The purpose of the thesis is to review the development of the compensation system for traffic victims in British Columbia and to determined what changes are required in order to improve the equity, efficiency, and effectiveness of the system. The study examines this question from a broad perspective because of the inter-relationships among motor vehicle transportation, traffic safety, and the compensation system. The methods of investigation were twofold. The first step was to read all the pertinent literature on the subject which could be found in Vancouver. The second step was to communicate by telephone, by mail, or in person with individuals who possessed special knowledge with respect to one or more aspects of the subject matter. The latter research was invaluable because it updated the information available in the literature, revealed the practical ramifications of different concepts, and provided British Columbia viewpoints to a world wide problem. The conclusions of the thesis are based to a large extent on value judgments because of the paucity of quantifiable data and the absence of an actuarial analysis. In general the writer feels that more stringent procedures must be employed in the issuance and renewal of licences, and the public must accept automatic suspensions of licences for repeated traffic violations or accident involvement. Simultaneously, improvement in vehicle and roadway design, and emergency treatment of crash victims must be undertaken. The writer concludes that a no-fault, direct writer, and privately operated automobile compensation system is feasible at this time, and will provide a more equitable, effective, and efficient system of allocating premium dollars to a broader range of traffic victims. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

The flood plain of the Fraser River in the Lower Fraser Valley is rapidly becoming urbanized, this being most evident in the municipality of Richmond located on Lulu Island. A problem arises due to the fact that the Fraser River is subject to frequent floods of varying magnitudes. To prevent flood damages a system of dykes has been constructed around Lulu Island. Evidence indicates, however, that even with the dykes there still exists a substantial residual flood hazard. A major flood in Richmond would constitute a financial disaster. Consequently, if development is to occur on the flood plain, additional adjustments to the flood hazard are necessary. The planning process in Richmond has apparently failed to recognize this necessity. To understand the observed breakdown in the planning process the literature suggests that the problem may be fruitfully studied by examining the decision-making process with respect to perception of the flood hazard and alternative adjustments to the hazard. The hypothesis proposed is that the planning officials are aware of the alternate adjustments but policies to implement these measures are not undertaken because of lack of support from the general public who do not perceive the flood problem or ways to cope with it. The methodology used to study the problem involves three steps. The first is the definition and description of flood plain management policy at all government levels operating in British Columbia. The second step is to identify the public decision-making process with respect to flood plain management. Interviews with key officials in this process are reported upon according to their perceptions of the flood hazard and adjustments to the flood hazard. The third step is to sample perceptions of flood plain land-users by means of a questionnaire to determine their perceptions of the hazard and adjustments. The study shows that the officials are aware of the hazard but do not adequately perceive non-structural adjustments. The general public is poorly informed and thus shows little concern about the subject. The results indicate that perception of the hazard is a major factor in the adjustment adoption process. It appears that a change in decision-makers' perceptions will be necessary to bring about a change in the planning practise with respect to flood plain management. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

The subject of this study is road investment in B.C. made through the Provincial Department of Highways in the years 19^6-71, The pattern of investment is described and is used to indicate policies and objectives being evolved over the period. An effort is also made to evaluate the impact of the investment in terms of the benefit to certain classes of road users. Data on investment were gathered from the Annual Reports of the Minister, and assembled according to area, item, time period and class of road. The nature of investment has been given close attention because it is felt that its role has been somewhat overlooked in the previous studies of the relationship between transport infrastructure and economic activity. That relationship has usually been treated in summary form, with highly generalized indices. There is an attempt in this study to find a rationale of spending to explain the variations between areas, and from which to draw inferences about policies. This leads on to closer examination of the trunk network. Some structural measures of improvement in the network were calculated, but were not very helpful. This study argues that the improvement has to be valued by some user before it is translated into increased accessibility and responses amongst economic activities. Because improvements mean different things to different users and non-users, different approaches to evaluation have to he taken. A large truck is chosen for the case of B.C., and operating costs are simulated for the roads existing in 1952, 1962 and 1971. The changes in truck operating costs are used to explore the meanings of ˈimprovementˈ and the ˈjustificationˈ of certain investments. An estimate of annual savings to trucks from road improvements is derived from the simulated costs. The approach through investment is found to aid understanding of route and network development. It provides criteria by which to evaluate other aspects of road development, such as the road needs of certain populations, and the effects of external connections and through paths. It reveals the highly variable per mile cost of links, and emphasizes the interdependence of different types of spending. It suggests a relationship between inter-urban and local spending and traffic, which should be worth following up in other situations. Among other things, it is discovered that there has been a tendency to spend an increasing proportion on the branch or feeder roads. In the last few years, there has been an increasing concentration on urban or near-urban roads for the relief of congestion. The purposes of roads and routes are seen to change over time. The pattern of spending has been much affected by the difficulty of road construction in B.C. Increases in election years have stood out markedly. These have ˈcostˈ the Province a significant amount through inflated contract prices. Some suggestions are made on how over-the-road savings could make their way through to freight rates, schedules and services, and thus affect the client economic activities. The estimate of annual savings of $15-20 million to large trucks is a conservative and partial measure of benefit. The aim was not a definitive measure of improvement and partial benefit, but to use the measure in different contexts and reveal the different meanings and quantities of improvement. Different ˈjustificationsˈ for link investment were provided from different perspectives. The interdependence of links and of investment allocations in the total system was emphasized. It is the main strength of this modified network perspective that it allows the simultaneous consideration of flows, structure, link importance and nodal accessibility. / Arts, Faculty of / Geography, Department of / Graduate

