| Regional Tree Canopy Cover and Impervious Surface in Metro Vancouver 2020 | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/regional-tree-canopy-cover-impervious-surface-2020.pdf | Regional Tree Canopy Cover and Impervious Surface in Metro Vancouver 2020 | A technical report of the results of Metro Vancouver's tree canopy cover, impervious surface, and potential planting area analysis for 2020 and compares the findings to those from 2014. |
| European Chafer Beetle Best Management Practices | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/european-chafer-beetle-best-management-practices.pdf | European Chafer Beetle Best Management Practices | As researchers and practitioners learn more about the biology and control of European chafer beetle in British Columbia, it is anticipated that the recommended best management practices may change over time and this document will be updated. |
| Himalayan Blackberry Fact Sheet | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/himalayan-blackberry-fact-sheet.pdf | Himalayan Blackberry Fact Sheet | Himalayan blackberry was first introduced to BC as a berry crop. This plant can grow almost anywhere. It spreads by seed (from birds and people spreading berries) and by rooting from stems that touch the ground. As a result, it is one of the most widespread invasive plants in Metro Vancouver. |
| Cherry Laurel Best Management Practices | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/cherry-laurel-best-management-practices.pdf | Cherry Laurel Best Management Practices | Cherry laurel is a fast-growing woody evergreen tree or shrub that is a commonly used as an ornamental hedge plant (Klinkenberg, 2020). It is native to southwestern Asia and southeastern Europe, in areas surrounding the Black Sea including Turkey, Serbia, Bulgaria, the Caucasus and Iran and has been widely introduced in other parts of Europe, Australia and in North America west of the Cascade Mountains. |
| Housing and Transportation Cost Burden Study Update 2025 | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/housing-and-transportation-cost-burden-study-update-2025.pdf | Housing and Transportation Cost Burden Study Update 2025 | Metro Vancouver has released an updated study showing the growing burden of housing and transportation costs in the region. Created by Metro Vancouver in collaboration with Steer Group, the study highlights spatial patterns of household expenditures and explores the role of transit and rental housing in supporting affordability. |
| Census of Agriculture Bulletin 2006 | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/census-of-agriculture-bulletin-2006-2008-12-01.pdf | Census of Agriculture Bulletin 2006 | This Census of Agriculture Bulletin (2006) presents statistics on 1) the agricultural land base, 2) farmer demographics, 3) agriculture production and 4) agricultural economics from the Vancouver census metropolitan area. |
| Regional Parking Study Final Report 2025 | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/regional-parking-study-final-report-2025.pdf | Regional Parking Study Final Report 2025 | Metro Vancouver has released the Regional Parking Study, to help planners, developers, and decision makers understand parking use trends and guide planning and development decisions. Created by Metro Vancouver in collaboration with Bunt Engineering, it includes a database of parking use with over 33,000 parking stalls and 217 buildings. Municipal scale data is provided to support local analysis and policy development. |
| Economic Impact of Industrial Lands in Metro Vancouver | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/economic-impact-of-industrial-lands-in-metro-vancouver.pdf | Economic Impact of Industrial Lands in Metro Vancouver | Metro Vancouver, in its commitment to lead the advancement of the Regional Industrial Lands Strategy, has undertaken an analysis to quantify and describe the economic value generated by sectors operating on industrial lands within the region. The study’s findings inform the implementation of the Regional
Industrial Lands Strategy, a collaborative effort led by regional agencies and organizations. This study is an update to the prior study released in early 2019.
