When most people think of affordability they think of housing alone. But, transportation costs play a significant role. In our study, we look at both housing and transportation (H+T) affordability in Canada's least affordable city.

1. DRIVING UP
THE COST OF LIVING
A Study of Affordability in Greater Vancouver

3. Defining Affordability
Affordability is the ability to spend our
earnings on things we WANT as opposed
to things we NEED

4. Looking at Affordability
OLD VIEW:
Affordability = Housing Affordability
<30 %
of Earnings

5. The Problem
URBAN
 More Expensive
 UNAFFORDABLE
SUBURBAN
 Less Expensive
 AFFORDABLE

6. The Problem
URBAN
 More Expensive
 UNAFFORDABLE
SUBURBAN
 Less Expensive
 AFFORDABLE

7. Looking at Affordability
NEW VIEW:
Affordability = Housing + Transportation
Affordability
<45 %
of Earnings

8. H+T Findings: Manhattan
Housing Only Housing and Transportation
Affordable
Unaffordable
Affordable

9. H+T Findings: Los Angeles
Housing Only Housing and Transportation
Unaffordable
Affordable

10. Vancouver?

11. Approach
• 2006 Census Data
Housing
• 2006 Census Data
• 2011 Translink
Travel Survey Data
(VKT)
Transportation
Vancouver
Housing and
Transportation
Affordability
Index

12. Vancouver - Results
Housing Only

13. Vancouver - Results
Housing and Transportation

14. Vancouver - Results
Housing and TransportationHousing Only

15. Cause: Transportation
Transportation > 15 %

16. Finding #1
1. Including Transportation Costs has a
BIG effect on Affordability

17. Finding #1
1. Including Transportation Costs has a
BIG effect on Affordability
MORE AFFORDABLE LESS AFFORDABLE

18. The 10 MOST Affordable
1. Mt. Pleasant/GNW
2. West End
3. Metrotown
4. Grandview-Woodlands
5. Strathcona
6. Broadway-Commercial
7. West End
8. Metrotown
9. West End
10. West End
Vancouver
Burnaby
The West End Metrotown

19. The 10 LEAST Affordable
1. Rosemary, South Surrey
2. West Cloverdale
3. Westwood Plateau
4. West Bay
5. Cypress Park
6. Westwood Plateau
7. East Newton North
8. Heritage Mountain
9. East Fleetwood
10. British Properties
Surrey Coquitlam West Vancouver Port Moody
Rosemary Cypress

20. Finding #2
2. The MOST affordable areas centrally
located, have great transit access
The LEAST affordable areas are at
the periphery and have poor transit
access

21. Walkscore and Affordability
What
relationship
exists between
Walkability and
Affordability?

22. Transport Costs and Walkscore
0
5
10
15
20
25
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
TransportationCost(%ofregionalmedianhouseholdincome)
Walk Score
Greater Vancouver
Observed Linear Regression

23. Transport Costs and Walkscore
0
5
10
15
20
25
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
TransportationCost(%ofregionalmedianhouseholdincome)
Walk Score
Vancouver
Observed Linear Regression

24. Finding #3
3. Walkable Communities necessitate
lower transport costs and increase
affordability
Walkability = Transport Costs = Affordability

25. Vanhattan or Hollywood North?
Became Affordable: 9 Areas
Become Unaffordable: 49 Areas

26. Finding #4
4. Greater Vancouver’s affordability
situation is worse than we think

27. Actual vs. Experienced Affordability
(This is what CNT does)
Actual Affordability is how
affordable an area ACTUALLY is
Actual
Affordability
Housing + Transportation
Median Income
=

28. Actual vs. Experienced Affordability
Experienced Affordability is how
inhabitants EXPERIENCE it
Experienced
Affordability
Housing + Transportation
Local Income
=

29. Actual vs. Experienced Affordability

30. Actual vs. Experienced Affordability
Greatest Concern

31. Actual vs. Experienced Affordability
Vancouver

32. Actual vs. Experienced Affordability
Burnaby

33. Actual vs. Experienced Affordability
Surrey

34. Actual vs. Experienced Affordability
Surrey

35. Actual vs. Experienced Affordability
Surrey

36. Regional Affordability: Housing Alone

37. Regional Affordability: H+T

38. Regional Affordability: Change

39. Finding #5
5. Improving Transit in the Suburbs
(especially Surrey) would have the
GREATEST benefit.
Surrey Rapid TransitEvergreen Line

40. How Wrong we Are

41. How Wrong we Are

42. Findings: Summary
1. Transportation Costs SIGNIFICANT
2. Central + Transit = AFFORDABLE
3. Walkable = AFFORDABLE
4. Greater Vancouver is LESS AFFORDABLE than we
think
5. Transit in Suburbs = GREATEST BENEFIT

43. Recommendation #1
1. Include Transportation Costs in the
Affordability Equation
+

44. Recommendation #2
2. Improve Transit across the region
(especially in the suburbs)

45. Recommendation #3
3. Rezone for Walkability
Walkability = Transport Costs

46. Recommendation #4
4. Educate the public, especially those
with lower incomes of new
Affordability picture
>

47. Recommendation #5
5. Locate Social housing in walkable
communities

48. Recommendations: Summary
1. INCLUDE transport in affordability equation
2. Greatly IMPROVE transit service across region
3. REZONE for walkability
4. EDUCATE the public about Location Efficiency
5. LOCATE Social Housing in walkable areas with
good transit

49. Thank You!