Dec 10, 2019

Update: Tuesday, December 10, 2019 at 7:00 am

The Sytrain transit strike has been averted; please allow extra time for your commute as some delays on Expo and Millenium lines are still expected.

Update: Saturday, December 7, 2019 at 12:00 pm

Today CUPE 7000, the Union that represents Skytrain workers announced it will initiate a three-day Skytrain system shutdown of the Expo and Millennium Skytrain lines from Tuesday, December 10 to Thursday, December 12, beginning at 5 am each day unless a deal can be reached before then.

Although strike action is ongoing, the College is operating as normal. Classes are proceeding and faculty and staff are expected to attend work. However, you are advised to plan ahead, and watch for TransLink updates, and make other travel plans where necessary.

We recognize this escalation in job action will cause disruption for students, faculty and staff and we appreciate their concerns.

  • Follow Translink: sign up for Transit Alerts (alerts.translink.ca) specific to routes, follow @TransLink on Twitter, and check translink.ca for updates.
  • Consider carpooling: Ask around and see if there’s someone along the same route. Parking will become full quickly on campus, and you don’t want to spend precious time circling to find parking.
  • Speaking of parking: Be more cautious in our parking lots. We anticipate increased traffic in our parking lots, so be cautious when driving or walking to avoid accidents.
    • Consider parking further away from campus. There is free parking (three hour max.) a few blocks north of campus if you drive a bit further; please observe the city guidelines.
    • Reminder: do not park in Permit-Only areas or risk being towed. This includes the YMCA, Langara golf course, and our residential neighbours.
  • Passenger Zone: in order to aid picking and drop off, there is a passenger zone on West 49th Avenue directly in front of the College. Drivers can also consider turning onto a sidestreet to drop people off if there is no room in the passenger zone. Please be wary of the cyclists and the bike lanes on Ontario Street.
  • Use a car-share program such as Evo or Car2Go. These programs allow for parking in residential permit-only areas which is a bonus.

At this point, current action does not apply to The Canada Line Skytrain, transit buses, West Vancouver Transit, West Coast Express, HandyDART and First Transit (shuttles on Bowen Island and in Langley).

Update: Friday, December 6, 2019 at 12:40 pm

As you may know, CUPE 7000 has issued a 72-hours strike notice for Skytrain. No job action has been declared at this time as parties are still in bargaining. At 11 a.m. on Saturday, December 7, 2019, the Union will release an updated media advisory on the Local’s job action plan. Job action could include rotating strikes affecting different routes or services at different times.

In the event of job action, the College will remain open as usual with regularly scheduled classes and services.
We encourage our community to explore alternative transportation, including car pools or cycling. Please observe local parking restrictions in neighbourhoods adjacent to our campus.

Please refer to this page for updates as the situation develops. We also encourage you to follow Langara College social media for immediate updates, as well as Translink. To stay informed, customers can sign up for Transit Alerts (alerts.translink.ca) specific to their routes, follow @TransLink on Twitter, and check translink.ca. 

Update: Wednesday, November 27, 2019 at 7:00 am

The transit strike has been averted; please allow extra time for your commute as some delays are still expected.

Update: Monday, November 25, 2019 at 4:30 pm

TransLink is presenting options for commuters in anticipation of a full bus and SeaBus shutdown from Wednesday until Friday. Please leave extra time for travel this week: transportation modelling suggests as many as 36,000 additional cars will be on the road during morning rush hour due to the union’s shutdown.
TransLink has arranged additional options for commuters with the help of municipalities and stakeholders throughout the region:

Transit services operating during job action:

  • SkyTrain (Expo and Millennium Lines)
  • Canada Line
  • West Coast Express
  • HandyDART
  • West Vancouver Blue Bus (Routes 214, 215, 227 250, 251, 252, 253, 254, 255, 256, 258, 259, 262)
  • Community Shuttle service on Bowen Island and Langley (Routes 280, 281, 282, 560, 561, 562, 563, 564, 379, 372)