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| Common Periwinkle Best Management Practices | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/common-periwinkle-best-practices-management.pdf | Common Periwinkle Best Management Practices | Common periwinkle is a low-growing trailing evergreen plant that was introduced to North America in the 1700s as an ornamental plant (Evergreen, 2015). It is native to northern Spain, western France, and parts of central and southern Europe. It has escaped cultivation in BC and spread into forests, forming dense groundcover and crowding out native plants. |
| Cherry Laurel Fact Sheet | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/cherry-laurel-fact-sheet.pdf | Cherry Laurel Fact Sheet | Cherry laurel is a fast-growing woody tree or shrub that is a commonly planted in gardens or as a hedge. It is native to southwestern Asia and southeastern Europe, and has escaped cultivation in many areas, including southwestern BC. |
| Metro Vancouver Growth Projections – 2025 Update | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/metro-vancouver-growth-projections-update.pdf | Metro Vancouver Growth Projections – 2025 Update | Metro Vancouver has updated the growth projections from Metro 2050, the Regional Growth Strategy. This update includes the estimates (2021 baseline) and projections (from 2022 to 2051) for population, dwelling unit, and employment, presented under three scenarios. |
| Metro Vancouver Growth Projections – A Backgrounder 2018 | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/methods-in-projecting-regional-growth-overview.pdf | Metro Vancouver Growth Projections – A Backgrounder 2018 | Metro Vancouver’s mandate in preparing, implementing and monitoring Metro Vancouver 2040: Shaping our Future (Metro 2040), the regional growth strategy, requires a variety of land use and development analytics. |
| Japanese Beetle Guidebook | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/japanese-beetle-guidebook.pdf | Japanese Beetle Guidebook | The impacts of invasive species on ecological, human, and economic health are of concern in the Metro Vancouver region. Successful control of invasive species requires concerted and targeted efforts by many participants. This document - “Guidebook for Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) in the Metro Vancouver Region” - is one of a series of species-specific guides developed for use by practitioners (e.g., local government staff, crews, project managers, contractors, consultants, developers, stewardship groups, and others who have a role in invasive species management) in this region. |
| Urban Tree List for Metro Vancouver in a Changing Climate | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/urban-forest-trees-list.pdf | Urban Tree List for Metro Vancouver in a Changing Climate | An easy to download and print list of over 300 tree species assessed for suitability to the current and projected future climate in the Metro Vancouver region. Essentially a short version of the trees listed in the database. |
| Transit-Oriented Affordable Housing (TOAH) Study Phase 2 - Reducing the Barrier of High Land Cost 2019 | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/reducing-barrier-high-land-cost.pdf | Transit-Oriented Affordable Housing (TOAH) Study Phase 2 - Reducing the Barrier of High Land Cost 2019 | This report mainly focuses on affordable, transit-oriented rental housing. To explore possible solutions to the affordable rental housing challenge, in 2017 Metro Vancouver entered into a partnership with BC Housing, BC Non Profit Housing Association, TransLink, Vancity Credit Union, the Urban Development Institute, the BC Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and CMHC to try to tackle the challenge of affordable rental housing supply, especially in locations with good access to public transit. This all-hands-on-deck response is indicative of the magnitude of the problem and the recognition by the public, private, and non-profit sectors of the need for action. |
| Farm Tax Class Income Threshold Investigation 2015 | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/farm-tax-class-income-threshold-investigation.pdf | Farm Tax Class Income Threshold Investigation 2015 | Metro Vancouver has requested the services of Upland Agricultural Consulting to complete a review of the qualifications for BC Assessment’s Farm tax classification and to investigate whether changes to the requirements are warranted. This investigation serves as a follow‐up to a report by KM Consulting that provided an analysis ofseveral farm property tax policies that could be used to either increase actively farmed land or discourage the non‐farm uses of agricultural land. |
| Himalayan Balsam Fact Sheet | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/himalayan-balsam-fact-sheet.pdf | Himalayan Balsam Fact Sheet | Himalayan balsam was introduced to Canada as an ornamental plant. Each plant can produce thousands of seeds in pods that explode, allowing it to spread rapidly. It is found in areas with wet soil and is predicted to become more widespread in BC. |
| Hedge Bindweed Fact Sheet | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/hedge-bindweed-fact-sheet.pdf | Hedge Bindweed Fact Sheet | Hedge bindweed, also known as morning glory, is a familiar sight from spring through fall in urban parks and gardens in Metro Vancouver. It is found twining around other plants and
