We are pleased to announce that registration is now open for Complete Streets Forum.
The Complete Streets Forum will take place on April 23, 2010 at The Fairmont Royal York in Toronto. There will also be pre-conference activities taking place on April 22, 2010 at various locations.
BikeSauce, a new volunteer-run, registered non-profit organization dedicated to promoting cycling in Toronto, is the most recent organization to join TCAT's growing list of supporters. BikeSauce has three goals:
On February 10th, TCAT was pleased to join other environmental leaders in a press conference organized by the Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA) to release their municipal election priorities for 2010. One of TEA's six key action items is a Complete Streets policy for Toronto. Read TEA's press release here.
In the last TCAT News we noted that the bulk of the Toronto media coverage of January's pedestrian fatalities was unbalanced by concentrating more on pedestrian behaviour than on street design. We are happy to report that there has been some excellent coverage in recent weeks. Follow the links below for some of the best we've seen or heard.
#voteTOin416 is an innovative event featuring fourteen speakers who have been selected to pitch their alternative visions of a better City of Toronto in four minutes and 16 seconds or less. Nancy Smith Lea, TCAT's Program Director, will talk about the need for a complete streets policy that ensures that streets are designed for the safety and comfort of all road users.
Date: Thursday, February 11
Time: Doors: 6:00 p.m., Presentations and performances: 6:30pm-8:30pm
The City of Toronto's Cycling Infrastructure and Programs unit is hosting a Public Open House on proposed upgrades to the existing multi-use paths in Trinity Bellwoods Park. It will be important for cyclists and pedestrians to attend and share their feedback on the proposed realignment and resurfacing, both with City staff and fellow park users.
Date: Wednesday, February 24
Time: 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Location: Trinity C.R.C., 155 Crawford St., Assembly Hall
TCAT was invited to participate in an urban design workshop as part of the York-Bay-Yonge Interchange Reconfiguration Environmental Assessment. Participants explored design strategies and community building opportunities made possible by the proposed reconfiguration of the Gardiner Expressway interchange.
In a recent blog entry, the Alliance for Biking and Walking based in Washington, D.C. had some kind words to say about TCAT's Bike Summit 2009 videos and summary report.
Don't forget to save the date for TCAT's upcoming Complete Streets Forum taking place on April 22-23, 2010. Building on the success of TCAT's Bike Summit 2008 and 2009, the Complete Streets Forum will expand the mandate and scope of TCAT's annual active transportation policy conference. Registration opening soon!
The safety of our most vulnerable road users – cyclists and pedestrians – is of critical importance. As the recent pedestrian deaths in Toronto tragically highlight, this is clearly an urgent issue.
Thanks so much to all of TCAT's supporters who took the time to review and provide excellent feedback on the final draft of TCAT's new platform titled "Action 2014: Complete Streets and Active Transportation". Once we have worked through all of the feedback, the new platform will be uploaded to the TCAT website in an easy-to-read on-line format.
Last week the Toronto Bike Awards ceremony was once again co-hosted by the Toronto Cyclists Union and the City of Toronto. TCAT was pleased to hand out its second annual Active Transportation Champion award for an individual or organization that has worked to raise the profile of cycling or walking and its relationship to a high quality of urban life.
TCAT is gearing up for the Complete Streets Forum, April 22 - 23, 2010. We are currently looking for enthusiastic, dedicated volunteers for the following positions:
Web Design (Start date Feb. 8/ approx. 5 hours per week/1 person)
The Community Bicycle Network presents its WINTER OPEN HOUSE and BIKE AUCTION on Saturday January 30, 12pm-6pm, 761 Queen St W.
Live Auction of five of the legendary yellow Bikeshare bikes at 3pm
Silent Auction for high-end and unique vintage parts
All used parts just $2.00 for One Day Only.
Plus cookies and hot cocoa to help you warm up!
The City of Toronto Transportation Services is hosting an important public meeting:
Date: Monday February 1, 2010
Time: 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Location: Metro Hall, 55 John St. Room 308-309
The objective of this meeting is to get community input on proposed new downtown bikeways that the Transportation Services Cycling Infrastructure and Programs group is working on for 2010.
Topics will discuss concepts and criteria for new projects, including:
8-80 Cities (formerly Walk and Bike for Life) are holding an event open to the public in the evening of February 2nd from 6:30-8:30pm at The George Ignatieff Theatre located at 15 Devonshire Pl. At this event, three leading Car Free Sunday experts will share their knowledge and enthusiasm for this fantastic program and discuss how you can help bring Car Free Sundays to your own community. Download the flyer here.
We are pleased to share with you the final draft of TCAT's new platform titled "Action 2014: Complete Streets and Active Transportation". Once finalized, the new platform will be uploaded to the TCAT website in an easy-to-read on-line format. For now, if you would like to review the final draft you can download it in PDF format here. Please provide any final feedback to TCAT by Wednesday Jan 20th.
In May 2009, TCAT organized its second Bike Summit, a one-day bicycle policy conference. This popular event sold out in advance despite a bigger venue than for Bike Summit 2008. One of the goals beyond the event itself was to share more widely the knowledge and lessons learned with bicycle advocates, professionals and elected officials unable to join us in Toronto.
Waterfront Toronto and the City of Toronto are jointly undertaking a major study to determine the future of the eastern portion of the elevated Gardiner Expressway and Lake Shore Boulevard from approximately Lower Jarvis Street to just east of the Don Valley Parkway at Logan Avenue.
Waterfront Toronto, in partnership with the City of Toronto, completed a Class Environmental Assessment (EA) Study for the revitalization of Queens Quay in Toronto’s central waterfront. The purpose of the study was to create a plan for Queens Quay that successfully accommodates the various users – pedestrians, transit, cyclists, automobiles, recreational – while enhancing landscape and the public realm; and to develop and evaluate a number of alternative solutions and design concepts for pedestrian, transit, cycling, and automobile improvements along Queens Quay.
In August 2008, the City of Toronto initiated a Class Environmental Assessment Study for a pedestrian and cycle route/bridge over the railway corridors north of Fort York. This bridge is intended to provide a key link between Stanley Park to the north and the western area of the Fort York grounds to the south, improving connections to the waterfront.
In preparation for the upcoming municipal election, TCAT has been working through a process to review its 2006 platform and make updates for 2010. Following the background research, key interviews and meetings, on-line survey and public meeting on November 16, we are getting close to releasing a draft platform for our supporters to review and comment on before we finalize it and make it public. This final document will outline the coalition's priorities for the next term of Council to truly embrace and support biking and walking.
The Toronto Coalition for Active Transportation (TCAT), a project of the Clean Air Partnership since 2008, is organizing its third annual active transportation conference in Toronto on Apr 22-23, 2010. (Please note the one day date difference from what was announced in the most recent TCAT News.)
Asya Bidordinova, a UofT graduate student, is looking for participants in a survey that is part of her Master of Science in Planning thesis in the UofT Geography Department and Program in Planning. Both cyclists and non-cyclists commuting to the UofT St. George Campus on a regular basis are invited to participate in this survey.
This online survey is anonymous. It will take about 10 minutes of your time. To participate in the survey, please follow the link.
Four wonderful and talented volunteers stepped down from the TCAT steering committee this year: Laurel Atkinson, Gord Brown, Jennifer Niece, and Luke Rodgers. They each contributed so much to TCAT and are sorely missed already. Thanks so much to each of them for their time and energy in guiding TCAT and to their commitment to active transportation. A special recognition and heartfelt thanks goes out to Jen Niece for her dedication serving as the chair of TCAT's steering committee for nearly 3 years.
