4th Annual Urban Transit Infrastructure Symposium Western Canada - WEB

Hear from transit agencies and developers in the public and private sector for insight on initiatives that are shaping the future of transit in Western Canada

Annual 4th

Urban Transit Infrastructure Symposium

Western Canada

Featured Speakers:

Steve Brown

Manager – Rapid Transit Office City of Vancouver

Fiona Cochrane

Assistant Vice President Infrastructure BC

Darshpreet S. Bhatti

CEO Green Line

The City of Calgary

June 12–13, 2023

Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront, Vancouver, BC

Titash Choudhury

Manager of Business Development and Social Analytics

Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC)

Ralf Nielsen Director, Enterprise Sustainability TransLink

Matthew Boyd

Director, Corporate and Strategic Planning BC Transit

This Year’s Highlights Include Sessions on:

dot-circle Formulating Solutions for a Changing Ridership and Exploring New Avenues of Funding

dot-circle Evaluating Alternate Delivery Models and What They Can Offer

dot-circle The status of Transit Projects from Across the Country –Progress and Lessons Learned

dot-circle Considerations for BRT over LRT and Lessons Learned from Bus Rapid Transit

dot-circle Transforming Urban Spaces with Transit Oriented Development (TOD) – Housing and Transit Synergy

ASSOCIATE SPONSOR

Managing an Evolving Ridership, Finding Efficiencies for Transit Development, and Strategies for

Cost-Effective Planning

The 4th Annual Urban Transit Infrastructure Symposium, Western Canada brings together senior transit leaders from Western Canada and from across the country to share their expertise and provide you with important and timely discussions on current trends in transit delivery, progress on LRT and BRT projects, and strategies to transition to a new era of transit planning.

Hear directly from project owners, managers, contractors, consultants and other stakeholders involved in the procurement, design, construction, and operation of major transit projects and stay informed on the opportunities and challenges facing this rapidly evolving sector.

Join us at this industry-leading event and be part of the conversation shaping the future of transportation.

WHO YOU WILL MEET:

The conference brings together public and private sectors to discuss critical issues, network and share expertise.

With:

» CEOs

» Presidents

» Senior Vice Presidents/Vice Presidents

» Directors

» Project Managers

From:

» Government Agencies

» Transit Authorities

» Municipalities

Interested in showcasing your brand to this market?

Contact us at: SponsorInfo@CanadianInstitute.com

It is a great way to hear what is happening around the country and some different approaches from the US. It is nice to have a continuum of projects from start to finish and [learn] the successes and challenges. – GM Engineering, City of Surrey

Very good speakers and content. Venue was very good too and good size.

– Manager, Rapid Transit Office, City of Vancouver

This conference exceeded my expectations to the 110% level.

– Light Rail Program Director, Transdev Canada

» Construction

» Engineering

» Architecture and Design Firms

» Developers

» Solution Experts

» Insurance Providers

» Lenders

As well as Partners, Regional and National Leaders from Law Firms and Consulting Companies

DISTIGUISHED FACULTY

C O CHAIR:

Steve Brown

Manager – Rapid Transit Office City of Vancouver

Jeff Doble

Director of Transportation Design Principal Perkins & Will (Vancouver)

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:

Kevin Quinn CEO TransLink

Kaye Krishna

Deputy Minister, Transportation and Infrastructure Government of British Columbia

SPEAKERS:

Fred Antunes

Senior Vice President, Capture Management SNC Lavalin

Zak Bennett

Lead Planner, Major Studies, TransLink

Chad Berndt

Director, Electrification Program BC Transit

Matthew Boyd

Director, Corporate and Strategic Planning

BC Transit

Darshpreet S. Bhatti

CEO Green Line

The City of Calgary

Titash Choudhury

Manager of Business Development and Social Analytics

Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC)

Fiona Cochrane

Assistant Vice President Infrastructure BC

Dr. Mahmudur Fatmi

Assistant Professor, School of Engineering – Civil University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus

Sharon Fleming Director, Calgary Transit City of Calgary

Holly Foxcroft

Lead Planner, Major Studies, Transportation Planning & Policy TransLink

Daniel Freeman

Senior Manager – Bus Priority Programs TransLink

Eric Goldwyn

Assistant Professor, Transportation and Land-Use

Marron Institute of Urban Management, New York University

Lisa Gow

Executive Project Director, Broadway Subway Project Transportation Investment Corporation (TI Corp BC)

