Project background

With well over 18 million visits per year, Stanley Park is one of the most popular and well-used city parks in Canada. Located at the heart of downtown Vancouver, Stanley Park plays a major role in the overall traffic network of the region.

Stanley Park is also one of the top tourist destinations in Vancouver and British Columbia, with approximately 39% of all visitors to Vancouver making it a stop on their priority list. There are attractions in the park that draw visitors and locals alike, and Park Drive as a perimeter feature connects several destinations and plays a central role in how people visit the park. The Mobility Study will consider the role the transportation system plays in supporting this network.

The Stanley Park Mobility Study stems from two initiatives in the park.

One is the need to study the use, efficiency and the potential future of the transportation network in the park, identified during the Stanley Park Comprehensive Plan process.

The other is a Park Board motion inspired by the “car-free” pilot project, and the increase in pedestrian and cyclist use of the park, in summer 2020. The car-free pilot was implemented in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. It was followed by the temporary bike lane pilot, beginning in summer 2021 through to today.

On June 8, 2020, the Park Board passed a motion to direct staff to: “explore the long term feasibility of reducing motor vehicle traffic in Stanley Park, including but not restricted to, reducing roadways to single lanes while maintaining access to the park, while increasing accessibility for those with disabilities.”

This motion established the need for the Stanley Park Mobility Study, separate from but informing the Comprehensive Plan.