Did you know that you can support TCAT by making a donation to Clean Air Partnership and receive a charitable tax receipt? You would be helping TCAT to continue its important work and reduce your income taxes at the same time!
TCAT recently received a generous donation from an individual supporter. The donation was accompanied by these special instructions: "No strings attached except to use it to raise more money for TCAT." With that, we hope you will consider making a year-end gift to TCAT today to support our work.
It's been a busy couple of weeks here at TCAT as we continue to focus our attention on how to achieve streets that are safe and comfortable for all users.
Earlier this year, at the same time that the Toronto Walking Strategy was adopted, City Council directed Transportation Services staff to work with Ryerson University and the University of Toronto to design and implement two pedestrian street projects.
In the current issue of the Landscape Architect Quarterly “Ground”, an article written by landscape architect and health promoter Paul Young describes some of the work underway between health professionals and planners to promote active transportation infrastructure through participatory processes, including the work of TCAT.
"Health promoters and designers rely on organizations like TCAT to understand precedents so that we don’t “just do” the wrong thing."
TCAT recently received a generous donation from an individual supporter. The donation was accompanied by these special instructions: "No strings attached except to use it to raise more money for TCAT." With that, we hope you will consider making a year-end gift to TCAT today to support our work.
The 2010 Toronto municipal election campaigns will be upon us very soon, and in preparation for this TCAT is reviewing its 2006 platform and making updates for 2010. These updates will reflect the progress made on walking and bicycling over the past 3 years, as well as emerging active transportation ideas and priorities as a new term of city council takes office.
Streets designed for living? Where all users are not just considered but required in the design and redesign of our streets? That’s what we’re calling for with the Complete Streets Campaign!
Date: Monday, November 23
Time: 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Location: Metro Hall, 55 John Street, Room 302
Nancy Smith Lea, Program Director for the Toronto Coalition for Active Transportation, was invited to speak at the ACT Canada 2009 TDM Summit being held in Toronto November 15-18, 2009 at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel. Nancy will speak in the Active Transportation session about reallocating road space to improve the safety of cyclists.
The fourth in a series of eight excellent Toronto walkability reports was released this week - this most recent one featuring St James Town. This series seeks to understand and improve the walking environments in the high-rise apartment neighbourhoods in the inner suburbs of Toronto, with a particular focus on the priority sites identified in the Mayor's Tower Renewal program.
The Toronto Star has updated its commuting maps and they're worth a look. It's now possible to get quite a fine-grained look at the incredible variations in cycling and walking across Toronto.
A report released this week by Transportation for America titled Dangerous By Design: Solving the Epidemic of Preventable Pedestrian Deaths (and Making Great Neighborhoods) ranks the most dangerous metropolitan areas in the U.S. for pedestrians (Florida has the top 4) and the safest (Seattle, Portland and Minneapolis-St Paul.)
The Toronto Community Foundation (TCF), one of Canada's largest community foundations, currently has a call for proposals for their Vital Idea grant stream. TCF is particularly interested in seeing more applications from not-for-profits in Toronto that are addressing trends and opportunities related to GETTING AROUND (as identified in Toronto's Vital Signs).
Driven by facebook logistical reasons, TCAT has recently made the switch from a facebook group to a fan page. Now TCAT can appear in your news feed just like all your other facebook friends!
To receive updates on active transportation issues in Toronto, invitations to TCAT and other bike-related events, and much more, all you need to do is become our fan.
TCAT welcomes all supporters and friends to attend a short evening of discussion and consultation to join us in shaping TCAT's Platform for 2010.
Date: Monday, November 16
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Location: Metro Hall, Room 303
Streets designed for living? Where all users are not just considered but required in the design and redesign of our streets? That’s what we’re calling for with the Complete Streets Campaign!
Date: Monday, November 23
Time: 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Location: Metro Hall (room TBA)
The City of Toronto is proposing an amendment to the Official Plan to introduce area-specific policies for properties on Bloor Street West, between Avenue Road and Bathurst Street. The draft amendment is intended to implement a vision for the area as determined through the Bloor Corridor Visioning Study process, in consultation with the local community and area representatives.
Date: Tuesday, November 10
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Location: Committee Room 1, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 100 Queen St. W.
Each November the City's Budget Committee decides which divisions and what projects to allocate its capital budget for the next year. The committee sets aside one day to get feedback from the general public on these decisions.
Date: Friday, November 13
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Location: Committee Room 1, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 100 Queen St. W.
Roger Geller, bicycle coordinator for the City of Portland, Oregon, recently gave an inspired presentation to a standing-room only crowd at the Centre for Social Innovation.
A recent BBC podcast is worth checking out. Public Places, Private Lives is a series of portraits of well known places that reveal the lives and stories of those people who come to a famous spot not to gaze as tourists, but for work or for their own private reasons.
This episode is about Times Square in New York City and among the voices of irrepressible New Yorkers we hear Tim Tompkins of the Times Square Alliance talking about what happened when they put out the lawnchairs in the pedestrian zone. It will make you want to hop on the train for Penn Station.
A reminder, about this special event tomorrow night:
Livable Streets: Rethinking Urban Transportation. An evening of discussion with Roger Geller – Bicycle Coordinator, Portland, Oregon.
Date: Wednesday, October 21
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Location: Centre for Social Innovation, 215 Spadina Avenue, Suite 120
In the last TCAT News, we told you about an opportunity to provide input into the City of Toronto's bylaw harmonization process. Alan Heisey, a municipal lawyer and year-round Toronto cyclist for over 30 years has offered to compile any feedback that TCAT supporters provide him to improve the planning act bylaws for cyclists and pedestrians.
Fred Sztabinski's work is well underway to provide a review and update of TCAT's platform. On Nov 16th @ 7 pm (location TBA), TCAT will hold a public meeting for all stakeholders to get valuable feedback from YOU!
Enthusiasm and participation in TCAT and the Toronto Cyclists Union Complete Streets campaign continues to grow! The most recent version of The Strand published a great article about us last week that you can check out here.
TCAT has worked closely with the Toronto Cyclists Union since it launched last year, helping to build support for this exciting new organization. We are impressed by the excellent job the Toronto Cyclists Union is doing to represent cyclists both in the media and through their advocacy campaigns. They are growing fast but need help to maintain their growth. This upcoming fundraiser is a fun and visible opportunity to show support.
More information and tickets here.
On November 12th and 13th, Healthy Transport Consulting and the Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario is hosting its second annual road pricing conference. Two interactive workshops will focus on the public's perception of road pricing and how diverse stakeholders can discuss this complex issue in a meaningful way. Workshop details and registration here.
TCAT, in partnership with the Toronto Cyclists Union, The Clean Air Partnership, and the US Consulate General in Toronto, is happy to present:
TCAT is pleased to announce that Fred Sztabinski will be joining us this fall to assist us in reviewing and updating TCAT's platform.
We were extremely impressed by the amazing response to our posting for this contract, receiving over 90 applications. The quality of the candidates was very high making the selection process quite competitive.
TCAT was recently approached by Alan Heisey, a municipal lawyer and year-round Toronto cyclist for over 30 years. He has been reviewing the City of Toronto's new comprehensive zoning bylaw and believes that the sections pertaining to bicycle parking could be further improved.
