Canada
Vancouver
UMR Index Rank
#23
(-1)
Score: 58%
Sustainable Mobility
#17
(=)
Score: 59.8%
Public Transit
#29
(-4)
Score: 52.1%
Technology Adoption
#28
Score: 45.8%
| Population | 2.6 million |
| Surface area (km2) | 912 |
| Population-density (people/km2) | 2,833 |
| GDP per capita ($) | 59,678 |
UMR Index Rank
#23
(-1)
Score: 58%
Sustainable Mobility
#17
(=)
Score: 59.8%
Public Transit
#29
(-4)
Score: 52.1%
Technology Adoption
#28
Score: 45.8%
What Vancouver Does Well In Urban Mobility
Vancouver is home to a vast, interconnected network of relatively safe and well-maintained roads, with good performance on traffic management. Its ambitious 2040 plan aims for zero traffic-related fatalities by implementing street features such as highly visible crosswalks, raised sidewalks, separated bike lanes, and more speed bumps.
Vancouver has a strong multimodal network of public transportation, most notably the fully autonomous Skytrain, which has multiple lines for travel throughout the city. TransLink, Vancouver’s public transport operator, plans to quadruple the size of its rapid transit network to about 400 kilometers (249 miles) and put transit within a short distance of most homes and jobs by 2050. TransLink also has an initiative to make bus commutes faster by spacing bus stops more consistently along existing routes and providing riders with more convenient access. TransLink reports that routes with rebalanced bus stops achieve travel time savings of three to six minutes.
Urban Mobility Readiness Index, Sustainable Mobility, Public Transit, and Technology Adoption scores
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley
Challenges And Opportunities For Vancouver’s Transportation System
Despite a growing number of electric vehicle (EV) sales year-on-year, Vancouver has limited charging station availability. In May 2022 the city mandated that by January 2025 all gas stations and commercial parking lots would need charging infrastructure to avoid paying higher business license fees, but the authorities subsequently delayed and changed this plan. Starting in January 2026 the city will lower license fees on large commercial parking lots and gas stations that have charging infrastructure in an effort to encourage their installation. On a provincial level the British Columbia government offers rebates of up to 50% of the costs of buying and installing chargers in workplaces or multiunit residential buildings, up to a maximum rebate of approximately CA$2,000 ($1,400).
With low public transit station density, Vancouver’s ridership levels remain relatively limited and many city residents rely on private cars to get around. The city's transit plan calls for an extension of the SkyTrain, including an additional 16 kilometers (9.9 miles) to improve connectivity in the south-east.
Dimensions of the Urban Mobility Readiness Index score
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley
How Vancouver Can Improve Its Urban Mobility Performance
Despite having one of the strongest public transit systems in the region, many of Vancouver’s residents face lengthy walks to metro stations and bus stops, which tends to discourage ridership. Vancouver can add bus routes to improve the density of the public transit network and connect residents with metro lines — a cost-effective method to lower walking distances and overall commute times. Extending existing subway lines and adding new options will be key to building out the city’s public transit offering, but that will be a time-consuming and expensive undertaking. Vancouver has already taken a step in the right direction by starting construction on six new underground subway stations scheduled to open in 2026.
In Vancouver nearly half of trips are taken with personal cars. The city has more cars per capita than Toronto or Montreal. The authorities can encourage greater carpooling to reduce the number of vehicles on the road. It also can make parking in the inner city more expensive while simultaneously investing in more park-and-ride locations. Making park-and-ride facilities free can encourage more commuters to opt for public transport to reach the inner city.
Urban Mobility Readiness Index relative ranking evolution (2020-2024)
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley