For Immediate Release
Sept. 8, 2025

In response to Translink’s public engagement process, the HMA is putting the word out to their community to attend Translink’s Open House on Wed, Sept. 10 from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Confederation Community Centre (4585 Albert St.) and to fill out the Translink survey.

Translink’s informational postcard was mailed only to households within 1 km of the BRT route, so those community members and shoppers who live outside of that 1 km radius and who may be most affected by the loss of curbside access to local shops, will not necessarily know about the Open House and may not have heard about the BRT proposals.

The BRT Option 1 proposal would remove curbside parking on Hastings St and replace it with a BRT. It would convert the Heights into a 6-lane highway environment with rushing general purpose traffic or a rapid bus lane right next to the pedestrian realm.

The HMA supports BRT Option 2.

“We have been hearing from dozens of people – seniors, in particular, who are not on social media and don’t use smart phones, or they live outside of the 1 km postcard distribution zone, who have been caught off guard by this proposal,” Isabel Kolic, executive director, explains.

The HMA encourages the public to attend Translink’s Open House this Wednesday and become informed of the BRT Route Options, the drawbacks and benefits of each. Other Open Houses are available in other parts of the region. (Visit https://translinklistens.ca/bus-rapid-transit-program to learn more and to fill out the survey.)

Source: Translink

The BRT is a Rapid Transit line (like a “Skytrain” that runs on the road, using buses) that has dedicated lanes (like “tracks” on distinct-coloured asphalt) that only buses can use, and that need to be built. It also uses BRT Stations that also need to be constructed. Afterwards, the lanes will be positioned either in the centre of the road, or in the curbside lanes. Those merchants who survive the prolonged construction period must also contend with losing curbside parking access for 50-70% of their clientele, most of whom are locals.

It will also impact the community’s cultural and social fabric.

“A BRT station in the middle of the road may impact our ability to host the almost 40-year Hats Off Day Parade which runs down the street,” Kolic shares. “That’s just one of a multitude of concerns we have about the impact of the BRT on our community fabric. You can reroute buses, but you can’t reroute Stations.”

“Most importantly, we worry about the elderly and physically challenged being able to easily access their doctors, hair cuts and coffees with their friends. We understand how hard parents have it, carting their children to appointments, daycare, music lessons, tutoring, on Hastings Street. Parking in the area is at a premium. These are the people who will be impacted the most.”

“Tell the seniors in your lives, as well as all those who don’t live in the immediate BRT route area but use the Heights regularly to attend the Open House and fill out the survey,” Kolic asks the community.

The public is encouraged to fill out Translink’s survey online before Sept. 21, and make their Route preferences known.

The HMA also points out to the public that the 60,000 potential ridership highlighted in TransLink’s materials are not “new” riders,  as some are saying. That figure includes people already travelling through the Heights on 7 existing routes (1 of which the BRT would replace). Many of those riders are only using portions of the route, such as shorter trips on the North Shore, or in central Burnaby, between Metrotown and BCIT, for example. 

“It is false and utterly misleading to the public to say that 60,000 new customers will be coming to the Heights,” Kolic states. 

The Heights is a daily-goods, daily-services district with 360 businesses, featuring products and services that locals use every day: groceries, hair cuts, insurance, daycare, music lessons, fitness, veterinarians, computer repairs, and more. There are currently 2 public parking spots per business, including the spots on Hastings Street. This is compared to the 20 public parking spots per business that Brentwood enjoys and is not required to sacrifice to receive a BRT.

The public may also view a CBC radio interview featuring both sides of the discussion on which BRT Option balances the needs of the public with the needs of individual communities. The radio interview can be found here:
https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6890236

The public can also access the HMA’s full position statement here:
https://www.burnabyheights.com/news/burnaby-heights-merchants-seek-brt-route-section-option-2-as-a-balanced-approach/

Isabel Kolic, Executive Director
isabel@burnabyheights.com
604-294-9060