The Toronto Cycling Advisory Committee (TCAC) put forward some recommendations to the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee that will be heard today. These recommendations include:
October is International Walk to School Month (IWALK), the annual, premier event of the Active & Safe Routes to School (ASRTS) program and a mass celebration of active transportation. Learn more about this international event and IWALK Day on October 7th here.
Roger Geller, Bicycle Coordinator in Portland's Office of Transportation will be in Toronto on October 21st. TCAT, in partnership with the Toronto Cyclists Union and the US Consulate General in Toronto, is happy to present a free public event to hear first-hand how Portland became the first major city in America to be designated as a Platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Community.
Stay tuned for more details coming soon.
Convincing city planners and engineers to consider ALL users of a road when it's being redesigned or built from scratch shouldn't be too hard right? You may be surprised to hear all the nitty-gritty of what the Complete Streets working group is digging up about why such a simple concept isn't already common practice at City Hall. Read Val Dodge's recent Torontoist article to find out more.
Effective October 3, 2009, e-bikes can now share the road with cars, pedestrians and other traffic throughout Ontario with new safety requirements.
TCAT was one of the organizations invited by the Ministry of Transportation to provide input into these regulations. We were pleased to see that these new safety requirements have been legislated since MTO was hearing from many e-bike sellers who were pushing for no restrictions at all in the use at e-bikes.
Tues. September 22nd is International Car-Free Day! In Toronto there are several ways to celebrate walking and cycling.
A documentary about bicycle culture, with a focus on Toronto, uses a series of character-driven mini-narratives to study what makes a city "bikeable". It will be aired on Thursday, September 24 on CBC-TV. The progam will repeat on Friday September 25, 2009 at 10 pm ET/PT on CBC Newsworld. More information here
Enjoy an at-you-own-pace marshaled bike ride throughout Ontario's Greenbelt this weekend. More information here
Nancy Smith Lea, TCAT Program Director, has been selected to speak in a session titled "Bicycles and Urban Well-Being", at St. Michael's Hospital Clinical and Population Research Rounds.
Date: Thursday, October 1, 2009
Time: 12:00 - 1:00 PM
Location: St. Michael's Hospital, Paul and Evelyn Higgins Conference Room, 2nd Floor- Room 2010, Bond Wing.
Presented by the Toronto Cyclists Union, BikeCamp TO is a series of participant-driven workshops related to various aspects of cycling -- from the playfullness of art bikes & fashion, to the politics of cycling advocacy. TCAT is a partner on this event and will be organizing one or more sessions. Possible topics include: 1) community engagement in the public process, 2) cycling in the context of complete streets, 3) active transportation priorities for the 2010 municipal election
On Sep 16, 2009 the Toronto-East York community council approved a plan to build a 42-storey condo building at Dundas and University without permanent parking spots. In an area where groceries and entertainment are just steps away, the plan makes good sense and is reflected in sales.
As identified in earlier TCAT News, the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee (PWIC) is considering two "Bicycle Safety" motions at next week's meerting. The first motion is to enact a bylaw to mandate that all cyclists wear helmets (PW26.4) and the second is to develop a cyclist licensing program (PW26.5). The full agenda can be viewed here.
The City of Toronto is undertaking a Class Environmental Assessment Study to determine the preferred option and preliminary design details for a pedestrian and cycle route/bridge over the railway corridors near Fort York. The Fort York Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge is intended to provide a key link between Stanley Park to the north and the western area of the Fort York grounds to the south, improving connections between the city, Fort York and the waterfont.
Do you commute daily to work by bicycle in Toronto? Do you ride the Don Valley trails with your family on the weekends? Do you love your bicycle and biking the streets of Toronto? And, are you looking for a way to support cycling initiatives in Toronto?
This week the Victoria Transport Policy Institute released a report that shows that the market for small-lot, attached housing in accessible, multi-modal communities is strong and all indications point to it maintaining its value. The report titled "Where We Want To Be: Home Location Preferences And Their Implications For Smart Growth" can be downloaded here.
TCAT has created a new brochure titled "Bike Lanes - Good for Business and for Taxpayers." The purpose of this brochure is to provide the general public with access to some of the most recent research in an easy-to-read short format. Key findings from Clean Air Partnership's research report titled Bike Lanes, On-Street Parking and Business are highlighted.
The Bike Train service just keeps getting better and better with their recent announcement of a twice daily Bike Train service between Montreal and Toronto until October 8th. More information and bookings here.
In addition to Montreal, the Bike Train continues its fantastic Niagara Greenbelt service (now in its third successful year) until Oct 18th. More information and bookings here.
According to a popular Danish blog, the City of Copenhagen is currently planning to expand the existing, extensive network of bike lanes to extend farther out into the suburbs. A network of 13 high-class routes - 'bicycle superhighways' - are dedicated to bicycle commuters and aimed at encouraging more to cycle to work. Currently 55% of the citizens in central Copenhagen ride a bicycle daily and the number is 37% for Greater Copenhagen.
TCAT is looking for a researcher on a short-term contract to assist in a review and update of TCAT's platform. The work includes undergoing a review of progress made during the current term of Toronto City Council, determining what work still needs to be done, identifying emerging and state-of-the art transportation practices for possible application in Toronto, and revising the TCAT platform accordingly.
Please help us find a suitable candidate by forwarding the job posting, or applying yourself!
The first annual Ontario Bike Summit hosted by The Share the Road Cycling Coalition is taking place in Waterloo, Ontario on Sep 21st and 22nd. The Ontario Bike Summit is designed to share best practices between municipalities, advocates, planners, TDM professionals with a view to creating Bicycle Friendly Communities across Ontario. The agenda can be viewed here.
Hot on the heels of the Ontario Bike Summit and right next door in Kitchener, the International Mountain Bicycling Association (Canada) will host the first-ever Ontario Mountain Bike Summit. Mountain bike clubs, leaders, advocates, and decision makers are invited to attend for three days of networking, trailbuilding, problem solving, education, advocacy, and inspiration. More information and registration here.
TCAT is looking for a researcher on a short-term contract to assist in a review and update of TCAT's platform. The work includes undergoing a review of progress made during the current term of Toronto City Council, determining what work still needs to be done, identifying emerging and state-of-the art transportation practices for possible application in Toronto, and revising the TCAT platform accordingly.
Please help us find a suitable candidate by forwarding the job posting, or applying yourself!
Toronto City Council held a special meeting on August 5 and 6th to make up for July's meetings that were cancelled as a result of the strike. There were several items about bicycles on the agenda, including:
The Toronto Coalition for Active Transportation is pleased to present Veer, a full-length documentary on community based cycling activism through five main protagonists. The film will be screened on Thursday, August 27th at 8 PM at CineCycle (401 Richmond Street, coach house). Tickets are $8 and there will be drinks and espresso available at the bar.
The Toronto Star has a regular column called "The Fixer" that tackles City problems that readers alert them to. Recently they've called attention to a couple of persistent cases of blocked bike lanes.
The first is police barricades that have been blocking the St. George bike lane for about a year. When questioned by The Fixer, the Police agreed to find another place to store the barricades.
As reported last month in TCAT News, the City plans to launch a public bicycle system in Toronto in 2010. TCAT is following with keen interest the progress of two new North American bikesharing systems.
Bikechain is a free, full-service educational bicycle repair facility for University of Toronto students which also hosts bicycle-related seminars and events. Bikechain is currently hiring a coordinator for the year 2009-2010. The deadline for application is on Friday, July 17, 2009. The job posting can be found here.