Since 1966, the condominium form of housing has represented a steadily increasing proportion of the housing market in British Columbia. Due to its relative novelty, condominium owners were to some extent acquiring an unknown quantity prior to purchase. It is the aim of this study to delineate the housing experience, specifically residential satisfaction, of these owners to date. In addition, the paucity of research on the measurement of residential satisfaction has suggested a direction of inquiry which could be further explored. A questionnaire survey was employed as the major data gathering device in two municipalities in the Greater Vancouver area. Various statistical techniques, primarily discriminant and regression analysis were used to test three specific hypotheses regarding condominium. These hypotheses were: (1) The housing expectation (relative satisfactions) of condominium owners is not matched by the reality of their situation. (2) The area (municipality) in which condominium owners live is a significant factor in distinguishing between owners as regards their socio-economic characteristics and their perceived relationship with their residential environment. (3) The attitudes and behaviour patterns of condominium owners vary significantly in relation to differing sizes of condominium projects. Generally, the first hypothesis was proven false while the other two hypotheses were proven true. In summary, the study approach was useful in achieving some relevant feedback on the views and attitudes of condominium owners, and in suggesting a method to test the accountability of condominium housing policies and procedures. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

Because of increasing technological change in work situations, adult education has begun to focus more upon the role of occupations in urbanized societies. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between participation in adult education and measures of occupational status, category, mobility, and job satisfaction among non-farm residents of two rural areas in British Columbia. West Kootenay and Vanderhoof West, representing areas of low and high socio-economic standing, were selected for analysis from fifteen areas surveyed by the ARDA Canada Land Inventory Socio-Economic Project in British Columbia. Interview schedules completed in 1967 surveys of those areas were used as the source of data. Excluded were schedules for farmers, retired, and unemployed persons. The West Kootenay sample consisted of 104 respondents, twenty of whom were participants in adult education, while Vanderhoof West was represented by 130 respondents, including twenty-four participants. Opportunities for participation in adult education appeared to be equal between the two areas, although the areas differed significantly with respect to the distribution of courses among functions of adult education. Participants differed significantly from non-participants as they had higher occupational status than non-participants in both survey areas. West Kootenay participants exhibited upward sequential job mobility to a significantly greater extent than did West Kootenay non-participants. A general trend for participants to have greater upward occupational mobility than non-participants was evident, although the differences were not always significant. When participants in both areas were compared, no significant differences were found with respect to any of the four occupational variables. The results of the study suggest that participation in adult education by non-farm residents of rural British Columbia is not strongly associated with occupational measures. / Education, Faculty of / Educational Studies (EDST), Department of / Graduate

