Carsharing still growing in Vancouver, but why is growth slow in the rest of the region?

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Carsharing has proven to be a big hit in Vancouver, with one in six people now using car2go. But why hasn’t the rest of the region got on board?

Housing affordability, or the lack of it, is the driving issue behind carsharing’s popularity in Vancouver, according to SFU Urban Studies professor Anthony Perl. And since housing tends to be more affordable the further you go out, there’s less demand for the likes of car2go.

“The more affordable it gets — in Surrey, in Langley — the less incentives people have to not buy that car,” says Perl. “People in Vancouver spend more on housing than just about anyone else on this continent in relation to their income. That means that they’re always looking for ways to save money.

“Having less cars in their lives or paying as they go by sharing the car is a great way to save money.”

The other big factor, according to Perl, is density. Carsharing companies thrive in built-up communities and make less sense in areas where housing is more spread out.

“The less density of people and destinations there are makes it harder to have cars available everywhere you want them at the time you want them,” says Perl.

As long as Vancouver’s affordability issues continue, Perl predicts the city will continue to see an increase in carsharing — and eventually, an embrace of ride-ordering services like Uber.

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