TCAT welcomes Dandyhorse magazine, the most recent organization to join our growing list of supporters. Dandyhorse is Toronto's magazine about all things cycling. Just launched last summer, production of its third issue is already underway. Dandyhorse is available at retailers across the city.
According to a June 16th SDSU NewsCenter article, "No matter which country you are in, new research finds those who live in an urban neighborhood are twice as likely to be physically active the those in the suburbs. According to a San Diego State University study published in this month's American Journal of Preventative Medicine, the biggest single factor influencing physical activity around the world is accessibility to sidewalks.
On June 22nd between 6 and 9 a.m. TCAT's Program Director, Nancy Smith Lea teamed up with Chris A. Cavacuiti, MD, to be interviewed by CBC Radio One local morning hosts across the country, all the way from Victoria, BC to Corner Brook, Newfoundland and points in between. Between Chris and Nancy there were 16 interviews in total. The topic of discussion was bicycle helmet legislation and other measures governments can take to promote safe cycling.
The Toronto Civic Employees' Union Local 416 (CUPE) and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 79 are on strike as of 12:01 a.m. on Monday, June 22, 2009.
It's that time of year again. The Toronto Police launched their annual cycling safety campaign yesterday. The traffic strategy is a one-week initiative, designed to promote awareness and education by reducing the potential for cycling related injuries. During this week officers increase the number of tickets handed out to motorists who endanger the lives of cyclists as well as to cyclists for traffic infractions.
The new racks on GTA buses are also opening up the countryside. Take transit to the edge of the city, and then cycle to parks and trails. A website devoted to integrating bikes and transit has put out an open call for cyclists to "test ride" the routes suggested on the site. Until July 13th, send in photos from your cell phone, or tweet and email pictures after you get home. More info here.
The Bloor Improvement Group's second annual Big on Bloor Festival will take place this Saturday, June 20th between 1 and 9 p.m. A 2.5 km section of Bloor Street West, from Christie to Lansdowne, will become a car-free space for a day of fun, games and art. Mark the date!
This spring the City of Toronto released the new Exploring Toronto Parks and Trails map which features up-to-date trails and pathways along with a directory of clubs and associations. You can download a copy of the map here or call 416-392-1111 ext.5 to get a copy sent to you in the mail. It's a useful resource for planning a day of biking, walking or hiking and provides insight into how the City's plans for linking biking and walking paths are coming together.
Canada's Journal of Environmental Law and Practice recently published an article by Kristen Courtney titled "Sustainable Urban Transportation and Ontario's New Planning Regime: The Provincial Policy Statement, 2005 and the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe."
For those unable to attend Bike Summit 2009, or for those who want to review some of the excellent presentations, all but a couple (coming soon) have now been posted on the TCAT website. There are also photos from the day and media articles posted here.
The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) is in the final stage of its three-year pilot project to evaluate the use of power-assisted bicycles (also known as bikes or e-bikes) on roads and highways where conventional bicycles are allowed. On April 23, 2009 the definition of "bicycle" in the HTA was amended to include e-bikes.
A meeting for those who cycle (and those who'd like to), in and around Toronto Danforth organized by Ward 29 Bikes.
Date: Wednesday June 17, 2009
Time: 7:00 p.m. (refreshments @ 6:30 p.m.)
Location: East York Community Centre (1081 Pape Avenue at Torrens, between O'Connor and Cosburn)
Connect with cyclists. Provide feedback. Get information. Ask questions of City staff. Help build our cycling community! All welcome.
On June 4th, the Ontario Government released Simcoe Area: A Strategic Vision for Growth. It lays out a strategy and directions to plan for more prosperous and sustainable growth in the Simcoe area. Based on provincial principles and policies, including the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2006 and the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan.
The second annual Bike Summit on Thursday May 28th 2009 was a great success. Again this year, despite a bigger venue, this one-day bicycle policy conference sold out in advance. About 220 registrants representing government, the private sector, non-profit organizations and the general public were in attendance. The purpose of the day was to share best practices and challenges in implementing bicycle policy, research, technical designs and advocacy campaigns.
On June 3rd, TCAT will be addressing the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee on the following four issues:
1. Motorized Bicycles on Sidewalks. TCAT supports the Toronto Pedestrian Committee's recommendation that no bicycle that includes a motor of any kind be allowed to travel on the sidewalk. For more info, see this recent Toronto Star article.
A good reason to take the day off this Wednesday! Danish architect Jan Gehl is coming to Toronto to speak at the Design Exchange. Gehl is one of the world’s foremost experts on transforming public spaces and creating walking-friendly environments. He led the development of London, England’s ambitious pedestrian plan, and he is an important influence in New York’s recent transformation of its streets.
According to Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone, the proposed Strachan Avenue super-bridge we told you about in a recent TCAT News has been averted. While the details of what the new structure will look like are still not fully worked out, Metrolinx's new proposed plans promises to address the issue of creating a cycling and pedestrian friendly corridor between the Waterfront and the surrounding neighbourhoods.
Jun 1 Toronto Star: Cyclists seeking a cultural gear shift
May 30 rabble.ca: Cycling experts create innovative on-street bicycle network in New York City
May 28 Toronto Star: Cycling activists look beyond Jarvis victory
The Bike Summit is just around the corner. Registration is almost full and excitement is building about this unique event that happens just once a year in Toronto.
The Bike Summit is taking place on May 28, 2009 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Novotel Toronto Centre in downtown Toronto.
At the May 11th meeting of the Toronto Cycling Advisory Committee, Daniel Egan, Manager of Pedestrian Infrastructure, gave a 45-minute presentation about upcoming plans for improving Toronto's bikeway network. There are some very exciting options being considered, including...
Toronto's Bike Month runs from May 25 - June 25 providing lots of opportunities to celebrate cycling in Toronto.
May 25: Bike Month Launch - The Toronto Group Commute! starting at various locations around the City at 7:00 a.m. Converge on City Hall for a pancake breakfast. Stop by the TCAT booth and say hello!
Metrolinx is proposing a super-bridge going over the CN rail lines at Strachan Avenue. Strachan is a critical access point in the City's west end to Exhibition Place and the Martin Goodman Trail. Problems surrounding the proposal identified by a City of Toronto Oct 2008 staff report include closing important cross streets, concentrating all traffic on the King/Strachan intersection and creating an uninviting and undesirable environment for pedestrians and cyclists.
On May 6 TCAT's Program Director Nancy Smith Lea made two deputations at the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee (PWIC). The first was in support of the City's new walking strategy. The overall visionary aspects of the strategy got lost in the committee debate and subsequent media reports that revolved around one minor recommendation.
TCAT responded to media inquiries this week about Councillor Adam Vaughan's proposal to convert Richmond and Adelaide Streets from one-way to two-way streets. The proposal has the goal of improving both the livability and commercial function of these streets which is currently negatively impacted by the fast-moving traffic.
The latest issue of World Transport Policy and Practice has two new excellent articles by Bike Summit Speaker Ralph Buehler and International Researcher John Pucher.
TCAT steering committee member Gord Brown is making a presentation to the Pedestrian Advisory Committee today in support of the City's new Walking Strategy. We are pleased to report that the City has addressed the three concerns TCAT identified previously. The Walking Strategy sets the stage for a new culture of walking in Toronto. TCAT will continue to provide input to the Public Realm office and to help wherever possible to help move this excellent plan forward.