An ecological study of grassland communities separated by fence lines in the Southern Interior of British Columbia was conducted from spring 1968 to spring 1969. Measurements to compare plant species composition, herbage yield, growth habits and edaphic features on both sides of the fences were taken in the field. Soil organic matter was determined in the laboratory and moisture penetration patterns were demonstrated in the greenhouse. Heavy grazing resulted in the removal of the principal climax caespitose species and their replacement by shrubs, annuals and rhizomatous grasses. There were reductions in the composition, herbage yield and vigor of the caespitose species at all sites following heavy grazing. The success of the increasers under heavy grazing seemed to be favored by possession of rhizomes, presence of unpalatable flowering culms and inflorescences, shortness of tillers and an elaborate means of seed dispersal. The vegetational changes introduced by grazing on the heavily grazed side, resulted in a high level of organic matter in the top 25 cm. of soil, a high soil moisture content and high summer and low winter soil temperatures. The dense vegetation on the lightly grazed side modified both summer and winter soil temperatures. A technique was developed to determine the ability of caespitose grasses to redistribute moisture in the soil. It was demonstrated that aerial parts of Agropyron spicatum collect light rains and concentrate them in the rooting zone of the plant. This phenomenon is likely to be one of the adaptive features which enables caespitose species to dominate arid habitats. It is possible that the great susceptibility of Agropyron spicatum and other caespitose grasses to heavy grazing might be related to soil moisture disturbances introduced by the removal of aerial parts of the plants. / Land and Food Systems, Faculty of / Graduate

This study was initiated to determine the impact of clear-cutting, slashburning and skidroads on deep (>3 feet) coarse glacial soils at low elevations (<1000 ft. above sea level) of coastal British Columbia. Infiltration capacity, as measured with double-ring, constant-head infiltrometers, was the main measure of physical-hydrologic soil condition. The relationships between infiltration capacity and soil variables, including aeration porosity, total porosity, bulk density, texture, organic matter content and antecedent soil water content, were examined. The average infiltration rates of the undisturbed, forested areas were 17.92 inches/hour on well-drained acid brown wooded soil and 25.99 inches/hour on well-drained degraded acid brown wooded soil. Skidroads caused drastic reductions in infiltration. Average infiltration over a three hour period was 3.66 inches/hour on well-drained acid brown wooded soil three years after moderate skid-road use, 12.36 inches/hour on well drained degraded acid brown wooded soil three years after light skidroad use and 5.33 inches/ hour on moderately well-drained orthic podsol soil ten years after heavy skidroad use. Slashburning significantly reduced infiltration, although not to the levels of skidroads. Two years after burning, average infiltration over a three hour period was 13.42 inches/hour on well- drained acid brown uooded soil and 17.87 inches/hour on well-drained degraded acid brown wooded. Clearcutting did not significantly alter infiltration. Average infiltration over a three hour period was 2D.51 inches/hour on well-drained degraded acid brown wooded soil and 20.17 inches/hour on moderately well-drained orthic podsol soil. Some of the variations in infiltration by treatment and soil type are explained with the aid of multiple regression techniques. / Forestry, Faculty of / Graduate

The purpose of this thesis was to estimate the commodity trade flows of British Columbia with all foreign countries and with the Rest of Canada. The general problems in the estimation of regional trade flows, the available literature on the subject, as well as two prior studies of British Columbia's commodity trade are discussed briefly. Exports and imports are estimated separately and are analyzed by commodity groups. The estimates of exports are calculated with the help of the available production and shipments statistics and the data on railway freight traffic. Because of the nature of British Columbia's exports it was frequently feasible to employ the national customs ports data in the estimation of trade flows to foreign countries. It was found that the provincial customs ports data underestimate the magnitude of exports, especially exports to the united States. As a result of the uniquness of many of the important commodities which are exported from British Columbia, the magnitude of exports could be determined with a relatively high degree of accuracy. Estimates of exports to the Rest of Canada have been based on the transport statistics or have been calculated as residual by subtracting from the shipment data an estimate of foreign exports as well as an estimate of the provincial disappearance. The Estimates of commodity imports have been based primarily on estimates of consumption within the Province. The estimates of foreign imports depend mainly on the accuracy of the provincial customs ports data, although in some cases an estimate of transshipment through British Columbia to other parts of Canada has been made. Commodity imports from the Rest of Canada have again been estimated as a residual. In this case an estimate of foreign imports minus foreign exports and an estimate of production has been subtracted from the estimates of consumption. The possible sources of bias resulting from errors in the data or from invalid assumptions are taken into consideration. The estimates are summarized in the text. All details of the calculations have been put into the Appendices. / Arts, Faculty of / Vancouver School of Economics / Graduate