John Grottenberg

Senior Planner, Special Projects Office City of Vancouver

Thatcher Imboden Director, CommUnity Development Sound Transit

Dave Jones Chief Officer Metro Vancouver Transit Police

Chris Jordan

Manager Transit Service Design City of Calgary

Georg Josi Partner Dialog

Ross Kenny

Assistant Director – Transportation, Engineering and Public Works City of Victoria

Patrick Koch

Manager, Risk, Analytics and Emergency Planning Metro Vancouver Transit Police

Chris Mah Planner, Special Projects Office City of Vancouver

Ralf Nielsen

Director, Enterprise Sustainability TransLink

Jennifer Podmore Russell Vice President/Special Advisor Rennie Group

Darren Sokoloski

Vice President, P3 Advisory, Transportation AECOM Canada Ltd

Jeff Spruston Project Co Representative Broadway Subway Project Corporation, Acciona-Ghella Partnership

Lecia Stewart President The Stewart Group

7:45 Registration, Refreshments and Pre-Conference Meet-n-Greet

8:45

Opening Remarks from the Conference Co-Chairs

Microphone-alt Steve Brown, Manager - Rapid Transit Office, City of Vancouver

9:00

Keynote Session

Microphone-alt Kaye Krishna, Deputy Minister, Transportation and Infrastructure, Government of British Columbia

9:30 PANEL

Long Range Planning – Overcoming the Challenge of Shifting

Ridership and Transitioning to a New Era of Transit Planning

MODERATOR:

Microphone-alt Steve Brown, Manager – Rapid Transit Office, City of Vancouver

Matthew Boyd, Director, Corporate and Strategic Planning, BC Transit

Sharon Fleming, Director, Calgary Transit, City of Calgary

• Evaluating ridership recovery since the pandemic

• Exploring opportunities to enhance service design/schedules to meet changes in customer demand

• Assessing solutions to the changing ridership and ways to pivot from the rush-hour market to off-peak and leisure use

• Managing shortfalls and gaps in revenue and exploring new avenues of funding and finance

• Understanding the new expectations of the customer experience

10:30 Networking Refreshment Break

10:45

TRANSIT PROJECT PROGRESS AND LESSONS LEARNED

PART 1: Vancouver – Broadway Subway Project

Microphone-alt Lisa Gow, Executive Project Director, Broadway Subway Project, Transportation Investment Corporation (TI Corp BC)

Jeff Spruston, Project Co Representative, Broadway Subway Project Corporation, Acciona-Ghella Partnership

The Broadway Subway Project is a 5.7km extension of the Millennium SkyTrain Line. The project is anticipated to open in 2026.

• Project overview, benefits, and key areas of interest for the province

• Evaluating the latest developments and overall project schedule including key milestones and how the project is being constructed in a dense urban environment

• Progress on tunnel boring and elevated guideway

PART 2: Broadway Land Use Plan and Supportive Policies Agreement (SPA)

Microphone-alt John Grottenberg, Senior Planner, Special Projects Office, City of Vancouver

Zak Bennett, Lead Planner, Major Studies, TransLink

The Broadway Plan is a comprehensive land use plan developed following full funding commitments for the Broadway Subway Project. This session will highlight the big moves in the land use plan and how the plan will support the rapid transit project.

Additionally, we will discuss Supportive Policies Agreements (SPAs) which are required for all new major transit investments in Metro Vancouver. The Broadway Subway SPA was the first of its kind and lays out the policies and plans outside of the scope of project delivery that the City of Vancouver and TransLink will create that will support the success of the project. The Broadway Plan was a key initiative identified in the SPA.

12:15 Networking Luncheon

1:30 TRANSIT PROJECT PROGRESS AND LESSONS LEARNED

Project Updates – Calgary’s Green Line LRT

Microphone-alt Darshpreet S. Bhatti, CEO Green Line, The City of Calgary

Calgary’s LRT line is the largest infrastructure investment in the city’s history adding 46km to the existing LRT system, 28 stations and 240,000 passengers. Construction of phase one started in 2022 and is expected to continue for another for 5-6 years.

