For Immediate Release
February 4, 2026
VANCOUVER – At the Vancouver Standing Committee on City Finance and Services Meeting on Wednesday, February 4th, the majority voted against a motion that would give snow clearing priority to transit trouble spots.
“We are disappointed. This motion was simple, it aimed to ensure that everyone, not just frequent transit riders but also snow-day transit users (like drivers who want to keep their car parked during a storm) have reliable transit access during harsh winters, “ said Aman Chandi, Director of Programs and Fundraising at Movement.
In justifying her opposition, councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung claimed the motion was “redundant” stating that the City of Vancouver is already doing everything in its power to clear routes. “If Vancouver is doing everything it can to clear bus problem spots, why not simply reflect those hotspots on the city website for all to see?,” said Denis Agar, Executive Director of Movement. Councillor Kirby-Yung continued that TransLink is testing more advanced snow tires. Unfortunately, these tires only cover 70% of the TransLink bus fleet, and they are by no means guaranteed to ensure buses maintain traction.
Councillor Lucy Maloney brought forward the motion, which was also supported by councillor Sean Orr. Councillor Maloney said “We’ve seen in the past the major issues that can come about and I guess we’ll see in the next snow event whether our systems are doing the job, and whether voting no to this motion was the right thing to do.”
In a letter submitted to council before the meeting, bus driver David Magowan remarked:
“As a transit driver I’m pleased Vancouver Council is [considering] taking the initiative to make snow removal on transit routes a priority. During a heavy snowfall, when Vancouverites and commuters need reliable transit service most, it’s extremely frustrating for me to see service delayed or cancelled because buses have become stuck, often for want of just a few metres of cleared pavement to crest the top of a hill or exit a station or stop.
“As far as locations go, pretty much any street that combines a hill and a bus route qualifies. A few spots that stand out are the length of 49th Ave., especially eastbound from W. Blvd to Granville and westbound from Langara Station up the hill past Tisdall St. Also, the hill eastbound from Knight St. On 41st Av. has become the temporary graveyard of many a transit bus during a storm. “
Our previous press release on this topic is here.
A map of steep slopes in Vancouver can be found here.
Some past stories about this issue:
- Vancouver weather: Why can’t buses make it up snowy hills? | Vancouver Sun
- TransLink says it is ‘preparing for the worst’ this winter | CBC News
- Passengers tried to push a TransLink bus stuck on a hill. It did not go well, says UBC student – BC | Globalnews.ca
- More than a dozen buses stuck on Vancouver’s Granville Street Bridge | Urbanized
Movement: Metro Vancouver Transit Riders is a non-profit that represents our region’s one million transit riders. We’ve often been left out of the conversation, and we’re here to speak up for faster, more reliable, more abundant transit. We’re focused on the growing number of bus routes where riders are left behind by full buses, day after day, primarily in Surrey and South Vancouver, as well as the urgent need for bus lanes that cost almost nothing but massively improve commutes for hundreds of thousands of people.