The Spring 2009 issue of Dandyhorse, Toronto's magazine about all things cycling, has just been released. All are welcome to celebrate at the launch party, sponsored by Amsterdam’s new brew, Big Wheel Deluxe Amber. There will be DJs, cash bar, gold sprints, a silent auction, and more!
The Novotel Toronto Centre is providing a special rate of $129 per night until May 1st for Bike Month participants. If you are coming to Toronto from out of town to attend the Bike Summit on May 28th or the St. Lawrence Criterium on May 29th, the Novotel is the place to be.
Jane's Walk, a street-level celebration of Jane Jacobs ideas and legacy is coming up this weekend. Over 90 walks are planned for Toronto alone.
Transportation Services just announced that it has completed the Jarvis Streetscape Improvement EA Environmental Study Report. Apparently not swayed by the significant public input it received, the recommended design up for approval has no bike lanes.
If you missed New York City Commissioner of Transportation Janette Sadik-Khan's talk last week, you're still in luck. Spacing Radio has uploaded this inspiring talk for their most recent podcast released yesterday. Find out about New York City's plans to transform their streets into a network of shared spaces that favour people instead of cars.
With very little fanfare, the City of Toronto has recently announced that it will launch a public bike program operational by the spring of 2010. Toronto's program is to start with approximately 3000 bicycles, which would make it the biggest installation in North America! If you're excited about the idea, you may want to join in the on-line discusssion happening on ibiketo.
In celebration of Earth Month, the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute has announced its newest resource: Making the Case for Active Transportation. This series of eight bulletins is intended for policy makers, health promoters, transportation planners, municipal decision-makers, NGOs, and the public.
Join TCAT's new Facebook group and invite your friends to the Bike Summit!
Bike Summit 2009 is fast approaching and we have some exciting developments to share with you.
The City of Toronto is proposing to widen St. Clair Avenue West between Cobalt Avenue and Mondovi Gate. Widening roads is not good city building. Almost always motivated by concern over traffic, it does nothing to reduce traffic. In the long run, in fact, widening roads increases traffic. (source: Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream by Andres Duany, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, and Jeff Speck)
If you live in the area, please consider attending the meeting to find out more and to ensure that your views are properly represented.
The City of Toronto is undertaking an environmental assessment to present the results of alternative options to improve safety and operations for the Gardiner Expressway at Kipling Ave. and Islington Ave. Highway interchanges are especially challenging for active transportation and require vigilance in order to properly accommodate cyclists and pedestrians safely and comfortably.
Date: Thursday April 23, 2009
Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Location: Royal Canadian Legion Hall, 110 Jutland Rd. (near Islington Ave. and The Queensway)
Gord Brown, TCAT Steering Committee member will present TCAT's recommendations on the final draft of the City's Walking Strategy to the Toronto Pedestrian Committee.
Date: Tuesday April 28, 2009 @ 3:00 p.m.
Location: Committee Room 3, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 100 Queen Street West, Toronto
On Wednesday, April 29 at 12-1:30 pm. the Federation of Canadian Municipalities is hosting a webinar featuring municipal staff and community non-profit representatives who will share their experience developing effective partnerships and planning, implementing and promoting sustainable transportation in a rural Ontario setting. More info here.
TCAT welcomes Bikes Without Borders, the most recent organization to join our growing list of supporters. Bikes Without Borders is an inspiring new organization using bikes and bike-related solutions as a tool for development in marginalized communities. Bikes Without Borders is currently working on a project to provide HIV/AIDS workers in Malawi with new bikes and bicycle ambulances. To raise money for this worthwhile project, they are holding an event on the Toronto Islands on May 30.
Policy-makers are facing demands to meet the changing mobility needs of citizens in ways which are economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. The German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Sustainable Urban Transport Project and the Interface for Cycling Expertise (I-Ce) have joined efforts in the development of a training document entitled "Cycling-inclusive Policy Development: A Handbook". It has been written by 12 authors who are experts in different fields of cycling-inclusive development.
The Toronto Urban Repair Squad's latest escapade - the Easter Present - is captured on video. This lovely guerilla installation reportedly lasted the weekend.
Over the past two weekends TCAT and the Toronto Cyclists Union hosted intensive training and strategic development sessions for advocates.
The City of Toronto is undertaking an environmental assessment to determine the preferred option and preliminary design details for a pedestrian and cycle bridge over the railway corridors near Fort York, intended to improve connections between the city, Fort York and the waterfront. The public is invited to attend the first of two Public Information Centre Meetings, to learn more about what is being considered, information on work completed to date, and next steps.
Waterfront Toronto recently held public consultations to reveal the plans for the redesign of Queen's Quay. What is particularly exciting is that the plans call for two traffic lanes to be removed and to be replaced by wide pedestrian boulevards and a continuous off-street Martin Goodman Trail, completing the Lake Ontario Trail.
Walk and Bike for Life has invited Janette Sadik-Khan, the NYC Commissioner of Transportation to come on April 22nd to speak to GTA decision makers, staff, organizational representatives, and citizens. Their first event will be held in Toronto at 11 am in collaboration with the Canadian Urban Institute, and the second event will be held in Port Credit, Mississauga at 7pm.
Roncesvalles will be reconstructed in 2009-10 and the community is actively involved in debating how to best balance the needs of everyone who uses the street. To find out more about the design proposals being considered and to comment on how to best incorporate walking and cycling into the process, go here.
Mark your calendars for May 28th in Toronto. The Bike Summit is back for a second year. Register now and take advantage of early bird rates until Apr 24th. We look forward to having you join us.
Mark your calendars for May 28th in Toronto. The Toronto Coalition for Active Transportation and the Clean Air Partnership are pleased to once again host this one-day event.
Nancy Smith Lea has taken on new responsibilities at the Clean Air Partnership (CAP) with her recent appointment as CAP's Director of Active Transportation. In her new role she will continue to lead TCAT as TCAT's Program Director.
Waterfront Toronto, TTC and the City of Toronto have undertaken comprehensive Environmental Assessments to revitalize Queen's Quay from Parliament Street to Lower Spadina Avenue which includes completing the Martin Goodman Trail through the central waterfront. At tonight's public meeting the plans of the recommended preferred designs will be on display and team members will be available for one-on-one discussions.
If you missed "Tales of a Yellow Bike" when it showed at the Community Bicycle Network, here is another excellent opportunity at the Revue Cinema, 400 Roncesvalles Avenue.
Find Revue Cinema info here.
The Canadian Urban Institute, in collaboration with Walk & Bike for Life, presents a special Urban Leadership Luncheon Session: Mobility at the Human Scale: Planning for Active Transportation. Janette Sadik-Khan is making walking, cycling, and public transportation serious priorities for New York City. In office since 2007, Sadik-Khan has already graced New York City's streets with pedestrian plazas, physically separated bicycle lanes, and dedicated bus lanes, as well as organizing the wildly successful car free “Summer Streets” program.
As reported in a recent Washington Post article, Virginia is taking aim at one of the most enduring symbols of suburbia: the cul-de-sac. The state has decided that all new subdivisions must have through streets linking them with neighboring subdivisions, schools and shopping areas and will maintain only new subdivision streets that meet its connectivity, road and sidewalk requirements.
On March 6th, Nancy Smith Lea (TCAT's Research and Program Lead) and
two members of the TCAT steering committee (Gord Brown and Stephanie
Tencer) met with Elyse Parker, Director of the City's new Public Realm Office. We are very excited to finally have a dedicated, committed voice for pedestrian interests at the City.