• Updates on Stage 1 of the planned 46km Green Line LRT Project - overview and benefits to the province

• Exploring how challenges are being overcome with the redefined procurement strategy and project timelines

• Examining key milestones, and next steps

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linkedin: Canadian Public Infrastructure: Planning, Construction, and Design Professionals

2:30

The Role of Bus Rapid Transit in Transit Development

Microphone-alt Chris Jordan, Manager Transit Service Design, City of Calgary

Daniel Freeman, Senior Manager – Bus Priority Programs, TransLink

Ross Kenny, Assistant Director – Transportation, Engineering and Public Works, City of Victoria

This session will discuss considerations in the decision for BRT and provide lessons learned in delivering bus rapid transit.

• How to get more out of bus networks to improve travel times, reduce costs and increase ridership

• Assessing operational characteristics and customer experience (e.g. speed, reliability, comfort and capacity)

• Reviewing costs of capital, operations and maintenance

• How has ridership fluctuated before and after the pandemic?

3:30

Electrification of Transit Fleets – Meeting the New Carbon Goals

Microphone-alt Ralf Nielsen, Director, Enterprise Sustainability, TransLink

Titash Choudhury,Manager of Business Development and Social Analytics, Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC)

Chad Berndt, Director, Electrification Program, BC Transit

This session will highlight recent developments in E-bus and Fuel Cell Bus innovations, autonomous vehicle shuttle pilot projects and what the future in this space might bring.

We will also provide updates on the Climate Action Strategy (CAS) from TransLink and BC Transit towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and a more climate resilient system by 2050. Hear what has been identified as the key investments and changes needed to meet climate goals and how they are responding to the climate emergency.

• What are the key pathways to zero-emissions fleet and facilities?

• What are the key considerations in adapting infrastructure and operations to climate impacts

• What steps are we taking to support a more climate resilient region and a low carbon economy

• How do we change or advance our business practices, knowledge and funding landscape?

4:30 Closing Remarks, Conference Adjourns to Day 2

8:00 Registration and Continental Breakfast

9:00

Opening Remarks from the Conference Co-Chairs

9:05

Keynote Address

Microphone-alt Kevin Quinn, CEO, TransLink

9:30 PANEL

Transit Procurement and Delivery Models – Evaluating Alternate Delivery Models and What They Can Offer

MODERATOR:

Microphone-alt Lecia Stewart, President, The Stewart Group

Fiona Cochrane, Assistant Vice President, Infrastructure BC

Fred Antunes, Senior Vice President, Capture Management, SNC Lavalin

Darren Sokoloski, Vice President, P3 Advisory, Transportation, AECOM Canada Ltd

Using examples from LRT projects this panel will discuss alternative procurement models and what they can offer.

• Exploring delivery models including Progressive design-build, Alliance Contracting and collaborative models

• Assessing the performance of the P3 model for transit projects; what has worked and what hasn’t – highlighting success, challenges, and outcomes

• What model is best suited for risk and reward sharing?

• How can owners facilitate different models?

• Examining the challenge of availability of a skilled workforce including experienced managers for major projects

• Examples of alternate models underway

10:30 Networking Refreshment Break

10:45

Exploring the Cost Drivers of Transit Infrastructure Projects and More Effective Ways to Build Transit Systems

Microphone-alt Eric Goldwyn, Assistant Professor, Transportation and Land-Use, Marron Institute of Urban Management, New York University

Using in-depth case studies that take a closer look at variables like project management, governance, and site conditions this session will delve into the reasons behind the soaring costs of transit infrastructure in the US and Canada and recommendations for building more costefficiently to ensure a higher return on investment.

