Building a Bicycle-Friendly Ontario

1. Building a Bicycle-Friendly Ontario Lake Erie Cycling Route Mobile Workshop September 2011

2. Overview • Share the Road Cycling Coalition • Context: The Cycling Movement • The Active Communities Pledge • Bicycle Friendly Communities Program

3. Mission & Vision • To make Ontario bicycle-friendly for everyone: • Enhancing access for bicyclists on roads and trails • Improving safety for all bicyclists • Educating citizens on the values and importance of safe bicycling for health lifestyles and communities • To make Ontario the most bike-friendly jurisdiction in the world

4. Strategic Directions • Engaging people and promoting cycling • Enabling a shift to pro-cycling attitudes (‘changing the conversation’) • Building the capacity of the cycling movement - skills, funding, policy and programs • Advocating for municipal and provincial government action • Legislative Reform (Greg’s Law 2009) • Two PMBs (One metre law; paved shoulder legislation) • OBIF – Ontario Bicycling Investment Fund $25 M

5. Highlights from 2010-2011

6. Highlights from 2010-2011 • Green Paper on Bicycling in Ontario “When Ontario Bikes, Ontario Benefits” • Ontario Bicycle Policy update (1992 last policy developed) led by Minister Wynne • Strategic Plan Development • 5 Regional/Local Bike Summits: Peterborough – March; Sault Ste. Marie – April; Guelph – May; Essex – October; London • Cycling Tourism – partnerships, • Ontario Bicycle Summits (Burlington, Ottawa)

7. Highlights from 2010-2011 • Panel: Ontario Good Roads/Rural Ontario Municipalities Association (first panel on cycling) • Two Rounds: Bicycle Friendly Communities Program • Eight “Share the Road Rides” Ontario • Wheeling to School Pilot Program • Several local, community presentations: Windsor, Essex, London, Petawawa, Oshawa, Kingston, Coburg, Minden, Sault Ste. Marie, Algoma • Advocacy Tool Kit – Election Strategy development • Election Platforms: NDP, Green Party have Cycling/AT in their platforms, infrastructure $ • Ontario Medical Association Policy on Cycling (August 2011)

8. Cycling Movement: The Big Picture • Growing recognition of the many benefits of cycling (the conversation is changing): • Improved personal health (less obesity and diabetes, reduced healthcare costs) • Improved quality of life and more livable communities • Addressing climate change and air pollution • Transportation solutions (reduced cost and less congestion) • Economic Development (cycling industry, tourism and leisure)

9. The Big Picture • Building Bike-Friendly Communities • Broad, durable and long-term cycling policy embedded in transportation policy • Engaged government and legislative agendas that promote active transportation • Infrastructure enabling and encouraging safe cycling for all • Major initiatives: • Europe • U.S. • Canada = Route Verte, 4300 km bike through Quebec

10. Bicycling in Ontario: The Bad News… • Unlike BC + PQ, Ontario has... • NO clear Active Transportation policy framework • NO taxation or financing arrangements to support bike infrastructure in local municipalities • NO job creation plan linked to the business of bicycles

11. Bicycling in Ontario: The Good News… Expert Survey

12. Green Paper on Bicycling in Ontario • Launched March 2010 • Basis for an Ontario Bicycle Policy, a set of priorities for creating a “Bicycle Friendly Ontario” • Action Plan for provincial government • An advocacy tool • Lobbying for change; 2011 provincial election

13. Ontario Bicycle Policy • This is the first such Policy in 19 years. • Draft follows many recommendations outlined in Share the Road`s 2010 Green Paper • Assist MTO to promote cycling • Will serve to improve the conditions for the use of bicycles in the province • Municipalities will be allowed to apply for upgrades to roads within their jurisdiction

14. Ontario Bicycle Policy • Focus: increasing trips by bicycle • Assist municipalities • Address infrastructure issues such as the need for paved shoulders – a 1.5 metre shoulder on new construction and on existing highways when they are expanded or rehabilitated • Will make provisions for cyclists in provincial rights- of- way

15. Ontario Bicycle Policy • Broad areas: Education and Awareness; Road user safety; legislation and policies • Will support the development of an Ontario Bicycle Route to encourage bicycle tourism in Ontario • It will provide for enhanced cooperation within government via an inter-ministerial active transportation committee • MTO is providing a process to share the cost of improvements requested by municipalities

16. Bicycling in Ontario: The Good News • Stakeholder support is strong and growing • AMO (Association of Municipalities of Ontario) • OPPI (Ontario Professional Planners Institute) • OACP (Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police) • CAA • Cycling movement in Ontario continues to grow, building capacity and diversity • OBS, regional summits, regional rides and municipal initiatives, tourism initiatives • Growing public support for measures to promote cycling

