TransLink and PCI to provide subsidized transit at new King George Hub development

TransLink and PCI Developments are launching an innovative partnership to study the impacts of providing subsidized transit to residents and workers in King George Hub, a transit-oriented development which is steps away from King George SkyTrain Station. TransLink will monitor the ridership of participants and assess to what extent subsidized transit changed their travel patterns.

“This pilot will not only provide subsidized transit for people living or working near SkyTrain, but it will help us better understand the benefits of incentivizing transit for future transit-oriented developments as well,” says TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn. “This data will help us to potentially create future partnerships, build ridership, and expand sustainable transportation use.”

Transit subsidies are already an option for developers to meet building sustainability requirements in some municipalities, though there is a lack of data and studies in this area. Data collected during this pilot could strengthen the case for transit subsidy requirements by municipalities as part of new transit-oriented developments.

The pilot is paid for by PCI Developments, and will:

• Provide $150 pre-loaded Compass Cards to 250 residents or workers in the King George Hub development.
• Survey participants before and after the three-month pilot period on their transit use.
• Track participant transit usage during the pilot with their permission.
• Determine whether pilot participants were more likely to use transit as a result.

“For more than 20 years – and taking cues from cities around the world – we have focused on unique opportunities for lively, sustainable, and inclusive communities at rapid transit stations,” says President of PCI Developments Tim Grant. “King George Hub is a complete and comprehensive transit-oriented community that provides an opportunity for PCI and TransLink to partner on a pilot program that could inform and inspire collaborations with government, real estate developers, and TransLink to encourage transit usage at future communities.”

This pilot will begin in October and run for three months. Once complete, the data will be shared with developers and municipalities to demonstrate the benefits of subsidizing transit in transit-oriented communities.