• Tracking domestic infrastructure costs against international transit projects

• Exploring ways to reduce the costs and maintain value

• Recommendations for efficiencies at the project outset

11:15

The Burnaby Mountain Urban Transit Gondola: An Innovative Solution to a Pressing Transit Challenge for the Region

Microphone-alt Holly Foxcroft, Lead Planner, Major Studies, Transportation Planning & Policy, TransLink

Since 2009, TransLink has been exploring the concept of a gondola connection between the SkyTrain network and the top of Burnaby Mountain where Simon Fraser University is located. TransLink is now in the final stage of business casing for the Burnaby Mountain Gondola. Many of the lessons learned on this project are applicable to using gondola technology in an urban transit context. This session will provide an update on the Project’s:

• Benefits: 100% net-zero fleet conversion, improved daily and seasonal reliability, lower operating costs, reduced design and construction timelines, minimized environmental and archaeological impacts

• Design considerations: applying gondolas in an urban context, people moving capacity, transit customer experience, aerial based transit

• Unpacking a new technology with the public, stakeholders, First Nations, and decision-makers

11:45

How Important Is it to Accommodate Land Use and Transportation Interactions while Predicting and Testing for Infrastructure Investment Decisions?

Microphone-alt Dr. Mahmudur Fatmi, Assistant Professor, School of Engineering – Civil, University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus

Exploring how transportation demand forecasting can contribute to more effective transportation and land use policies, infrastructure investment decisions, and decarbonizing the transportation sector.

This session will discuss an agent-based integrated transportation and land use model that considers the effects and changes in socio-demographics, residential location, vehicle ownership, in-home and out-of-home activities, and their impacts on land use pattern, travel time, emissions and energy consumptions.

12:15 Networking Luncheon

1:15

Transforming Urban Spaces with Transit Oriented Development (TOD) – Housing and Transit Synergy

MODERATOR:

Microphone-alt Georg Josi, Partner, Dialog

PANEL:

Chris Mah, Planner, Special Projects Office, City of Vancouver

Jennifer Podmore Russell, Vice President/Special Advisor, Rennie Group

Thatcher Imboden, Director, Community Development, Sound Transit

City of Vancouver:

Ongoing work on the UBC Skytrain Extension to integrate development with transit stations, called station-integrated development, presents opportunities to advance objectives relating to affordable housing, but there are also conflicts and trade-offs. This presentation will address the technical, financial, and regulatory framework challenges that prevent urban integration of transit stations and development and examines how affordable housing can be provided at key transit nodes.

Sound Transit:

Discussion of approaches that to accommodate increased jobs and housing and integrate neighborhoods with transit in the Seattle region, including Sound Transit’s efforts to use its surplus property and joint development opportunities to support affordable housing outcomes.

2:15 Networking Refreshment Break

2:30

Advancing the Millennium Line UBC Extension

Overview:

The Millennium Line UBC Extension SkyTrain project would complete the western extension of the Millennium Line to UBC and provide much needed transit capacity to this part of the region.

The City of Vancouver has endorsed a station within the Jericho Lands, the TransLink Mayors’ Council has endorsed a station serving the Jericho Lands and the Province is currently reviewing this previous work and defining the project parameters to move forward.

Given Vancouver City Council endorsement and Mayors’ Council endorsement of a station serving Jericho, this presentation will explore how this station could integrate with the Jericho development that is currently in the policy statement process.

3:00

Putting Safety First When Expanding Transit Systems

Microphone-alt Patrick Koch, Manager, Risk, Analytics and Emergency Planning, Metro Vancouver Transit Police

Dave Jones, Chief Officer, Metro Vancouver Transit Police

The safety of transit users and operators is a top priority, particularly when it comes to planning for an expanded transit system. Transit authorities and those tasked with ensuring a safe journey on transit (police, security, etc.) must take into account each new station’s location and design (access points, lighting, security cameras, existing crime rates) and required resources to respond to public safety concerns from the recent rise in violence on public transit. Learn best practices and methods of preparation to improve rider and staff safety on public transit.

3:45 Closing Remarks and Conference Adjourns

linkedin: Canadian Public Infrastructure: Planning, Construction, and Design Professionals

VENUE INFORMATION

Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront

Address: 1133 W Hastings St, Vancouver, BC V6E 3T3

Phone: 1-844-337-3118 or 604-689-9211

The Canadian Institute is pleased to offer our delegates a limited number of hotel rooms at a negotiated rate. To take advantage of these rates, please contact the hotel directly and quote “The Canadian Institute”.

Please note that the guest room block cut-off date is May 11, 2023. After that date OR when the room block fills, guestroom availability and rate can no longer be guaranteed.

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