Waterfront land use in metropolitan Vancouver, British Columbia.

Waterfront land varies greatly in quality and suitability depending on its use. In metropolitan Vancouver the nature of the site and topography make it a very limited resource. As a basis for planning waterfront land use it was the aim of this study to determine present use and future demand in terms of the physical qualities of the shoreline zone. Distinctions are made between land that can be served by deep-sea, coastal and small vessel traffic, and land suitable for shipping terminals, manufacturing plants, residences or parks. The forecast of waterfront land requirements for port facilities is based on an investigation of the nature and growth of commodity trade and of trends in vessel and terminal design. Most port requirements would appear capable of being met by development of facilities in Burrard Inlet. Certain manufacturing industries are strongly water-oriented and, although there appears to be an ample supply of industrial waterfront land on the Fraser-Pitt river system, there is a danger it may be occupied by industries that do not use water transportation. Additional marine parkland developed for swimming is an urgent recreational requirement and the Boundary Bay shoreline seems to offer the only suitable zone for such development. Residential use of waterfront land such as occurs extensively on the north shore of Burrard Inlet and in limited stretches elsewhere, would seem in most cases to merit only a low priority relative to shipping terminal, industrial and recreational uses. Waterfront land could probably be best developed on a metropolitan basis by an agency entrusted with sufficient power to achieve coordinated planning and control of this resource.