structures, often forming a tangled mass. It is a persistent plant that spreads by underground stems and roots that can resprout from fragments left in the soil. |
| Metro 2050 | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/metro-2050.pdf | Metro 2050 | Metro Vancouver’s Regional Growth Strategy, Metro 2050, is a long-range vision for how the region will manage population, dwelling unit, and employment growth forecasted to come to this region over the next 30 years. It contains goals, strategies, and policies to shape and accommodate growth in a way that supports the development of a compact urban area and complete communities, and which protects important lands such as Conservation and Recreation, Agricultural, Industrial, and Rural lands. |
| Invasive Species and Toxic Plant Disposal Options for Practitioners and Commercial Customers | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/invasive-species-toxic-plant-disposal-options.pdf | Invasive Species and Toxic Plant Disposal Options for Practitioners and Commercial Customers | The following list is intended for use by practitioners and commercial customers, not by residents. Residents who wish to dispose of invasive plants or soil containing invasive species should contact their municipality directly for disposal advice. |
| What Works - Securing Affordable and Special Needs Housing through Housing Agreements | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/securing-affordable-and-special-needs-housing-through-housing-agreements.pdf | What Works - Securing Affordable and Special Needs Housing through Housing Agreements | This award-winning (Planning Institute of British Columbia, 2020) resource guide from the “What Works” series provides information to support local governments as they develop Housing Agreements to secure affordable and special needs housing. |
| 2023 Survey of Licensed Child Care Spaces and Policies in Metro Vancouver | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/survey-of-licensed-child-care-spaces-in-metro-vancouver-2023.pdf | 2023 Survey of Licensed Child Care Spaces and Policies in Metro Vancouver | This document presents the findings of an inventory of licensed child are spaces and a region-wide survey of policies and regulation relating to the provision of child care spaces. |
| Metro Vancouver Growth Projections - Methodology Report 2021 | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/metro-vancouver-growth-projections-methodology-report.pdf | Metro Vancouver Growth Projections - Methodology Report 2021 | Projection modelling is intended to promote collaboration and consistency among provincial, regional, and municipal planning agencies and establish a common basis of information, assumptiosn, and growth and policy implementation methods. This methodology report was created in 2021. |
| Regional Long-Range Growth & Transportation Scenarios Final Technical Report | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/regional-long-range-growth-strategy-scenarios-technical-report.pdf | Regional Long-Range Growth & Transportation Scenarios Final Technical Report | This project has been carried out through a collaborative effort between TransLink and Metro Vancouver. It expands on a longstanding partnership between the two organizations in planning for the future of the region. |
| What Works: Affordable Housing Initiatives in Metro Vancouver Municipalities | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/affordable-housing-initiatives-in-metro-vancouver-municipalities.pdf | What Works: Affordable Housing Initiatives in Metro Vancouver Municipalities | This resource guide from the “What Works” series provides information for municipalities on effective municipal measures for facilitating affordable housing, including some local examples of successful municipal initiatives. |
| Scotch Broom Fact Sheet | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/scotch-broom-fact-sheet.pdf | Scotch Broom Fact Sheet | Scotch broom originated in Europe and was introduced to Vancouver Island as a garden plant in the 1850s. It is now common throughout Metro Vancouver, the Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island. |
| American Bullfrog Fact Sheet | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/american-bullfrog-fact-sheet.pdf | American Bullfrog Fact Sheet | American bullfrogs are large, robust frogs native to eastern North America that have become well established on BC’s south coast. First introduced as a delicacy for human consumption, they have since escaped or been released into natural areas in the Metro Vancouver region. Bullfrogs
reproduce rapidly and thrive in human-disturbed habitats, allowing these invasive amphibians to establish and spread quickly. They are voracious predators that eat a variety of prey, including smaller bullfrogs and other frog species |
| Feasibility of Targeted Invasive Plant Grazing in Metro Vancouver Technical Report | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/feasibility-of-targeted-invasive-plant-grazing-in-metro-vancouver.pdf | Feasibility of Targeted Invasive Plant Grazing in Metro Vancouver Technical Report | This report assesses the feasibility of targeted invasive plant grazing in Metro Vancouver, reviewing the efficacy, challenges, and considerations of targeted grazing treatments for control of invasive plants. Fourteen targeted grazing practitioners were interviewed to assess the operational feasibility of targeted grazing treatments. |