Increasing SkyTrain capacity

  • More frequent off-peak SkyTrain service
  • Higher levels of SkyTrain attendants and police at stations to assist with customer flow

Increasing pick up-drop off locations

  • Designated unused bus stops near SkyTrain stations to facilitate pick-up/drop-off for customers

Carpooling

  • GobyRIDE and LiftTango carpooling platforms are prepared for extra demand

Carsharing

  • Evo and Car2Go are expanding their drop-off and pick-up boundaries

Cycling

  • Expanded bike parking at stations by introducing complementary bike valets at key stations to be operated by BEST (7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
  • Bicycles will be allowed on the SkyTrain all day in the last car of each train
  • More Mobi bikes at and near SkyTrain stations
  • Mobi bike share with staff on hand to respond to the volume of bikes in high volume locations
  • U-Bicycle will provide free rides for 3 days only as well as increase capacity and parking near Canada Line stations, Port Moody and Port Coquitlam areas

Monthly passholders who do not use any public transit during the three-day strike will automatically have pro-rated Stored Value credit applied to their Compass accounts. Customers are advised to sign up for Transit Alerts (alerts.translink.ca) specific to their routes, follow @TransLink on Twitter, and check translink.ca.

Update: Wednesday, November 20, 2019 at 4:30 pm

Coast Mountain Bus Company transit workers and SeaBus operators have escalated job action. Today the union announced it will initiate a complete bus and SeaBus system shutdown across Metro Vancouver on November 27, 28, and 29 unless a deal can be reached before then. A ban on overtime operations remains scheduled for November 22.

Although strike action is ongoing, the College is operating as normal. Classes are proceeding and faculty and staff are expected to attend work. However, you are advised to plan ahead, and watch for TransLink updates, and make other travel plans where necessary.

We recognize this escalation in job action will cause disruption for students, faculty and staff and we appreciate their concerns.

  • Follow Translink: sign up for Transit Alerts (alerts.translink.ca) specific to routes, follow @TransLink on Twitter, and check translink.ca for updates.
  • Consider carpooling: Ask around and see if there’s someone along the same route. Parking will become full quickly on campus, and you don’t want to spend precious time circling to find parking.
  • Speaking of parking: Be more cautious in our parking lots. We anticipate increased traffic in our parking lots, so be cautious when driving or walking to avoid accidents.
    • Consider parking further away from campus. There is free parking (three hour max.) a few blocks north of campus if you drive a bit further; please observe the city guidelines.
    • Reminder: do not park in Permit-Only areas or risk being towed. This includes the YMCA, Langara golf course, and our residential neighbours.
  • Passenger Zone: in order to aid picking and drop off, there is a passenger zone on West 49th Avenue directly in front of the College. Drivers can also consider turning onto a sidestreet to drop people off if there is no room in the passenger zone. Please be wary of the cyclists and the bike lanes on Ontario Street.
  • Use a car-share program such as Evo or Car2Go. These programs allow for parking in residential permit-only areas which is a bonus.

At this point, current action does not apply to services operated by BCRTC (SkyTrain), West Vancouver Transit, West Coast Express, HandyDART and First Transit (shuttles on Bowen Island and in Langley).

FAQ

What if I can’t get to class because there is no bus service?
Students are encouraged to check their course outline and contact their instructor if they are concerned about potentially arriving late for classes or missing classes.

Are faculty and staff expected to come to campus in the event of disruption?
Yes. The College will operate as normal, regardless of the level of strike action. Classes will proceed and employees are expected to attend work, as normally scheduled. Some employees may arrive late and/or struggle to get to campus. In this case, employees are advised to contact their manager, department head, school director, or dean (as appropriate).

When there is an all-out strike, does the campus close?
No. Regardless of the level of strike action, the College operates as normal. Classes proceed and faculty and staff are expected to attend work.

