The Draft Metro 2050 Regional Growth Strategy can be found at https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/draft-metro-2050-regional-growth-strategy.pdf. The land use framework presented in the draft Metro 2050 Regional Growth Strategy report identifies………………
This means that Metro Vancouver’s urban municipalities have to “build up” and closer together. In Burnaby, it has also meant that the City has been eyeing Burnaby’s parks and conservation areas as possible locations for buildings and other infrastructure!
Like other cities in Metro Vancouver, development in Burnaby has led to trees being cut down and pervious surfaces being paved over. According to this report, there was a 3% decline in Burnaby’s tree canopy between 2014 and 2020 – https://www.nsnews.com/highlights/are-metro-vancouvers-urban-forest-goals-sunk-8718515.
As mentioned, in recent years, conservation areas in Burnaby have also been put at risk. The Government of Canada defines “conserved areas” as areas that safeguard biodiversity for present and future generations by reducing stresses from human activities. Conserved areas also provide opportunities for people to connect with nature. Conserved areas include protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures like a bird sanctuary or marine protected area.
For a full list of parks and conserved areas, see https://burnaby.widen.net/s/2sfswpzvkg/parks-listings. (The reported area attributed to the Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area seems to still include the lands covered by the TransMountain tank farm.)
Related to its Draft Metro 2050 Regional Growth Strategy, Metro Vancouver has a Regional Parks Plan that applies to Metro Vancouver regional parks, including Burnaby Lake Regional Park. The first foundational principle of the Regional Parks Plan is that:
Nature has inherent value and its protection for future generations is the foundation of what we do.
Other goals include expanding and connecting the regional park system, maintaining and enhancing the ecological health of ecosystems, incorporating indigenous knowledge, advancing reconciliation with indigenous peoples and ensuring regional parks are welcoming and inclusive.
Besides operating Burnaby Lake Regional Park, Metro Vancouver also manages the Brunette-Fraser Regional Greenway that runs through Burnaby and New Westminster, providing an important link for nature and people. All other green spaces in Burnaby are managed by the City of Burnaby.
