ETHICS AND THE ARBUTUS CORRIDOR : Private vs. Public Land Interests

Private vs. Public Land Interests

Conflicts can arise between corporate and political interests; private and public interests. The recent eruption of the dispute between the CPR and the City of Vancouver over the future use of the Arbutus railway corridor exemplifies how these conflicting interests intersect, raising ethical questions such as:

• Should land that was granted by the Crown for a specific purpose revert to the Crown when that purpose ceases?

• Was the City ethical in designating future uses for the land and thereby eroding future value, especially when it had long indicated a desire to purchase it?

• Is the CPR acting ethically in demanding a value for the land that is based on development potential when the lands were not used for that historically, nor designated for that in the future?

• Is it ethical for members of the public to be utilizing CPR lands and expecting those uses to be protected?

About our Speaker

Bob Ransford has worked in the urban development sector in Canada and the US for more than 25 years. For the past 14 years, he has been a public affairs consultant and urban designer specializing in navigating the complex public processes surrounding urban development issues and complicated land use challenges. At Counterpoint Communications he strives to combine effective public process, smart land use principles and leading-edge urban design to add extra value to urban development projects. In 2005 he advised CP Rail on matters concerning the Arbutus Corridor and the company’s relationship with the City of Vancouver.

Venue

Alliance for Arts and Culture

938 Howe St Vancouver, BC V6Z 1N9