Making Downtown Vancouver a Place for People

About

Downtown For The People is a bold vision to make Downtown Vancouver a pleasant place for people, where pedestrians and cyclists can roam safely. A downtown that is a place to be instead of a place to get through.

Vision Principles

The Philosophy Behind the Vision

People First

Downtown For The People is designed to prioritize the experience of pedestrians. Unlike current planning it flips the script: instead of assuming vehicles have a right to travel on a road unless there is a good reason, it assumes that vehicles do not have a right to travel unless there is a good reason.

Ambitious Yet Grounded In Reality

Downtown For The People acknowledges that some vehicular access will still need to be provided Downtown. Emergency vehicles must have access at all times, delivery vehicles may need access at some hours of the day and some streets may need to provide access to residents or those with special needs at all times.

Allow for Gradual Implementation

We realize that this bold vision cannot and should not be implemented all at once. Certain parts of the city centre may be ready tomorrow yet others may require some improvements first. People will also need time to adapt to the changes and realize their benefits. This is why we have divided our vision into districts where implementation can be done gradually.

Get Involved

Downtown For The People encourages everyone to play their part in our Studio Artist. The only way we succeed is when the change comes from within, and we want to empower you to take an active role. Learn more about the opportunities available to lend your support.