Latest news with #activeTransportation
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Federal government and East Gwillimbury partner to help residents walk a new path
EAST GWILLIMBURY, ON, July 9, 2025 /CNW/ - East Gwillimbury will expand its active transportation network thanks to a joint investment of $7.6 million with the federal government and York Region. The project will build 1.5 kilometres of new multi-use path along Yonge Street in the downtown core. Work will include installing wayfinding signage and beautifying the streetscape with plantings, benches and seating walls. By establishing an accessible link between the Nokiidaa Trail and the Doane Road Pedestrian Bridge, this project will provide a vibrant streetscape enhancement through the core of Holland Landing, while extending York Region's Lake-to-Lake trail network. Walking, cycling, rolling and other methods of active transportation are healthy, convenient, affordable and sustainable ways for residents to get around. Once complete, this project will help make getting around East Gwillimbury easier and more enjoyable. It will help encourage more people to get out of their cars and onto the trails, reducing traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions. Quotes "Infrastructure investments that enable Canadians to stay connected and active are necessary for vibrant and safe communities. This new trail will add more than 2,000 steps, and with construction this summer, residents can look forward to many more enjoyable journeys in East Gwillimbury." The Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure "This investment in active transportation is an investment in the health, sustainability, and the connectivity of our community. We're proud to partner with the federal government on this transformative project, which will further connect our community, encourage active lifestyles, and enhance the beauty and vibrancy of our town. The support for active transportation in the Yonge Street Revitalization project means that, together with our federal partners, we're building a more accessible and livable East Gwillimbury." Her Worship Virginia Hackson, Mayor of the Town of East Gwillimbury Quick Facts The federal government is investing $3,780,000 in this project through the Active Transportation Fund (ATF), and the Town of East Gwillimbury in partnership with York Region are contributing $3,820,000. In addition to today's investment, East Gwillimbury will also benefit from an investment through the Green Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The investment is supporting a project to upgrade watermains in several locations around East Gwillimbury including the ATF project site. Active transportation refers to the movement of people or goods powered by human activity. It includes walking, cycling and the use of human-powered or hybrid mobility aids such as wheelchairs, scooters, e-bikes, rollerblades, snowshoes, cross-country skis, and more. In support of Canada's National Active Transportation Strategy, the Active Transportation Fund was launched in 2021 to provide $400 million to make travel by active transportation easier, safer, more convenient, and more enjoyable. The Canada Public Transit Fund (CPTF) will provide an average of $3 billion a year of permanent funding to respond to local transit needs by enhancing integrated planning, improving access to public transit and active transportation, and supporting the development of more affordable, sustainable, and inclusive communities. The CPTF supports transit and active transportation investments in three streams: Metro Region Agreements, Baseline Funding, and Targeted Funding. Visit the Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada website for more information. The federal government has also launched an Active Transportation Online Hub. This webpage provides resources related to active transportation, such as data and research, policies, success stories on projects across Canada, and information on the federal government's active transportation investments. Associated Links Active Transportation Fundhttps:// National Active Transportation Strategyhttps:// Strengthened Climate Planhttps:// Housing and Infrastructure Project Maphttps:// Follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedInWeb: Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada SOURCE Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities View original content: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CBC
08-07-2025
- Health
- CBC
Toronto seniors want to bike, study shows, and advocates want the city to help them get riding
Rhoda Potter, a 75-year-old Scarborough resident, says she rides her bike at least once a week. She says the activity is good for health and well-being and that more "older adults" — as she says many people aged 65 and up prefer to be called — would also like to take it up, but safety concerns and a lack of accessible cycling infrastructure are holding them back. Potter was among a group that appealed to the city earlier this week, asking the city to make cycling a key component of Toronto Public Health's strategic plan for 2024 to 2028 — a tenet of which is the creation of age-inclusive communities that work for seniors. "Many times we focus on cycling with the younger groups," Potter told CBC Radio's Metro Morning on Tuesday. "But we see the benefits for the older adults to get out there, get moving. The mobility issues can improve when you're out and about." According to a new report from non-profit Cycle Toronto, only 38 per cent of Torontonians who are 65 and older meet the federally-recommended 150 minutes of weekly physical activity, while 40 per cent of Canadians who are 50-years-old and above are at risk of social isolation. Cycling is part of the solution to both problems, said Alison Stewart, director of advocacy and public policy for Cycle Toronto, at a news conference on Monday where she presented the report. She said active transportation can keep seniors active and outgoing, and age shouldn't stop them. The report noted that 86 per cent of the seniors would like access to learn-to-ride programs, but Stewart said many of the seniors surveyed said that they do not have access to bikes or they don't know how to use Bike Share stations. "Despite the well-documented benefits of biking and walking, seniors are often overlooked in policies and planning that shape the public realm and safety," Stewart said. "If we want to create an equitable, dynamic, vibrant city that's safe and accessible to people of all ages, abilities and incomes, then it really begins by making our streets safer for people walking and biking," she said. The city is committed to long-term improvements to cycling policies, programs and infrastructure, Coun. Chris Moise, chair of the city's board of health, said at Monday's news conference. "We recognize that expanding access to cycling programs and offering a range of e-bikes and adaptive bike styles is crucial to making cycling a viable option for our seniors," he said.