| Metro 2050 Executive Summary | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/metro-2050-executive-summary.pdf | Metro 2050 Executive Summary | An executive summary of Metro 2050, the Regional Growth Strategy. This 4-page document provides an overview of the vision, principles, goals, strategies, targets, and new policies in Metro 2050. |
| Regional Food System Action Plan 2016 | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/regional-food-system-action-plan.pdf | Regional Food System Action Plan 2016 | The Regional Food System Strategy (RFSS) was adopted by Metro Vancouver in 2011, with a vision to create, “a sustainable, resilient and healthy food system that will contribute to the well-being of all residents and the economic prosperity of the region while conserving our ecological legacy.” |
| Bamboo Fact Sheet | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/bamboo-fact-sheet.pdf | Bamboo Fact Sheet | Bamboos are a large group of fast-growing evergreen grasses that are often grown as ornamental plants and commercial crops for fabric, biofuel, paper pulp, and construction materials. Unfortunately, bamboo has escaped cultivation worldwide and is commonly found in landscaped areas, forests, and streams in Metro Vancouver. |
| Metro 2050 Implementation Guideline - Regional Context Statements | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/metro-2050-implementation-guideline-regional-context-statements.pdf | Metro 2050 Implementation Guideline - Regional Context Statements | The Metro 2050 Implementation Guideline - Regional Context Statements provides guidance to member jurisdictions on the development, submission, and acceptance for Regional Context Statements. |
| Survey of Licensed Child Care Spaces and Policies in Metro Vancouver 2019 | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/survey-of-licensed-child-care-spaces-policies-metro-vancouver-2019.pdf | Survey of Licensed Child Care Spaces and Policies in Metro Vancouver 2019 | This report presents the findings of an inventory of licensed child care spaces and a region-wide survey of policies and regulations relating to the provision of child care spaces. |
| Spurge Laurel Fact Sheet | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/spurge-laurel-fact-sheet.pdf | Spurge Laurel Fact Sheet | Spurge laurel, an evergreen shrub from Eurasia, northern Africa and the Mediterranean regions, was introduced to North America as a garden plant. It is long-lived, able to spread long distances by seed, and commonly found growing in gardens or under trees in forests. |
| Stratification of Industrial Land in Metro Vancouver 2018 | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/stratification-of-industria-land-in-metro-vancouver.pdf | Stratification of Industrial Land in Metro Vancouver 2018 | Metro Vancouver is coordinating the development of a Regional Industrial Lands Strategy. The Strategy will provide a vision for the future of industrial lands in Metro Vancouver and actions for achieving the vision. This was created in September 2018. |
| Short Sea Shipping in Metro Vancouver – Facts in Focus 2015 | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/short-sea-shipping-facts-in-focus.pdf | Short Sea Shipping in Metro Vancouver – Facts in Focus 2015 | An overview of short sea shipping in the Metro Vancouver region, current forms and volumes of goods movement, related transportation infrastructure, relationship to other types of goods movement, and potential expansion. (File revised on June 8, 2015) |
| Japanese Beetle Fact Sheet | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/japanese-beetle-factsheet.pdf | Japanese Beetle Fact Sheet | Invasive species have significant impacts on the
environment, human health, infrastructure and the
economy in the Metro Vancouver region.
Japanese beetle was first detected in BC in 2017 in the False
Creek area of Vancouver. Given the potential widespread
impact of this pest, many agencies and individuals are
involved in a collaborative effort to prevent Japanese beetle
from becoming widespread in the Metro Vancouver region. |
| Office Development in Metro Vancouver’s Urban Centres 2018 | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/office-development-in-metro-vancouvers-urban-centres-update.pdf | Office Development in Metro Vancouver’s Urban Centres 2018 | An updated report that explores the factors that influence regional-scale office development and occupancy decisions, identifies challenges and opportunities for office potential in Metro Vancouver's Urban Centres. This report is an update and supersedes the Office Development in Metro Vancouver’s Urban Centres Update Report in 2015. This update was made in 2018. |
| European Fire Ants Fact Sheet | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/european-fire-ants-fact-sheet.pdf | European Fire Ants Fact Sheet | European fire ants were first recorded in British Columbia in 2010, and they have since impacted many communities across Metro Vancouver. They are often spread through human activities, nesting in garden and landscape materials. These ants react quickly and aggressively to defend their nest. With their distinctive swarming and stinging behaviour, they are one
of the most concerning invasive species in the region. |
| Ecological Health Framework 2018 | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/ecological-health-framework.pdf | Ecological Health Framework 2018 | Ensuring ecological health is one of the priorities identified in Metro Vancouver’s Sustainability Framework. In the Framework, Metro Vancouver commits to protect and restore an interconnected network of habitat and green space. |