Waterfront Toronto and the City of Toronto (City) are jointly
initiating an environmental assessment (EA) and integrated urban design
study to explore the feasibility of removing the elevated Gardiner
Expressway from approximately Jarvis Street to Logan Avenue.
In reaction to the above news item, a new advocacy group has formed.
They will hold a meeting of interested citizens to improve the project
as it moves through the EA process. At this first meeting they will
vote on a group name, determine a list of project goals and plan an
interactive web presence.
First meeting of Gardiner Takedown Advocacy Group
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 at 7pm (St. Patrick's Day)
Metro Hall room 303 (southeast corner of John & King)
For more information contact: Roger Brook 416 538-1285 or Green22@sympatico.ca
The "Mimico 20/20 Revitalization Charette" event will take place at the
Mimico Adult Centre, 255 Royal York Road, and will be led by a team of
experts assembled under hired consultant Urban Strategies Inc. This
will be a major community event with almost 20 separate sessions on
various city-building themes with formats including round table
discussions, workshops, invited guest speakers, on-going scale
modeling, hands-on design sessions, as well as a Community Open House
(evening of April 8th). A detailed Charette Abstract & Schedule now
According to a recent news release,
the Canadian bicycle industry significantly outperformed their U.S.
counterparts in 2008, despite the global economic downturn.
A recent public health report
by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer
Research has found that about one-third of cancers in developed
countries, not including those preventable by not smoking, can be
prevented through diet, exercise, and weight control. Researchers found
that modern cities have impeded walking and bicycling. They recommend
widespread dedicated walking and cycling facilities and traffic
management policies that encourage people to walk or bike.
Mar 25, 2:30 pm. Bike Lanes, On-Street Parking and Business Webinar.
The Thunderhead Alliance Winning Campaigns© Training
is right around the corner! From Mar 27th to Mar 29th, leaders from the
Toronto region's bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations will
gather for three days of fun and inspiring work to gain the tools and
confidence to not only advocate for improvements, but win them!
The City of Toronto and the Toronto Cyclists Union are holding an
open house to discuss bikeway projects to be completed in 2009 and 2010
in the downtown west end. These projects have been identified in
collaboration with cyclists over the past few months. You are invited
to attend the open house to learn more about the proposed projects and
share your thoughts.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Parkdale Public Library, Auditorium
1303 Queen Street West (between Cowan and Brock)
Tickets are almost sold out for Majora Carter's speaking engagement,
"Greening the Neighbourhood... & How Much It Won't Cost Us". In
light of this fact, Hart House has just announced that a Live Webcast
of the event will be hosted at http://mediacast.ic.utoronto.ca on
Friday March 13th at twelve noon. This is a great opportunity for those
not able to attend this noon lecture due to work or school obligations
but who still want to see Majora on her first ever Canadian appearance.
For more information on the lecture, or to obtain one of the few
As reported in recent TCAT News,
the Clean Air Partnership's research report titled Bike Lanes,
On-Street Parking and Business will be the subject of an upcoming
webinar.
The webinar will profile the findings of the study, the tools and
methodology used and a discussion on how a similar study could be
conducted in other communities. The findings of this study will also be
presented in May at Velo-City 2009 in Brussels – the world’s largest
conference devoted to bicycling.
Registration details coming soon! Building on the success of Bike Summit 2008, which attracted over 180 attendees, TCAT is pleased to once again take the lead on organizing this event.
As reported in recent TCAT News and in today's Toronto Star, the Clean Air Partnership recently published a research report titled Bike Lanes, On-Street Parking and Business.
The Thunderhead Alliance Winning Campaigns© Training
is right around the corner! From Mar 27th to Mar 29th, leaders from the
Toronto region's bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations will
gather for three days of fun and inspiring work to gain the tools and
confidence to not only advocate for improvements, but win them!
Registration details coming soon! Building on the success of Bike Summit 2008, which attracted over 180 attendees, TCAT is pleased to once again take the lead on organizing this event.
The Clean Air Partnership is pleased to announce the publication of a research report titled Bike Lanes, On-Street Parking and Business.
Contrary to common public perception, the evidence shows that removing
on-street parking to install a bicycle lane or widened sidewalk would
likely increase not decrease commercial activity. "This report should
alleviate concerns that downtown business owners have about on-street
A reminder that the Operating Budget Public Hearings are happening this Wed, Feb 18th. Once again, bikeToronto.ca has done an excellent job of analyzing how the BIke Plan will fare in the proposed budget.
As reported in last week's TCAT News,
Metrolinx recently hosted several community open houses about the
proposed rail-link to Pearson Airport and the impacts this may have on
the Strachan level crossing. It is still possible to make your views
known on-line if you weren't able to attend any of the public meetings. You can download the City of Toronto Staff Report here.
The Western Waterfront Master Plan Team is inviting the public to a
Combined Community Advisory Group Meeting and Public Open House to be
held
together on Thursday February 19th, 2009. The meeting will be held at St.
Joseph's Health Centre at 7.00pm.
For more information, contact:
Kiran Chhiba, Urban Designer
pA | planningAlliance
t 416.593.6500
A University of Toronto graduate student is conducing an on-line survey on ethnicity and cycling in Toronto and is looking for cyclists to participate. Please see her description below.
Feb 18. Tools of the Trade - PEDSAFE and BIKESAFE. Tools of Change Webinar in collaboration with the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycling Professionals and the National Center for Bicycling and Walking.
As reported previously in TCAT news,
the City recently held a public meeting to present their plans for
improvements to Jarvis Street. TCAT was represented at the meeting and
Metrolinx is currently hosting community open houses about the
expansion of the Georgetown South Rail Corridor between Malton and
Union Station. Thanks to our readers for alerting us to the importance
of this opportunity for ensuring that space for active transportation
is provided for during the planning stages of this expansion. Metrolinx
needs to hear from the community that it's important to do so.
A couple of issues to consider:
In last week's TCAT News,
we reported that 5 kilometres of the Martin Goodman Trail are being
cleared of snow. Thanks to Daniel Egan in Transportation Services for
letting us know that there are actually two sections being cleared as
follows:
5.6 km from Northern Dancer (east of Coxwell) to Sherbourne Street; and
6.3 km from Windermere to Stadium Road.
Also, between Stadium and Spadina and between Sherbourne and Yonge
there are on-street bicycle lanes which are being cleared of snow as
well.
Ireland has joined the ever-expanding list of federal governments
making announcements about ambitious plans and committing big dollars
to sustainable transportation. By 2020 Ireland hopes to have moved
500,000 people out of their cars and is committing €4.5bn
(approximately $7.1 billion CDN) to make it happen. In a country with a
population of only about 4.4 million, those targets and that level of
investment is quite significant. Read more here.
Check out former TCAT Project Coordinator Fred Sztabinski's recent Spacing post about his life in Amsterdam!
The Appleton Foundation's GreenApple SMART Transportation Ranking
Report (now in its second year) was launched to attempt to provide an
accurate measurement of the sustainability of transportation systems in
Canada’s urban areas.
The 2008 report's top four ranked urban areas are Victoria, BC,
Vancouver, BC, Ottawa-Gatineau (Ontario – Quebec) and Montreal, Quebec
— all four of these urban regions have demonstrated a commitment to
directing significant public resources to address urban transportation
in an environmentally sustainable manner.
Feb 18. Tools of the Trade - PEDSAFE and BIKESAFE. Tools of Change Webinar in collaboration with the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycling Professionals and the National Center for Bicycling and Walking.
