Reducing Private Vehicle Dependency in Metro Vancouver: Overcoming Car Culture Through Mobilities Justice

This study seeks to understand the cause of ongoing car dependence and the socio-economic and cultural barriers to shifting travel behavior in Metro Vancouver. It also aims to identify potential solutions that reduce reliance on automobiles, support regional Green House Gas (GHG) reduction targets, and ensure that mobility justice is foundational to all proposed solutions. The research uses an interdisciplinary framework that considers structural, policy, social, and environmental factors and how the interplay between these factors and car dependency influences mode shift and equitable access. The study, conducted from 2023-2025, focused on urban communities in Metro Vancouver using a mixed methods approach including a thematic literature review, primary data collection through key informant interviews (n=7), and secondary regional data analysis (2015-2023). The research confirmed that continued reliance on personal vehicles undermines efforts to reduce regional GHG emissions and advance mobilities justice. This dependency on automobiles persists due to inequitable electric vehicle subsidies favouring higher-income groups; limited transit expansion; insufficient support for active transportation and new mobility such as e-bikes; and a lack of mobility justice in transportation and land use planning. These factors were found to be rooted in systemic structures and policies that influence mobility investments in Metro Vancouver. Arguably without a change in these structures and policies car-centric norms will persist in compromising publicly supported climate and equity objectives for this growing urban region.

Author dc:creator

• Mukasa, Kate

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Sadoway, David

• School of environment and sustainability

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Identifier URI

https://doi.org/10.25316/IR-20948

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:null:10613/29419