Population and Economic Activity

Rate of Selected Land-use Changes in GVRD 1986-2002

Over the past 20 years, the highest rate of urbanization in the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) occurred between 1993 and 1998.

Changes in land-use patterns show the pressures that expanding population and economic activities place on the surrounding environment. Significant land-use changes in the GVRD over the past 20 years include:

• In the period between 1986 and 2002, urban area increased by about 2% and agricultural/urban mixed-use area increased by about 5%.

• Land-use change appears to have accelerated rapidly from 1993 to 1998, with a large increase in urban area and losses of wetlands, forests, and agricultural land. The rate of urbanization appeared to decrease considerably in the following period from 1998 to 2002.

• About 3% of the GVRD’s remaining wetlands have been lost since 1986 (this does not count wetlands lost before 1986). It is estimated that 85% of the wetlands in the lower Fraser Valley were lost before 1932.

• Standing forest, including both young and old forest, still covers about 40% of the GVRD. About 2% has been logged within the past 20 years and that area is currently regrowing as forest.

For detailed information, including graph data, see In-Depth report.

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