Will this disruption affect exams?
Exams are schedule to begin in early December. The College will monitor the job action and plan accordingly for any impact to the exam period.

Update: Thursday, November 14, 2019 at 2:00 pm

As the transit strike continues, we encourage you to consider alternative forms of travel to campus.

  • Passenger Zone: in order to aid picking and drop off, there is a passenger zone on West 49th Avenue directly in front of the College. Drivers can also consider turning onto a sidestreet to drop people off if there is no room in the passenger zone. Please be wary of the cyclists and the bike lanes on Ontario Street.
  • Leave ample time: if you’re taking public transportation, plan for buffer time. It’s better to arrive early than late for your class or an important meeting.
  • Check Translink: sign up for Transit Alerts (alerts.translink.ca) specific to their routes, follow @TransLink on Twitter, and check translink.ca.


Update: Tuesday, November 12, 2019 at 12:00 pm

With the ongoing transit strike, getting to class or work may prove to be more stressful. We’ve provided some tips below to help you prepare and make your trip as smooth as possible, whether you are driving or taking public transportation.

      • Watch the news: changes can happen quickly, so tune in to your favourite news channels to make sure you have the latest updates on the transit strike.
      • Leave earlier if you’re taking public transportation, and plan for buffer time. It’s better to arrive early than late for your class or an important meeting.
      • Consider carpooling: Ask around and see if there’s someone along the same route. Parking will become full quickly on campus, and you don’t want to spend precious time circling to find parking.
      • Speaking of parking: Be more cautious in our parking lots. We anticipate increased traffic in our parking lots, so be cautious when driving or walking to avoid accidents.
        • Consider parking further away from campus. There is free parking a few blocks north of campus if you drive a bit further.
        • Reminder: do not park in Permit-Only areas or risk being towed. This includes the YMCA, Langara golf course, and our residential neighbours.
      • Take your bicycle: We’ve had great fall weather (so far), and Langara is located on the beautifully paved Ontario bikeway. Plot out a bike route using Google Maps, and once you arrive, take advantage of our many cycling amenities including showers.
      • Take your scooter / moped / motorcycle: Langara offers free motorcycle parking on the west side of campus by T Building. There’s often plenty of space.
      • Use a carshare program such as Evo or Car2Go. These programs allow for parking in residential permit-only areas which is a bonus.

Above all else, stay safe when coming into work. Everyone is trying to get to their destination, so pay attention on the roads.


Update: Thursday, October 31, 2019 at 2:00 pm

Translink has confirmed that Unifor, the union representing Coast Mountain Bus Company bus operators and maintenance trades, has advised that should a tentative agreement not be reached by Friday, November 1, strike action will begin with a uniform ban by operators, and an overtime ban by maintenance workers. This could mean a reduction in bus and SeaBus service as soon as 8:00 am tomorrow.

If strike action does go ahead, the College will operate as normal, and classes will proceed as scheduled. Please plan accordingly for a potentially longer commute.

Regardless of the job action, many other services will be unaffected: SkyTrain, Canada Line, West Coast Express, HandyDART, West Vancouver Blue Bus and other contracted services will continue operating normally. To stay informed, customers can sign up for Transit Alerts (alerts.translink.ca) specific to their routes, follow @TransLink on Twitter, and check translink.ca.

 

Update: Wednesday, October 30, 2019 at 12:30 pm

As you may know, Coast Mountain Bus company transit workers and SeaBus operators are considering job action. There may be some disruption to transit service as early as Friday November 1, 2019, due to this labour dispute. Job action could include rotating strikes affecting different routes or services at different times.

In the event of job action, the College will remain open as usual with regularly scheduled classes and services.

We encourage our community to explore alternative transportation, including car pools or cycling. Please observe local parking restrictions in neighbourhoods adjacent to our campus.

Please refer to this page for updates as the situation develops. We also encourage you to follow Langara College social media for immediate updates, as well as Translink.