CTV News
11-06-2025
- General
- CTV News
Bikes lanes coming to Station Street in Saint John
A commonly travelled Saint John street is about to undergo a 'road diet.' The city has announced plans for Station Street and City Road – stretching from Smythe Street to just east of the Stanley Street pedestrian bridge – to be reduced from a four-lane roadway to three to accommodate new bikes lanes. The three lanes of traffic will consist of two through lanes going either way, and a centre turning lane. Designated bike lanes will be present on either side of the road along the curb. 'Combined with the existing sidewalks, this redesign will create a key active transportation corridor in line with MoveSJ , Saint John's Transportation Plan,' the city said in a press release. 'This corridor is part of Saint John's section of the Trans Canada Trail , linking Harbour Passage and the Stanley Street pedestrian bridge, and further connecting the South Central Peninsula to Rockwood Park.' Saint John Bike Lanes A commonly travelled Saint John street is about to undergo a 'road diet.' (Source: City of Saint John) City studies by the Federal Highway Administration show road diets can reduces crashes anywhere from 19 to 47 per cent. Saint John has already undergone 'road diets' on a number of streets, including Metcalf and Somerset Streets, as well as Milledgeville and University Avenue. The city is committed to make 20 per cent of trips within its limits possible by using sustainable transportation methods as part of its Strategic Plan . No timeline was given for when the road transformation will begin. For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTV News
09-06-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Halifax Cycling Coalition to hold rally against motion to stop bike lane construction
The Halifax Cycling Coalition is holding a rally to voice its opposition to Mayor Andy Fillmore's motion that, if passed, would immediately halt the construction of new bike lanes in the municipality. The rally will be held at City Hall at 8 a.m. on Tuesday. The motion calls for a pause on awarding any contracts for new bike lane designs or construction capital projects. The pause would continue until a staff report assessing the 'feasibility of alternative network solutions' that could reach active transportation goals while maintaining or improving the flow of traffic is complete. 'This motion is not about stopping progress,' said Fillmore in an open letter. 'It's about sequencing progress properly. Right now, we're seeing road space reduced before alternatives like reliable transit or safe, connected bike routes are in place.' The Halifax Cycling Coalition called Fillmore's motion 'politically motivated, not good transportation policy' in its post about the upcoming rally. 'Halifax enjoys the second highest rate of people cycling and walking of all Canadian cities,' the post reads. 'Do we want to jeopardize that? 'Cycling and walking make for a healthier population, reducing pressure on the healthcare system. At the same time we reduce greenhouse gases, particulate emissions, noise, and road violence.' Council will vote on the motion at their meeting on Tuesday. More to come… Halifax Bike Lane A green bike lane marker is pictured in Halifax, N.S. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
CBC
07-06-2025
- Business
- CBC
Halifax mayor defends motion to temporarily pause new bike lane infrastructure
Halifax Mayor Andy Fillmore is defending a motion he intends to put forward next week at regional council to temporarily pause awarding new design and construction contracts for bike lanes. In his memo to colleagues, which was posted to Reddit on Friday, Fillmore said the move is in response to frustration among residents and business owners over "worsening traffic congestion" and the escalating project costs for the AAA (all ages and abilities) bicycle network. Fillmore stated the municipality is also failing to deliver a "balanced and efficient mobility system" as per its integrated mobility plan. Fillmore told CBC Radio's Mainstreet Halifax on Friday that his goal is to build cycling infrastructure and active transportation infrastructure "in the right way, in a way that doesn't create the very unfortunate backlash that is very real in our city right now." The mayor said he'd like to create cycling infrastructure in Halifax that doesn't sacrifice the needs of others who use the roads, like bus drivers, people who ride the bus, delivery and commercial vehicle drivers, people who have to drive in a car because they're not on a bus route, and those who aren't able to ride bikes. "We have to have a very balanced approach and I just push back on any commentary that we're facing some sort of a binary choice," Fillmore told Mainstreet. "This is very much a pause so that we can all move forward together in a mindful way that reflects the changing reality we have in our growing and busy city." Only applies to tenders not yet awarded Fillmore said the municipal bicycle network was only meant to cost $25 million. He said $16 million has already been spent, but that the budget for the project now is $93 million. "That leaves $77 million yet to be spent. Only $8 million will come from provincial and federal sources, and that leaves an unexpected $69 million to be funded through the municipal tax rate," Fillmore said. Fillmore said construction being done right now will be finished. Tenders identified in the capital budget for the next four years — but not yet awarded — would be put on hold. "This gives us an opportunity to have staff come back to us with a list of all those projects that are in that capital budget with a red light or a green light," he said, adding projects that threaten to "worsen congestion" will be paused. "All that red light means is, OK, we're just going to take a redesign here," Fillmore continued. "I expect a great percentage of the project on that list will get a green light and may only have a holdup of a month or two." 'Misguided proposal' David Trueman, the chair of the Halifax Cycling Coalition, called Fillmore's recommendation a "misguided proposal." He's calling on people to write to their regional councillor and urge them to vote against it. "We just got the cycling infrastructure projects back on track with the report to council from staff where they took the plan that was supposed to be delivered by the end of 2024 and they presented a detailed plan to get to it by 2028," Trueman said. "If we have a temporary pause, this is going to be delayed by years. We have a lot of staff and consultants tied up in designing these infrastructure protects, which take years through the pipeline. If you stop the pipeline, the flow is cut off and there can be untold delays and escalating costs." Trueman said the roads are already built and cycling is catching up. He said the upkeep cost on cycling infrastructure is a tiny fraction of what it would be for road costs. Divisive issue "These projects include all the costs of revamping a given street, and often there are other aspects of the road improvement ... [that] reduce the impact on car traffic," he said, citing a flyover bicycle bridge planned for the Macdonald Bridge site. "If we weren't worried about cars, we could do a much less expensive solution there. It's our propensity to avoid any impact to cars that raises the cost of cycling." Trueman said he thinks Fillmore's proposal is politically motivated. "Halifax has the second highest rate of active transportation of any city in Canada. Surely we don't want to throw that away," he said. "But what Andy Fillmore is keying in on is that cycling is a divisive issue. There's maybe 30 per cent of the population that has their doubts or their objections to it and he wants to create a wedge issue."
