Abstract Manager

The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI), along with our cross-ministry partners, are advancing an integrated planning approach to better align transportation and land use planning in British Columbia. By bringing together partners in transportation and land use, the Planning Together BC (PTBC) will focus government policy and investments to ensure: 

•    The benefits of investments are shared for multiple purposes by a wider cross-section of society. 
•    Communities are healthier, more resilient, and can better adapt to climate change. 
•    Vehicle travel is reduced system-wide with better transit and active transportation options. 
•    Communities are more complete, compact, and connected making life better, safer and more affordable. 
•    People are seamlessly connected to jobs, and goods to markets.

The integration of transportation and land use planning can achieve more affordable communities, offer better housing options, increase economic opportunities, provide more sustainable transportation options, reduce GHG emissions, and result in more resilient communities.

For British Columbia to keep pace with the projected population and trade growth, BC needs an integrated planning approach that enables the seamless movement of people and goods and supports the development of complete and compact communities.
A coordinated, cross-jurisdictional approach to planning matters because decisions about transportation investments and land use have implications for creating livable communities that are healthy, affordable and resilient as the climate continues to change. 

The integration of transportation and development represents a bold new approach to managing a growing population, achieving B.C.’s legislated greenhouse gas targets, strengthening the livability of B.C. communities and increasing the competitiveness of B.C.’s business community. It is intended to support the future direction of important provincial strategies such as CleanBC, B.C.’s Economic Plan and the Housing Strategy. Success of the initiative requires coordination among partners and with other ministries, local governments and external stakeholders.

This integrated approach to transportation and development sets a path for a smarter, more responsible and more collaborative way to plan for growth and mobility. It defines how future planning will consider and align with government’s broader policy direction and current regulatory framework and therefore includes a review and summary of provincial strategies that set the policy priorities and objectives. Development of the strategy has included case studies globally and within British Columbia to provide context and lessons learned that will be considered as implementation of this new approach evolves.  

To achieve the PTBC vision of working together to align transportation and land use planning for smart and coordinated growth in BC, the Province is updating its internal project evaluation and review processes, leading by example and establishing a more collaborative planning approach for transportation and land use decision-making in BC.