Part II: An Analysis of GVRD Land-use and Transportation Patterns

        The following analysis is based on statistics compiled by a number of sources including Statistics Canada (1996 and 2001 census data), and the GVRD. The analysis examines land-use and transportation patterns to identify some of the causal factors affecting them in the Greater Vancouver Region as a whole. A more detailed analysis is undertaken of the municipalities of Vancouver and Surrey, the former the largest GVRD municipality and the latter the fastest growing, to examin the degree to which regional sustainability objectives are being achieved at the municipal level, and the causal factors and relationships involved in regional outcomes. The regional analysis is conducted using census tract data, and the municipal analyses are conducted enumeration area data. To display the results of the analysis, graphic representations of statistics such as maps, tables and graphs, including some prepared by the GVRD and some other organizations, are used. The analysis focuses on two of the four fundamental objectives of the LRSP: Building Complete Communities and Increasing Transportation Choice. This research builds on some earlier preliminary research that evaluated and compared sustainability in the region using a set of sustainability criteria based on Census Sub-Divisions (municipalities) that can be seen at: www.sfu.ca/geog355fall02/jkarakas.

METHOD

 To examine the quality and placement of growth in Greater Vancouver, I examined land-use and transportation patterns Using 1996 Canadian Census data and 1996 GVRD land-use data.The causal factors and relationships related to sustainability in Greater Vancouver that were examined are: Dwelling Unit Density, Commuter patterns, Land-use patterns, and Income distribution.
    
The examination was focused on discovering the spatial correlations between these factors, and showing these correlations visually with graphic displays. These correlations where also examined (and coloborated) using regression analysis.

Residential land-uses were used to clip census tract and enumeration area shape files linked to the attribute data (census variables) examined so as to isolate residential land-uses from other uses to increase the accuracey of both the displays and the analyses. Dwelling unit densities were based on dwelling units per/acre and calculated using total dwelling counts and residential area based on census tract for the regional analyses and enumeration areas for the municipal analyses.
Dwelling unit densities and commuter patterns were analysed and displayed using various maps and graphic displays.
 

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