Growth Threatens Area's Green Plans

"Within a quarter century, more than one million newcomers are expected to settle on B.C.'s south coast between Pemberton and Hope. How and where they live will make or break the B.C. government's new plan to tackle global warming."

"Because of the high square-footage cost in urban living, it's cheaper and logical to choose spacious suburban homes over urban areas, he said, even when factoring in the cost of cars. 'People could choose to live in neighbourhoods that don't require that they drive for all daily needs, with tremendous environmental benefits, but it would be their gift to society, a donation to society.'"

"Vancouver is pushing to increase density, but it is just one of 22 jurisdictions in the Greater Vancouver Regional District, and no local body oversees the region from the Sea-to-Sky corridor to the north or the eastern regions of the Fraser Valley, where recent census data shows that Abbotsford has one of Canada's highest population growth rates."

"B.C. Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon recently said the government will accept most recommendations from an independent review of the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority. It called for a revamped public transit system that would receive steady funds from a fuel-tax surcharge, property taxes and transit fees, and cover a vast area from Pemberton to Vancouver to Hope, serving a population expected to grow to 3.4 million people from 2.2 million within 24 years."

"But at the same time, the province is planning to expand highways and twin the Port Mann Bridge to position B.C. as the transportation gateway between North American and Asian markets."