UVic. Lots of very interesting (and sometimes frustrating) land use and housing changes in this OCP, so feedback will be extra important!

bsky.app/profile/home...

Homes For Living @homesforliving.ca · 23d

Oak Bay is planning for 3,761 new homes over 20 years through its Official Community Plan update.

Now is the time to speak up for more housing + a more inclusive community.

Survey is open until October 14, 2025

connect.oakbay.ca/official-com...

Official Community Plan Update

A community's vision for the future, the District of Oak Bay is updating our Official Community Plan and we want to hear from you.

connect.oakbay.ca

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Homes For Living @homesforliving.ca · 24d

Saanich is hosting two in-person open houses on the updated Shelbourne Valley Plan, including important plans for new housing and stronger, more connected communities.

+ You can still have your voice heard on housing & community planning through the online survey 🙂

hello.saanich.ca/en/projects/...

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Bryn Davidson - Lanefab @lanefab.com · 25d

So, here's our vision for the 'New Vancouver Special':

Existing owners redevelop their lot, building 6 "family size" flats, and keeping 2 for themselves

4 additional families buy in as co-developers

City provides "outright" zoning so the permit can be had in the same timeline as a house

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inparts.bsky.social @inparts.bsky.social · 28d

Meanwhile for Douglas St in Downtown Victoria, with over 60 buses per direction per hour during peaks, it's taken a decade for planning work to actually start, a year for a lackluster 10%-conceptual design to show up, and likely will take years longer for anything to happen. We can do better.

Denis Agar (he/him) @denisagar.bsky.social · 28d

One month ago, these guys raced the bus on foot, and won. The city reacted, and finally put up a temporary bus lane pilot. They re-ran the race and the bus won.

Don't let anyone tell you that bus lanes have to take a year to install!

Spencer Sharpe @jspencersharpe.bsky.social · Sep 13

REMATCH! Bus with a dedicated lane beats walking!

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Homes For Living @homesforliving.ca · Sep 24

🚨 Have your say! 🚨

The Shelbourne Valley Action Plan survey is open until Oct. 13.
This is your chance to weigh in on how Saanich plans for housing, transportation, and livability along Shelbourne.

👉 Take the survey here: bit.ly/3KgcUtE

hello.saanich.ca

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Leo Spalteholz @leospalteholz.bsky.social · Sep 23

Time to fill out the survey for the Shelbourne Valley Action Plan.
Slightly improved from the last one, but still mostly ineffective since it doubles down on discretionary approvals instead of proactive planning

Survey open to Oct 13: hello.saanich.ca/en/...

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Jedwin Mok @jedwinmok.com · Sep 22

So glad to be featured in @ohtheurbanity.bsky.social excellent video!

High costs in Canada have been accepted as an inevitability - as projects are descoped & cancelled.

ION & REM show that another way is possible…

…given the humility to abandon our Anglo roots & learn from global best practice.

Oh The Urbanity! @ohtheurbanity.bsky.social · Sep 21

The most underappreciated issue in urbanism is the Anglosphere’s transit construction cost problem.

It’s not just that we’re spending too much money on any particular project.

It’s that we could be getting *much more transit* for the *same amount of money we’re currently spending*.

How This Small City Built Light Rail For Cheap

YouTube video by Oh The Urbanity!

youtu.be

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Denis Agar (he/him) @denisagar.bsky.social · Sep 21

We've been campaigning to get people to fill out TransLink's survey about BRT and we're down to the last 29 hours before it closes! Many thanks to @rmtransit.bsky.social for sharing our cute little video with his 340k subscribers!!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2Tu...

The Problem with Vancouver's Boundary Rd BRT (w/ @MovementYVR )

YouTube video by RMTransit

www.youtube.com

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Denis Agar (he/him) @denisagar.bsky.social · Sep 15

$22 billion for one light rail line? We can't keep accepting transit cost escalation as inevitable.

Ryan Packer @typewriteralley.bsky.social · Sep 15

We now have the project-level breakdowns for Sound Transit 3 light rail projects, outlining the $20-$30 billion shortfall the agency is facing through 2046.

Ballard Link's 2025 $ estimate is now $22.6 billion, a full 90% increase.

The Boeing Access Road infill station is now at $475 million.

Chart showing new 2025$ cost estimates for light rail projects
West Seattle $7.9 billion
Ballard $22.6
Tacoma Dome $6.1
Everett Link $7.7
Graham Street $200 million
Boeing $475 million
TCC Link $1.6 billion
South Kirkland Issaquah $6.3 billion

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Mark (he/him) @markedwardson.com · Sep 14

It's kinda crazy that the government went to the trouble of pissing off half their coalition to push through major project streamlining legislation (citing the need to build schools faster), but schools still need to get a rezoning from council

This seems like such low-hanging fruit lol

Peter Waldkirch @pwaldkirch.bsky.social · Sep 14

The CBC did a story on the NIMBYs fighting the rezoning for the elementary school in the Olympic Village. I'm happy with the quote I got in at the end!

youtu.be/Z8j56MEne0c?...

Olympic Village school project faces community backlash

YouTube video by CBC British Columbia

youtu.be

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Alex Bozikovic @alexbozikovic.bsky.social · Sep 14

Progressive crits of “urbanism” can miss the specificity of Canada’s urban history. The big cities 1950-1975 built tons of apartments; that *did* help keep them affordable.

Suburban flight was not the whole story. Not even close.

iwouldprefernotto.substack.com/p/cities-are...

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Mark (he/him) @markedwardson.com · Sep 10

Once again tapping the "BC Housing should stop voluntarily following local zoning codes" sign

This isn't even a question of changing laws, BC Housing is already exempt from zoning. The province would save itself a lot of headaches if it stopped tieing one hand behind its back

Jeremy Caradonna @jeremycaradonnayyj.bsky.social · Sep 10

I really don’t like to criticize my fellow local governments, but I am OUTRAGED at this decision.

This week, Sidney rejected its one and only Extreme Weather shelter, which was aimed at the dozen or so homeless SENIORS in the town.

All paid for by BC Housing.
www.timescolonist.com/local-news/s...

Sidney rejects extreme-weather shelter after community opposition

The shelter would have run out of a community space in Wakefield Manor on Third Street.

www.timescolonist.com

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