Victoria, BC– The Capital Regional District (CRD) has released the results of the 2017 Origin Destination Household Travel Survey. The survey collected information on residents’ travel patterns in the Regional Planning Area and Salt Spring Island. The data will be used by government and partner agencies to inform transportation planning and investment decisions.
The data indicates the regional trend towards increased use of active transportation is generally consistent with trends across Canada, however, the region is outpacing the rest of the country in transit mode share. While there are distinct differences in mode share across local government areas and sub-regional areas, in the CRD jurisdictions with greater land-use density show the most notable increases in active transportation. The trips taken by walking, cycling and transit is 27% compared to 22% in 2011, which is getting closer to the Regional Growth Strategy target of 42% of all trips by 2038.
Both the 2017 and 2011 surveys were conducted by Victoria-based research firm R.A. Malatest & Associates Ltd. In 2017, survey methods were adjusted to respond to administrative, societal and technological changes since 2011. For example, the 2017 survey included cell-phone-only households whereas previous surveys had relied on phone directories as their contact base. The age limit was reduced providing a greater profile of school travel. In 2017, 7,159 households completed the survey, representing approximately 4.2% of the region’s population.