Lighting helps make our streets safe for all road users, enhances our public spaces, and helps us to enjoy our city at night. To meet the needs of residents and businesses, Vancouver has developed an Outdoor Lighting Strategy.
The strategy provides direction on outdoor lighting on streets, public spaces, and private properties across the city. It is meant to:
- Improve public safety
- Provide accessible and inviting outdoor spaces
- Reduce light pollution
- Reduce energy usage and cost
- Minimize ecological impacts
What is in the strategy
- Updates to the Building By-law (effective November 1, 2019)
- Updates to the Untidy Premises By-law (effective November 1, 2019)
- New engineering street and public realm design guidelines
- Corporate leadership in our own facilities
- Exploration of opportunities to support dark-sky programming and education on light pollution
Outdoor lighting design tips
- Use full-cut off fixtures
- Avoid glare using glare shields as needed
- Install dimmer and timing controls
- Use warm colours
- Direct light where it’s needed