Vancouver City Council voted Thursday to extend the Granville Street Pedestrian Zone through to Labour Day.
Council cites the success that the area has seen during the 2026 FIFA World Cup as reason to keep the area for pedestrians only for longer.
“Vancouver has rediscovered what’s possible when we put people at the heart of our city. Granville Street has been full of energy, local businesses are seeing more customers, and residents and visitors have told us loud and clear that they want this momentum to continue,” said Mayor Ken Sim in a statement.
The city states that keeping the pedestrian zone will help local businesses “capitalize on investments they’ve made in outdoor spaces.”
“This summer has shown what can happen when governments, businesses and the community work together to create vibrant public spaces,” added Deputy Mayor Sarah Kirby-Yung, who co-sponsored the motion.
“We’re excited to keep that momentum going while continuing to build a downtown that is safer, more welcoming and more economically vibrant for everyone.”
Council also stated that it will look into another version of the pedestrian zone in November to possibly go along with a Christmas market.
“The City will continue working with the Province, the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch, and TransLink to secure the approvals required to implement the extension,” read the statement from council.