Renaissance Vancouver Hotel Harbourside
Vancouver BC Streetcars: The Missing Link? was a symposium that brought together over 150 professionals, academics, advocacy groups, and politicians to learn about and discuss the potential role of streetcar networks in shaping Vancouver and other Metro Vancouver communities through mobility, accessibility and system efficiency. Presentation topics ranged from historical context discussions, to the links between urban design and modal integration, to specific case studies in Vancouver and abroad.
The event was hosted by Dr. Lawrence Frank, Bombardier Chair in Sustainable Transportation at the University of British Columbia. Support for the event was provided by Bombardier Transport and Stacy and Witbeck, Inc.
Presentations from symposium speakers are available for download below.
Keynote Presentation
Mr. Jack Collins
Vice President, Project Implementation, Metrolinx
“Streetcars: The Missing Link?”
Session 1: Vancouver’s Historical Development Around Streetcars and Future Growth Implications
Gordon Price
Director, The City Program, Simon Fraser University
“Historical Context”
Michael J. Shiffer
Vice-President, Planning Strategy & Technology, TransLink
“Mass Transit Modes: How They Fit”
Christina DeMarco
Division Manager, Regional Development, Metro Vancouver
“Are Streetcars a Missing Link in Metro Vancouver? Exploring the Question from a Place-making and Regional Planning Perspective”
Session 2: The Olympic Line Experience
Dale Bracewell
Director, Olympic Transportation Branch, City of Vancouver
“The Olympic Line Experience: A Demonstration of the Downtown Streetcar”
Silas Archambault
School of Community & Regional Planning, University of British Columbia
“Lessons from the Olympic Line”
Lunch Keynote
David Goldberg
Communications Director for Transportation for America and Smart Growth America
“Resurgence in U.S. Streetcar Systems”
Session 3: Urban Design and Modal Integration – Lessons From Other Places
Lawrence D. Frank
Associate Professor and J. Armand Bombardier Chair in Sustainable Transportation,
University of British Columbia
“Benefits of Transit and How It Can Shape Our Cities”
Patrick Condon
Professor and James Taylor Chair in Landscape Architect and Liveable Environments,
University of British Columbia
“Streetcars Elsewhere”
Lon LaClaire
Strategic Transportation Planning Engineer, City of Vancouver
“Mode Integration, Urban Design and Travel Demand”
Session 4: Streetcars – A Hosted Town Hall Meeting
Panelists from the day’s session join each other on stage to respond to audience questions and debate and discuss the pros and cons of streetcars and their role within a system of transit solutions in the Lower Mainland.