Building on the success of Bike Summit 2008,
which attracted over 180 attendees, TCAT is very pleased to announce
Bike Summit 2009 to take place in Toronto on May 28, 2009. With initial
sponsorship provided by the Bicycle Trade Association of Canada, the
Clean Air Partnership and the City of Toronto, TCAT will once again
take the lead planning and coordinating this event.
The Bike Summit is a one-day international policy conference to share
best practices for making communities great cycling environments.
The BBC recently made available a three-part podcast series called the Bicycle Diaries that illustrates how the bicycle is used today and what impact it has on people's lives.
The Toronto Bike Awards
ceremony co-hosted by the Toronto Cyclists Union and the City of
Toronto at the Gladstone Hotel was a great success, jam-packed with
bicycle-friendly business owners, advocates, city staff and councillors.
As reported previously in TCAT News,
the City is proposing changes to Jarvis Street, which includes widened
sidewalks but no bike lane. Cyclists need to continue to make their
voices heard that a complete street allocates sufficient space for all users to access the public right-of-way safely.
A second Public Information Centre for the Jarvis Streetscape Improvement project will be:
The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, Ontario Growth Secretariat,
is looking for a results-oriented leader to work on the development and
implementation of the governments' Places to Grow initiative. Job
posting here.
TCAT welcomes the Centre for City Ecology,
the most recent organization to join our growing list of supporters.
The Centre for City Ecology is the brainchild behind the fabulous
Jane's Walk that takes place each year in Toronto and other cities
across Canada. Inspired by urban activist Jane Jacobs and her
grassroots approach to city-building, the walks bring people together
across geographic and social barriers for a series of free
neighbourhood walking tours.
On Jan 6th, 2009 Green Communites Canada, Walk and Bike for Life and walkON
launched a new program called Ontario Communities walkON. Over the next
three years the program will help make 24 Ontario cities and towns more
walkable. A walkable community allows people to choose to walk to local
destinations, rather than take the car. For more information, read the
According to a recent Toronto Star article,
there's a new kit on the market to equip any mountain bike with a ski
on the front and a track wrapped around the back wheel to provide more
traction to ride through the snow.
A sidebar to the article provides an update on the snow removal in the bike lanes and the Martin Goodman Trail.
Building a member-based cycling organization in Toronto is an exciting
opportunity for candidates. Applications are due by Jan 15th. More
information here.
2009 is promising to be busy with lots of great active transportation events:
Jan 15, 4-8 p.m. Bike Winter Art Show Reception and Judging.
It's been an eventful year here at TCAT. We've researched and published several reports, organized a bikesharing forum and roundtable, Bike Summit 2008, and other special events featuring best practices from Montreal and New York. All of this and lots behind the scenes as well, working on your behalf to improve the environment for walking and cycling.
Luke Siragusa, a cyclist in Ward 29, wrote a
report that details hazards
endangering cyclists on the Bloor St. viaduct and makes suggestions for
improvements.
Cycle 26, a group of Ward 26 cyclists released a report
that tracks the progress of the Bike Plan in terms of planned versus
existing cycling infrastructure and makes suggestions for improvements.
Leaving the wheels at home and going by foot can be a pleasurable way
to get around in winter. Yet for many, especially the elderly and
disabled, this most basic form of mobility is jeopardized during the
winter in Toronto due to the state of the sidewalks. The current
The first ever UPS deliveries by bike are happening in Oregon this year.
We recently featured Google's great new digs
at Dundas Square with perks for cyclists. This gives us hope that the
global campaign currently underway to persuade them to be more
bike-friendly in their Google Maps have detailed maps for drivers and
now public transit users. Now cyclists are asking for a Bike There
feature. More than 40,000 people have already signed the on-line
petition found here.
Transport Canada Urban Transportation Showcase Program is offering a
series of new webinars. The first, on January 27th, 2009, covers 'The
Urban Transportation Emissions Calculator' (UTEC), a free,
user-friendly web-based tool developed by Transport Canada that
estimates greenhouse gas and air contaminant emissions from urban
transportation. Transport Canada's is paying for the first 85 Canadian
connections to participate in each of the webinars above at no cost.
You can learn more about the webinars and register here.
1. Prompted by our e-bulletin last week on the benefits of walkability,
a TCAT supporter shared this excellent publication by Go for Green in 2004 documenting the economic benefits of walking and cycling. In these
times of fiscal restraint, one of the wisest investments our
governments could make is in active transportation infrastructure.
According to the report, the economic benefits of everyone who engages
Last week, Toronto City Council approved the following motions,
putting us one step closer to a people-friendly rail crossing at
Strachan Avenue:
"1. City Council strongly supports the Grade Separation Option which
lowers the Georgetown/Milton rail corridor, allowing Strachan Avenue to
pass over the rail lines, and
Green Neighbours 21 requires a project coordinator to run their Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) Reduction Campaign. Job posting here.
For those who consider canoeing a form of active transportation too oft
overlooked, there's an exhibit currently showing at Arcadia Gallery at
680 Queen's Quay West that you may want to check out. It documents a
canoe ride across Toronto from northwest to southeast that took place
over 10 days last summer, accompanied each day by a different
co-paddler. The gallery is open on Sat/Sun afternoons and closes next
weekend.
The Canadian Centre for Architecture in Montreal has an exhibit on until next April celebrating urban activism from around the world. Take the Tooker's Mobile Bike Lane is displayed as is Toronto's Urban Repair Squad's bike lane stencil.
The UK government has just issued an urban design compendium
that offers guidance for designing for walking and cycling. Click on
"urban design principles" and go to the section "making the
connections".
Todd Litman's Economic Value of Walkability, released last year, is a great resource describing ways to evaluate the value of walking and walkability.
A special thanks to our subscribers who have generously donated to
TCAT. We need your support to ensure that you are kept up-to-date on
the most recent developments at City Hall, to engage in relevant and
timely policy and research work, and to continue to work on your behalf
to improve the environment for walking and cycling environment. If you
haven't made a donation yet, there's still time before the end of the
These
cycling infrastructure capital projects got the nod from the City's
budget committee at their meeting on November 25th, 2008:
Waterfront Toronto in partnership with the City of Toronto is currently
undertaking an environmental assessment for the revitalization of
Queens Quay Boulevard from Lower Spadina Avenue to Lower Jarvis Street.
This study is exploring how to implement long standing City policy
objectives including revitalizing Queens Quay into a scenic waterfront
drive and completing the Martin Goodman Trail which today is absent
through the central waterfront.
Waterfront Toronto is holding a public meeting to present the design alternatives:
The City of Toronto has undertaken a study to create a Master Plan
for the Western Waterfront. The study area covers a 4 km-long stretch
of the Western Waterfront between the Humber River and Marilyn Bell
Park. Recommendations will be made about the type and location of park
facilities that meet a range of community needs, as well as
improvements to the transportation, transit and pedestrian links with
surrounding neighbourhoods.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Location: 761 Queen St. W.
Time: 7:00 p.m.
More information available here.
York Region is looking for a Senior Active Transportation Specialist to
implement its Pedestrian and Cycling Master Plan. Job posting here.
Smart Commute NTV have two positions available: Marketing Manager and a Program Coordinator.
Google's first
official Canadian headquarters opened last week overlooking Dundas
Square. Google has implemented green initiatives to encourage their
employees to use public transportation or their own green solution to
get to work by offering a monthly subsidy. For those willing to take a
bicycle to work, the company offers other extras as well.