The purpose of this study was to explore, analyze and attempt to answer a series of questions involving changes in the negotiated base wage rates in three British Columbia Industries during the 1958-1969 time period. The three industries were the lumber and logging industry, the pulp and paper industry and the construction industry. Changes in the industry base wage rates were examined from the point of view of the bargaining units. In total seven bargaining units were included. One of the units represented the lumber and logging industry, another unit represented the pulp and paper industry and the remaining five units represented the construction industry. The first question upon which the paper focused was how did the changes in the base wage rates compare with one another? After explaining the nature of the bargaining units and presenting the base rates, the base rates were then compared in both absolute and percentage terms. Among other results, it was found that the absolute base rate rankings remained unchanged during the 1958-1966 time period. But since that time the rankings and the relative positions of the construction industry bargaining units have changed quite markedly. It was also found that there was a positive correlation between the mean percentage increase in the base rate and the standard deviation of the base rates when all the industries were considered. The second question of concern was how did the changes in the base wage rates move in relation to one another? The statistical tool of correlation analysis was employed to find an answer to this question. The results of the analysis substantiated the often made assumption that the base rates in the lumber and logging and the pulp and paper bargaining units are closely related to one another. However the often made assumption that the base rates in the construction industry bargaining units are very closely related was not substantiated by the results of the correlation analysis. The third question the paper focused on was how did the changes in the base wage rates move in relation to changes in select economic variables? The economic variables studied were the consumer price index, employment, unemployment, profits and productivity. As in the previous question, correlation analysis was employed to measure the relationships. In general the results of the analysis indicated that base rate changes move in close relation to changes in unemployment. The lumber and logging and the pulp and paper units correlated well with the equivalent year changes in unemployment. The construction industry units, on the other hand, correlated well with the one year lag changes in the unemployment variable. The results also indicated that the consumer price index variable correlated quite closely with most of the bargaining units. The other economic variables, in the majority of cases, showed weak or nonexistent relationships with base rate changes. The final question upon which the paper focused was what was the explanation for the differences in the interindustry base wage rate changes? Five explanatory variables were considered. These were market or competitive conditions, productivity differences, differences in the degree of concentration and unionization and differences in the proportion of labour costs to total costs. After a discussion of each of these explanatory variables it was concluded that the market or competitive conditions explain the differences in the interindustry base wage rate changes. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

Rigid zoning by-laws that were a logical solution to land-use control in the North American social milieu resulted in an equally logical wish for more flexibility in land-use controls. Experiments resulting from this brought about various devices to make zoning more flexible in its application. One of these devices was zoning for comprehensively planned developments. The need to improve this zoning device is important because an increasing number of large-scale developments are built in our cities as they seem more suitable to modern living conditions than the single house on a single lot. In Vancouver, the city of the case study, such a zoning device for large-scale developments of mixed land-uses has existed since 1956 in the form of the CD-I district schedule. Since that time various criticisms have been levelled against it. These criticisms were collected in this paper and an attempt was made to rectify what was found at fault in the CD-I schedule. Means to rectify these faults were taken from planning experiences in Vancouver, B. C.; Canada, the United States and Great Britain. Several major solutions were found suitable as a result of this study. It was seen necessary to have a general development plan for the city before any rezoning to CD-I projects should be allowed. Without such a plan it would not be possible to assess the impact of each development, and rezoning decisions would, as a result, be very arbitrary. A general development plan does not exist in Vancouver. A further fault was found in the absence of any guide-lines in the CD-I schedule. Developers, property owners, planners and City Council cannot properly assess what constitutes a proper CD-I project without them. Much misuse of the CD-I schedule results from this. Suggestions to rectify these misuses are to clarify the objectives of CD-I zones. Out of these objectives certain standards should be set in respect to land parcel sizes, requirement of a minimum of two land-uses, completion dates of the project, placing of performance bonds for fulfilment of imposed conditions and others. It was also suggested that a clause be inserted in the existing zoning schedules which would permit comprehensively planned developments of a similar land-use as in the respective schedules. Because the CD-I schedule leaves much discretionary power to civic officials, certain needs to check these were also found to be important considerations. Suggestions were made to have each alderman record his reasoning for permitting a rezoning and to provide a cooling-off period after a public hearing before decisions were made. Finally, it was found that with the increasing complexity of planning a provincial review board of planning experts should be established to hear appeals of aggrieved citizens. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate