No sooner said than done: A qualitative study examining equity considerations in pandemic street reallocation initiatives

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic brought large-scale shifts in public policy, including around the use of public space. Within urban planning practice these policy shifts sparked heightened attention to equity. This paper investigates the pandemic-time street reallocations in the Canadian metropolitan regions of Vancouver, Toronto, and Montréal, with a focus on equity. In this study, street reallocations include new bike lanes, motor vehicle lane closures, and quiet streets.

In 2022, we conducted semi-structured interviews with municipal practitioners who were involved in active transportation decision-making during the pandemic (Vancouver: n = 5; Toronto: n = 10; Montréal: n = 5). Participants reflected on lessons learned through street reallocation implementation two years following the initial pandemic onset. We asked about equity considerations and used framework analysis to look at common themes across the study areas.

Our findings suggest that the pandemic impacted equity in active transportation planning in three main ways, by: (1) Broadening the view on equity; (2) Disrupting conventional engagement processes; and (3) Reinforcing pre-existing plans and professional expertise. Participants spoke to a changing policy landscape where traditional methods of assessing equity and conducting public engagement did not serve all population groups well. The pandemic urgency put a spotlight on the importance of communication with residents affected by infrastructure change. The pandemic also accelerated timelines of implementation, which impacted the information used to make decisions; some municipalities found pre-existing planning documents to be helpful and others relied on professional expertise.

Cities are facing pressures to rethink public spaces again, in light of the climate emergency and growing social issues. As municipal practitioners decide to remove temporary street reallocations or make them permanent, this study offers insights into equity and public engagement learnings for future urban and transportation policy.