Air Quality, Transport and Urban Development

Te Pai o Te Hau Takiwā, Ngā Momo Waka, me Te Whanaketanga o Ngā Tāone

This portfolio influences how the people of Canterbury live, work and travel in Canterbury now and into the future. 

whakataukī air transportThere are three work programmes in this portfolio:

Clean air 

We are working to ensure the air we breathe supports health and wellbeing.  

Air quality in the region continues to improve thanks to the work of individuals and industries to reduce emissions. We monitor air quality across eight airsheds in Canterbury and make this real-time air quality monitoring data available to our communities.  

Transforming public transport 

We operate, manage and deliver public transport services across the Canterbury region. Public transport services form a core part of our regional transport network. It is the largest single part of our annual budget and covers buses and ferries. We also manage the Total Mobility scheme for people who are unable to access regular bus services, and support Community Vehicle Trusts that provide transport in areas outside of our urban public transport networks.  

We maintain consistently high satisfaction rates from those who use public transport and the Total Mobility scheme in the region. Our challenge is to get more people to use these services. 

By introducing new low- or zero-emission vehicles into our fleet we are reducing the environmental footprint of our services.

Integrating urban land use, and regional transport 

Integrating urban land use, regional transport and hazards planning are necessary to ensure sustainable development within our region. This work includes facilitating prioritised and integrated investment in Canterbury’s regional transport network and regional/sub-regional planning.  

Greater Christchurch is the largest urban area in the region, comprising Christchurch City and the surrounding towns in Selwyn and Waimakariri Districts. Around half a million people, or 80% of the region’s population, live in Greater Christchurch. 

The Greater Christchurch Partnership (GCP) comprises councils, government agencies and iwi who have been collaborating since 2003 to plan for and manage urban growth and development in Greater Christchurch. It is governed by the Greater Christchurch Partnership Committee, a joint committee established under the Local Government Act 2002. 

Through the GCP, we contribute to the implementation of the Greater Christchurch Urban Development Strategy (UDS) – the vision and goals for the future of Greater Christchurch. 

We provide support for the Regional Transport Committee – a collaboration for the region's Councils and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency – their work priorities and programmes for land transport planning and investment are guided by the Regional Land Transport Plan 2021–31.

How is this portfolio funded? 

To find out how this portfolio is funded, view the rates tool