For many Vancouver residents, the most noticeable problems in the city aren’t complicated policy debates. They’re cracked sidewalks, potholes, uneven pavement, and streets that feel long overdue for repair.
These issues may not generate headlines as often as housing or public safety. However, they affect residents every single day. Whether walking to work, pushing a stroller, or navigating the city with mobility challenges, basic infrastructure shapes how people experience Vancouver.
Now, Mayor Ken Sim and ABC Vancouver say it’s time to focus on those fundamentals and begin tackling a massive backlog of road and sidewalk repairs that has quietly grown for years.
A backlog decades in the making
Vancouver’s sidewalk network stretches more than 2,200 kilometres across the city.
According to City of Vancouver engineering reports, roughly 253 kilometres of those sidewalks are currently rated in poor or very poor condition. Many require full reconstruction rather than simple repairs.
The estimated cost to address the backlog is well over $500 million.
For years, the city’s annual sidewalk rehabilitation budget was relatively small. In some years, funding levels allowed for less than one kilometre of sidewalk reconstruction annually.
At that pace, the city struggled to keep up with deterioration across its growing network.
The result is what many infrastructure experts call deferred maintenance — when repairs are delayed for so long that the cost and scale of the problem continue to grow.
Roads facing similar pressures
Sidewalks aren’t the only infrastructure facing challenges.
City engineers have also reported that a significant portion of Vancouver’s roads are rated in fair to poor condition, reflecting years of wear and limited rehabilitation funding. Vancouver manages a vast transportation network that includes:
- roughly 1,400 kilometres of roads
- more than 770 kilometres of lanes
- thousands of intersections, curbs, and traffic corridors
Maintaining this network requires consistent investment over decades. When funding falls short, infrastructure inevitably begins to deteriorate.
That reality is now becoming more visible across many neighbourhoods.
A major funding increase proposed
In response, Vancouver City Council recently approved a motion directing staff to significantly increase funding for road and sidewalk rehabilitation in the next capital plan.
The proposal would allocate $104 million for road and sidewalk repairs between 2027 and 2031. That represents a major jump from the approximately $34 million allocated in the current capital plan. In other words, funding for these core infrastructure repairs could more than triple.
Supporters of the motion say the increase reflects a renewed focus on what municipal governments are ultimately responsible for: maintaining the basic infrastructure residents rely on every day.
Why infrastructure maintenance matters
Unlike new projects or major developments, infrastructure repairs rarely attract attention. Few residents celebrate the reconstruction of a sidewalk or the repaving of a local street. Yet these investments play a critical role in how cities function.
Well-maintained sidewalks improve safety and accessibility, especially for seniors, children, and people using wheelchairs or mobility devices. Smooth roads also improve transportation efficiency and reduce long-term maintenance costs. When cities delay repairs too long, infrastructure failures become more expensive to fix.
A small crack in a sidewalk can eventually require full reconstruction. A deteriorating road surface can lead to deeper structural damage if not addressed early. That is why many urban planners emphasize the importance of steady, long-term maintenance funding rather than reactive repairs.
Infrastructure debt is a growing challenge for cities
The situation Vancouver faces is not unique. Across North America, many cities are grappling with what experts call infrastructure debt, the gap between the maintenance cities should be funding and what they actually invest.
Municipal governments often prioritize new projects or services, while routine maintenance receives less attention.
Over time, the result is a growing backlog of repairs. In Vancouver’s case, the city manages tens of billions of dollars worth of infrastructure assets, including roads, water systems, civic facilities, and public spaces.
Maintaining these assets requires consistent reinvestment to ensure they remain safe and functional.
When that reinvestment falls short, the backlog inevitably grows.
A shift toward the basics
For Mayor Ken Sim and ABC Vancouver, addressing infrastructure maintenance is part of a broader political message.
During the 2022 election campaign, the party emphasized a return to core municipal services, the fundamental responsibilities of city government.
That includes public safety, housing approvals, street cleanliness, and infrastructure maintenance. While debates over larger policy issues continue at City Hall, the administration has increasingly framed its priorities around these everyday concerns. Sidewalk repairs may not be glamorous. However, they represent the type of practical governance many residents expect from municipal leaders.
What residents may see next
If the proposed funding increases move forward through Vancouver’s next capital plan, residents could begin seeing more visible improvements across neighbourhoods.
That could include:
- expanded sidewalk reconstruction programs
- more frequent road resurfacing
- targeted repairs in areas with the most deteriorated infrastructure
- Addressing the entire backlog will take time. Decades of deferred maintenance cannot be solved overnight.
However, the recent funding proposal signals that City Hall may finally be beginning to tackle the problem more seriously.
For residents navigating cracked sidewalks and aging roads today, that shift could eventually make a noticeable difference in how the city feels, one repaired street at a time.
