TransLink Transport 2050 Implementation: Moving Towards a Major Bikeway Network
Corridors in Motion: Understanding Active Transportation Networks in Context
Rethinking the Right-of-Way, Translink, and Vancouver Coastal Health
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Translink Corporate Office, New Westminster
Reliable and consistent data on active travel, infrastructure, and associated environmental, health, and economic data support interdisciplinary research and decision making. There are a considerable amount and types of active travel data collected in the Vancouver region. Technology and artificial intelligence allow the acquisition of large amounts of data over long periods of time, enabling monitoring of active travel demand. Despite this progress, there are often issues with consistency in format and spatial and temporal resolution that hinder the ability to merge these data and integrate other salient information (e.g., health and safety, environment, economy, population characteristics, etc.). Concerns about privacy and the proprietary nature of some data create barriers to sharing and access.
In the context of these opportunities and challenges, this day-long workshop will bring together a broad group of academics and professionals to develop a shared vision for coordinated data collection, sharing, and utilization. With a mix of presentations, panels, and group activities, we will explore the needs of policy and research, share data collection and management strategies, and learn about data sharing agreements to facilitate the use of these resources across organizations. We invite you to join us to contribute to helping the region advance our data agenda for active travel.
Questions? Reach out to ReROW at info.rerow@ubc.ca
Objectives:
- Understand various agency priorities and motivations for active travel data collection across the region.
- Develop a shared vision for data collection, sharing, and utilization
- Understand opportunities and barriers to data sharing
- Foster cross-sector relationships to support regional active travel data user group and ongoing collaborations
Agenda:
0830-0900 Mingle with coffee and pastries
0900-0910 Welcome by Sara Ross, VP of Transportation Planning and Policy at TransLink
0910-0920 Introductions
0920-1015 Agency case studies in active travel data collection. Moderated by Teresa O’Reilly, Senior Manager, System Analytics, Research & Analytics. With Mike Zipf, Policy Analyst, Transportation Planning, City of Vancouver. Craig Sobering, Park Planner 2, Regional Parks, Metro Vancouver. Ellen Demlow, Regional Director (Interim), Public Health Surveillance Unit, Vancouver Coastal Health.
1015-1030 Coffee Break
1030-1115 ReROW panel highlighting the diversity of research interests and data needs. Moderated by Keun Park, Assistant Professor, Forestry, UBC. With James Conolly, Associate Professor, School of Community and Regional Planning. Eli Puterman, Professor, School of Kinesiology. Kelly Clifton, Professor, School of Community and Regional Planning. Mahmudur Fatmi, Associate Professor, Civil Engineering (Okanagan).
1115-1215 Panel on data sharing agreements—barriers, opportunities, & best practices. Moderated by Alex Bigazzi, Associate Professor, Civil Engineering, UBC. With Brian Lee, Program Manager, Data Solutions and Research, Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC). Jennifer Johnston, Privacy Officer, TransLink. Ciaran Aiken, Privacy Manager, BCCDC. Jeremy Buhler, Data Librarian, UBC.
1215-1315 Networking lunch
1315-1430 Breakout groups on: Developing a regional active travel monitoring strategy; Planning for active travel across all ages and abilities; Development of data tools and standards to facilitate data sharing/aggregation across jurisdictions; Walking and pedestrian issues; Bicycle travel; Underrepresented geographies, populations, or modes; E-scooter and other micromobility; Accessing and integrating safety and health data; Technology and the potential for active travel data; Children travel.
1430-1445 Coffee Break
1445-1545 Breakout groups on data collection and management strategies across organizations
1545-1630 Visioning – open discussion about next steps