| Help Stop the Spread of Invasive Plants - Brochure | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/invasive-plant-brochure.PDF | Help Stop the Spread of Invasive Plants - Brochure | Many plants have been introduced to this region from other continents. Some of these plants are considered ‘invasive’ because the predators and diseases from their native regions are not here to keep them under control, so they spread rapidly and can cause many problems. |
| Metro 2050 Implementation Guideline - Regional Growth Strategy Amendments | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/metro-2050-implementation-guideline-regional-growth-strategy-amendments.pdf | Metro 2050 Implementation Guideline - Regional Growth Strategy Amendments | Metro 2050 may be amended from time to time to maintain consistency between local and regional land use designations, plans, and targets. This implementation guideline provides information on Regional Growth Strategy amendment types, common examples, submission requirements, and process details. |
| Knotweeds Fact Sheet | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/knotweeds-fact-sheet.pdf | Knotweeds Fact Sheet | Knotweeds are aggressive plants that were introduced from regions in Asia. They are some of the most destructive invasive plants in the world and are considered a high priority to
manage. |
| Tackling Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Fact Sheet | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/brown-marmorated-stink-bug-fact-sheet.pdf | Tackling Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Fact Sheet | The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is an invasive insect
native to East Asia that was accidentally introduced to North
America and Europe. |
| Implementation Guideline #4 – Identifying Frequent Transit Development Areas 2013 | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/implementation-guideline-4–identifying-frequent-transit-development-areas-2013.pdf | Implementation Guideline #4 – Identifying Frequent Transit Development Areas 2013 | Frequent Transit Development Areas are intended to coordinate complementary land use planning for higher density development and improved transit service. This guideline addresses the land use aspects of planning for FTDAs, however, further discussion between Metro Vancouver, TransLink and member municipalities about transit funding and the timing of improvements in transit service is (as transit demand increases) is still required. |
| Metro 2050 Implementation Guideline - Industrial and Employment Lands | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/metro-2050-implementation-guideline-industrial-and-employment-lands.pdf | Metro 2050 Implementation Guideline - Industrial and Employment Lands | The Metro 2050 Implementation Guideline – Industrial and Employment Lands provides guidance on industrial land objectives, as well as how planning policies, market conditions, site locations, industrial sectors, and local contexts all influence the implementation of these objectives. |
| Regional Food System Strategy 2011 | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/regional-food-system-strategy.pdf | Regional Food System Strategy 2011 | The Regional Food System Strategy is focused on how actions at the regional level can moves us toward a sustainable, resilient and healthy food system while recognizing that the Metro Vancouver foods system is affected by influences at the global scale. |
| European Chafer Beetle Fact Sheet | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/european-chafer-beetle-fact-sheet.pdf | European Chafer Beetle Fact Sheet | European chafer beetles were first discovered in British Columbia in 2001 in lawns and turfgrass. They have since spread across the Metro Vancouver region. The beetles can spread quickly because they have a short life cycle and can fly. They can also be spread in infested soil, grass and garden plants. |
| English and Irish Ivies Fact Sheet | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/english-and-irish-ivies-fact-sheet.pdf | English and Irish Ivies Fact Sheet | There are two species of ivy present in Metro Vancouver – English ivy and Irish ivy. Both were introduced from Europe and western Asia as garden groundcover plants. Ivy can cover the forest floor and engulf trees, and is considered a serious invasive plant in the Metro Vancouver region. Unfortunately, many garden centres still sell several varieties of ivy. |
| Where Matters II Executive Summary: Walkability and Greenspace Relationships with Health and Climate Change | https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/Documents/where-matters-II-executive-summary-walkability-and-greenspace-relationships-with-health-and-climate-change.pdf | Where Matters II Executive Summary: Walkability and Greenspace Relationships with Health and Climate Change | An executive summary of the Where Matters II – Final Report Walkability and Greenspace Relationships with Health and Climate Change. The report presents the findings of a multi-stakeholder study to quantify the health, climate, and mode choice as a results of built environment factors in the Metro Vancouver region. The study was led by Dr. Lawrence Frank, formerly of UBC’s Health and Community Design Lab. |