The District of North Vancouver is moving ahead with plans to install digital advertising displays at seven bus shelters after council authorised staff to enter negotiations with Pattison Outdoor Advertising. Staff say the agreement could generate annual revenue for the municipality while also offering free space for civic messages and the ability to display emergency alerts.
Revenue, locations and municipal use
Under the proposal, the district would receive 25 per cent of net revenues from each shelter. Pattison estimated that the revenue return for all seven sites could be approximately $95,000 to $142,000 annually, depending on future demand and ad sales.
Pattison has been replacing static paper advertising with digital displays across the Lower Mainland since 2017, including in neighbouring municipalities. The company will continue to cover the construction, operation and maintenance costs for shelters fitted with digital ads under the terms being negotiated, according to the district staff report.
“Pattison is offering one ad space at each shelter for the district to use at no cost to share municipal and community messages.”
The digital screens would run a rotating cycle of ads — eight ads on a 64‑second loop, with each ad displayed for roughly eight seconds. The network also can be used to display emergency alerts, coordinated through Pattison’s Network Operations Centre with the RCMP and provincial authorities.
Where the shelters would go
Five of the proposed locations are at existing bus stops and two are new shelters. The staff report identified the following locations as high‑traffic sites that Pattison must still approve before construction can proceed:
- Westbound Mt Seymour Parkway at Seymour Boulevard
- Eastbound Mt Seymour Parkway at Seymour Boulevard (new)
- Eastbound Marine Drive at Capilano Road
- Westbound Marine Drive at Capilano Road
- Eastbound Dollarton Highway at Amherst Avenue
- Westbound Dollarton Highway at Amherst Avenue
- Southbound Mountain Highway at Lynn Valley Road (new)
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Shelters proposed | 7 |
| District revenue share | 25% of net revenues |
| Estimated annual revenue | $95,000–$142,000 |
Process and public interest
Council passed the motion to proceed at its last meeting before the summer break on July 20. The meeting record notes a conflict of interest declaration: Coun. Jordan Back recused himself from the vote.
Beyond the revenue potential, staff highlighted municipal uses of the ad space. Pattison has offered the district one complimentary ad slot at each shelter to promote municipal and community messaging at no cost. The capability to show emergency alerts — coordinated with law enforcement and provincial officials — was also emphasised as a public‑safety benefit.
Negotiations must still conclude and Pattison must approve shelter siting before construction begins. The district could consider adding other locations in future, but any expansion would require final approval from both the district and Pattison Outdoor Advertising.
For residents, the change will be visible at street level: bus shelter glass will host digital screens cycling short ads every minute. For the municipality, the screens represent a new revenue stream with an obvious municipal communication upside, balanced against questions communities often raise about advertising in public space.
Further details about the negotiated terms, timelines for installation and opportunities for public feedback will be released by the district as negotiations with Pattison proceed.
