Abstract Manager

In 2021 the City of Vancouver partnered with the Province of British Columbia and TransLink to pilot the Vancouver Cyclelogistics Centre (CLC) - a logistics facility that would be shared among different delivery companies who would transfer goods from trucks to cargo bikes for last mile delivery operations. This facility would help the City meet the goals outlined in the Climate Emergency Action Plan by reducing trucks and moving goods by low-impact, sustainable modes. The pilot was to operate for a minimum of six months, with the potential to continue long-term operations.  

Various hub types were considered and evaluated – underground parkades, shipping containers, and warehouses – each with varying costs, disadvantages and advantages. In the end, a warehouse hub was chosen and the City signed a lease for a building in the Mount Pleasant Industrial Zone, just outside the downtown core. Three delivery partners were selected through a procurement process who would operate out of the CLC; each delivery partner had a different business model and served a different segment of business.  

The goal of the pilot was to generate lessons to inform future decision-making around cyclelogistics hubs in Vancouver and the region. In this regard, the pilot was a success because the team certainly learned a lot that they weren’t expecting. Surprise lessons included fire suppression, liquor distribution laws, commercial leases, package security, zoning, bathroom estimates, access management, legal agreements, and more. The team also gained a better understanding of the needs and motivations of the businesses that move goods around our cities. 

However, that’s where the pilot ends. Due to a combination of decisions and outside circumstances, the CLC never began operation. For organizations thinking about opening a cargo bike delivery hub, Vancouver has a tale you’d want to hear before you start.