Keep this in mind when the referendum debate turns to economic competitiveness. The tech sector means 80,000 jobs for B.C. and $3 billion to the Vancouver GDP.
By Ian McKay, CEO of the Vancouver Economic Commission, in The Sun: “Vancouver is beautiful, in both the digital and real worlds”
What it comes down to is that Vancouver has the perfect ecosystem to foster these thriving industries. Vancouver is a 20- minute city: 20 minutes from the best airport in North America, 15 minutes from the mountains, five minutes to the beach and zero minutes to outstanding talent.
That 20 minutes from the airport, I assume, is on transit, the five minutes to the beach is on bike, and the talent wants to live within walking distance. Because if we’re attracting the technology industry based on our quality of life – and the deal is that all the new arrivals will be able to drive to the airport, beach and mountains in the times described – then what happens to that quality of life?
When it comes to decisions by tech industries to locate, the referendum will be sending a message that will be heard well beyond our borders.
In my experience Skytrain from YVR to Vancouver Centre usually takes 30-35 minutes. I honestly suspect the 20 minute figure is by car (taxi)
Or maybe it’s an average. I guess I can’t forget Vancouver is bigger than Granville Street. 😀
Translink’s trip planner shows that Skytrain takes 26 minutes from YVR to Waterfront station. Since it shows 2 minutes from Vancouver Central to Waterfront, I think it’s fair to figure on 24 minutes from YVR to Granville and Georgia.
Since Skytrain is grade separated and doesn’t have to deal with surface traffic, that’s going to be a much more consistent and repeatable time than you can expect by taxi.
When we moved back to Vancouver from Sydney several years ago, we were determined to live in a 20-minute city — 20 minutes by car from most friends, 20 minutes from downtown by bus, 20 minute walking radius to every shop and service imaginable. We found it in Grandview, an area that some people think needs to be “improved” by more development. Sydney, pop. 4 million +, was a 45 minute city.
So what your saying Michael is the 20 minute haven of Grandview is to be enjoyed by only you and the current residents? Wouldn’t the “development” you refer to allow people like myself to enjoy this 20 minute paradise as well? After all I have just moved back to the city like you did but from Auckland and cannot afford the $800-$1 million dollar single family homes in Grandview but would love to still be part of this 20 minute neighbourhood. I would like to think I would be welcome but reading your comment maybe no?