17. Bicycling in Ontario: The Good News • Stakeholder support is strong and growing • AMO (Association of Municipalities of Ontario) • OPPI (Ontario Professional Planners Institute) • OACP (Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police) • CAA • Cycling movement in Ontario continues to grow, building capacity and diversity • OBS, regional summits, regional rides and municipal initiatives, tourism initiatives • Growing public support for measures to promote cycling

18. Support for Cycling: Poll Results (June 2011) • 28% of Ontarians are regular cyclists (at least once a month) – up from 24% 2009 • 2-out-of-3 say they ride for health and exercise • 36% ride for reasons of cost (gas prices, general cost of driving/parking) • 20% ride because it’s better for the environment • A solid majority (53%) would like to cycle more often

19. Support for Cycling: Poll Results (June 2011) • 2-out-of-3 Ontarians (65%) agree that ‘where I live, cyclists need more bike lanes/paved shoulders’ • 58% believe the provincial gov’t. has a duty to support cycling as a choice for Ontarians

20. Support for Cycling: Poll Results (June 2011) • 67% agree that ‘if the province is going to spend money on roads, it should earmark a portion of that spending to meet the needs of cyclists’ • 69% believe that ‘As healthcare costs rise in Ontario, the provincial government should invest in cycling infrastructure so that more people could leave their car at home and ride a bike instead’

21. A New Context: Changing the Conversation

22. A New Context Emerges • Cycling increasingly seen as a legitimate transportation choice for Ontarians • Pent-up desire to ride can drive a new focus on more/better cycling infrastructure, to increase safety for all road users including cyclists • Result is more cycling – with all the resulting health benefits, lower costs/pollution, safer streets, more vibrant communities

23. Bicycle Friendly Communities Initiative

24. Bicycle Friendly Communities • Launched the Bicycle Friendly Community program – AMO 2010 • Based on successful U.S. partnership model: Bikes Belong, League of American Bicyclists; Trek Bicycles • Canadian version: Bicycle Trade Association of Canada

25. Bicycle Friendly Communities Initiative • Started in 1996 • Civic pride initiative, benchmark for communities • Best practice models • Roadmap for improvements • 4 Award levels • Platinum • Gold • Silver • Bronze

26. Bicycle Friendly Communities Initiative • Application Criteria: 5 “Es” • Engineering – physical environment • Education - both cyclists and motorists • Encouragement- promotion, events, route finding, commuting incentive, active/safe routes to school

27. Bicycle Friendly Communities Initiative • Application Criteria: • Enforcement – targeted enforcement, police on bikes, by-laws that promote safety • Evaluation & Planning – current programs, future planning: measuring cycling now; crash and fatality rates, plans for improving these numbers; Bicycle Plan, progress

28. Bicycle Friendly Communities Initiative • Application Review: • Reviewed by staff and external reviewers • Feedback from local cyclists and advocates • Benefits: • Recognition • Promotion • Benchmarking • Technical help • Inspiration

29. Bicycle Friendly Communities Initiative • Progress: - Developed provincial advisory panel, Canadian application - Partnership with AMO (Association of Municipalities of Ontario) to raise awareness, deliver program - Two Rounds 2011 - Ottawa Spring 2011 (Ottawa, Waterloo – Silver; Ajax, Windsor – Bronze) - AMO 2011 (Hamilton – Silver; Town of Blue Mountain, London, Oshawa – Bronze)

30. The provincial election: A key opportunity to… • Animate the cycling community and wider public support among Ontarians who want to cycle more • Extend and consolidate municipal stakeholder support • Press for concrete action on cycling infrastructure from province (Election 2011) • Lay the basis for a more ambitious bicycle-friendly agenda for Ontario

31. The Active Communities Pledge Campaign The Active Communities Pledge is an initiative of Share the Road Cycling Coalition to encourage individuals and communities to become champions for cycling and other active transportation options in the October 6, 2011 provincial elections.

32. The Campaign www.activecommunitiespledge.ca

33. The Active Communities Pledge Campaign • Asks candidates for provincial office (also voters/residents) to commit to: • Promote Active Transportation • Work to create Ontario Bicycle Infrastructure Fund (OBIF) - $25m starting point in 2012 – to build lanes/pave shoulders etc. in cities and towns • Support municipalities in applying for designation as Bicycle-Friendly Communities (BFC)

34. The Active Communities Pledge Campaign

35. ACP Objectives • Focus political and public attention on the opportunity for a Bicycle-Friendly Ontario • Encourage candidate/voters to work for the cause of cycling/AT • Inform voters of where their candidates stand on active transportation • Show that the time has come for the province to answer calls for budgetary support for cycling infrastructure

36. What can you do? • Submit a BFC Application • Take the Pledge • Talk to your MPP and candidates • Put “Livable Communities” on the election agenda • Cycling tourism creates/maintains jobs – should be on the provincial agenda • Healthcare, transportation – election issues • How is our province playing a role in livable communities?

37. Thank you… We look forward to working with you to create a Bicycle-Friendly Ontario!