TransLink is asking the public how it wants to see transit change over next 30 years

TransLink has launched the largest consultation campaign in its history,asking people who live and work in Metro Vancouver how they'd like to see the region's transit system developover the next 30 years.

The transportation authority is asking the public to share "their values, priorities and ideas" for the system over the next four months, according to a statement released Friday.

A statement said the feedback will help shape the Transport 2050 plan. It'sTransLink's newest regional transportation strategy, followingprevious plans rolled out in 1993, 2008 and 2013.

"The region is changing, which is why it's increasingly important for all of us to have a say on the future of how we live and move, not only in the near term but over the next decades to come,"TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond told reporters at an event announcing the consultations on Friday morning.

Desmond said factors such as climate change,technology advancements and an economy that shifts under those factors will influence the latest strategy more than before.

"We need to understand not only how to keep up with [change], but how to ride the wave," he said. "The future will be very different and hard to predict, but it's important we anticipate those changes today."

People in Metro Vancouver are encouraged to share the following with TransLink:

• What they value about living in the region
• What their concerns and transportation priorities are
• Their ideas on the future of transportation
• How residents should move around Metro Vancouver in the future
• Key issues affecting the region
• Opinions on emerging modes of transport including automated, connected, electric and shared mobility such as ride-hailing, car sharing, and shared "micromobility" options like e-bikes and e-scooters.

"Whether they'resmall things that make your mornings just a little easier or if they're innovations that revolutionize the future of our region," Desmond added.

The survey is being conducted online, but the statement said TransLink staff will also reach out to residents of all 23 jurisdictions in Metro Vancouver, as well as adjoining regions and Indigenous communities.