As reported in CenterLines, the e-newsletter of the National Center for
Bicycling & Walking, one of the world industries seemingly not
suffering in the current worldwide recession is the bicycling business.
"Top bicycle and bicycle parts makers in Taiwan and Japan are reporting
steadily increasing revenues, despite the falling popularity around the
world of the bicycle's four-wheeled cousin." Read more here.
In London, England, the House of Lords overruled an Appeals Court judgement criminalizing Critical Mass bike rides.
More info here.
You can donate online by clicking here.
When asked the name of the charity, please type in "Clean Air
Partnership" (not TCAT). In order to make sure your donation gets
directed to us, please note "TCAT" in the message/instruction section.
Please consider making a year-end gift to TCAT today to support our
work. TCAT gratefully acknowledges the founding and ongoing support of
the Toronto Community Foundation
and other generous funders, but we also require funds to support our
core program work. We are dedicated to our mission to create a better
city for cycling and walking. We want TCAT to grow and to continue to
provide policy, research, and timely information to enable informed
participation for our supporting organizations and active
transportation advocates.
On November 18th the Public Works Infrastructure and Environment
Committee discussed snow-clearing improvements for bike lanes,
laneways, laneway entrances and sidewalks. They agreed to work jointly
with the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee on a pilot project
to provide winter maintenance along portions of the Martin Goodman
Trail. The Toronto Cycling Advisory Committee, in consultation with the
Toronto Cyclists Union,
will work with City staff to evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot
On November 18, 2008, Legislative Bill 126, Road Safety Act, 2008 had
its First Reading. The amendment is primarily to toughen drinking and
driving measures but they've also tacked on a change in the definition
of a bicycle to the bill to include power-assisted bicycles (e-bikes).
To track the status of the bill and read the debates, click here.
Early Bird Registration was just announced for the Ontario Cycle
Tourism Forum, January 23, 2009 at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in
Toronto. The forum will feature presentations from world-leading cycle
tourism organizations and provide market profiles of specific regions,
successful tourist product and marketing examples, business development
case studies, best practices in infrastructure and signage, and
evaluation of regional growth opportunities. The full agenda available here.
Congratulations to John Luton who has been elected as a member of the
Council of the City of Victoria, BC. Luton is the executive director of
the Capital Bike and Walk Society
and has for several years been deeply involved in many projects that
have added trails, bicycle lanes, better bike parking and signage
throughout the region. Victoria, BC has the highest active
transportation mode share in Canada, at 15.2% (the national average is
7.8%).
Last Thursday morning Toronto woke up to its first snow accumulation of
the year -- about 5-10 centimetres. By morning rush hour the major
streets were pretty clear due to the heat of the cars yet the sidewalks
remained icy. A jogger was spotted running with great style and
authority along the edge line on Spadina, making a vehicular-style hand
signal before turning right on Richmond. If only a TCAT photographer
could have captured the moment! If you see any examples of active
transportation that strike you as funny or wonderful, please send them
A last-minute agenda item at the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee (PWIC) meeting last week surprised cycling advocates. PWIC approved 16.1 km of bike lanes for St. Lawrence Avenue East from Victoria Park Avenue to Rouge Hills Drive. This section of Lawrence Avenue will add 32.2 km to the Bikeway Network and increase the total length of the approved bicycle lanes in 2008 to 52.8 km.
Waterfront Toronto reports that the Martin Goodman Trail (Ontario Place) construction has started on reconstruction of the Martin Goodman Trail at Ontario Place. The existing trail, which runs along the water's edge, will continue to be open without disruption during the construction. The transformation of the newly aligned trail includes extending the trail from Marilyn Bell Park to the existing trail within Coronation Park at Strachan Avenue.
Transport London has released the second in its excellent series of Public Service Announcements to raise driver's awareness of cyclists on the roads. Worth a look.
According to a recent Toronto Star article, David Miller calls employer response "overwhelming" to Smart Commute Toronto-Central. Smart Commute associations provide resources to help commuters shift from single-occupant car trips to sustainable modes of transportation. Smart Commute Toronto-Central launched on Nov 7th
Thousands of public bikes have hit the streets across Europe over the last few years. As reported in the New York Times a notable recent newcomer is Shanghai, which 10 years ago tried to eliminate bicycles from some of its boulevards to make way for cars. With bicycle sharing programs now getting going in North America (Montreal and Washington), hopes are high that Toronto will sometime soon have its own program.
1. As reported in CenterLines, the e-newsletter of the National Center for Bicycling & Walking, a new browser-based presentation called "Barriers to Walking: What You're Up Against," has been posted on the Active Living Resource Center (ALRC) web site. This 10-minute audio-visual presentation describes some of the barriers that block people of all ages from being more active. To view "Barriers to Walking," click the associated link on this page.
Cyclists who haven't had the opportunity to ride on Wellesley Street
lately are in for a pleasant surprise. New bike lanes have been
installed, all the way from Queen's Park to Parliament. The lanes are a
great new addition to the bikeway network - providing a good connection
to the University of Toronto and the Hoskin/Harbord bike lanes. See
photos posted here.
New and improved sharrows have been installed on Dundas East. The old
sharrow markings were difficult to see because the paint wore off so
quickly. The new sharrow markings have been cut right into the asphalt.
There are also more of them so they should be difficult for drivers to
miss. See photos posted here.
As reported in last week's TCAT News,
City Council voted to install bicycle lanes on Annette Street,
reversing the plan approved by the Public Works and Infrastructure
Committee to install "sharrows" instead. Sharrows are painted arrows on
the pavement reminding drivers to share the road, but they do not
provide the protected space on the road that bike lanes do. The Globe
The Transportation Futures Road Pricing Forum
takes place on November 13th with a stellar line-up of international
and Canadian experts. The organizers have just announced that NGOs and
students working on sustainable transportation issues can save 35% on
Transportation Futures regular registration fees. Since there are only
15 subsidized seats available on a first-come, first-serve basis,
The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure is currently implementing its
award winning Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. At the
Places to Grow Summit held in Vaughan last week, successful "smart
growth" projects from local municipalities and around the world were
showcased. It's an exciting time in Ontario as municipalities
everywhere are working hard to achieve better transit-oriented, mixed
use neighbourhoods built to scale for active transportation so that
cyclists and pedestrians feel accommodated and expected. More info
Our neighbours to the south have a new President who likes to ride a bicycle.American
bicycle advocates are excited about the names being proposed for the
next Secretary of Transportation. Congressman Earl Blumenauer's
(D-Oregon) is reportedly a strong contender. Congressman Blumenauer has
worked for decades to promote bicycles as a means of everyday
transportation and his efforts were recently rewarded with the recent
passage of his Bicycle Commuter Act. This legislation allows employers
1. As reported in the Active Transportation Canada blog,
anyone interested in promoting walking and cycling may want to obtain a
copy of a new training manual that summarizes best practices in cycling
planning and design from around the world. PDF version of manual
available here.
As reported in TCAT News,
Fred Sztabinski, TCAT's current Project Coordinator, will soon be
leaving TCAT. The TCAT Steering Committee is pleased to announce that
Nancy Smith Lea has taken on the role of Research and Program Lead.
Nancy brings to TCAT over two decades of bicycle research and
advocacy experience in Toronto, and is quite prepared to take over the
reigns. Nancy has been involved with TCAT since the beginning, first as
a member of the Striking Committee and then the Steering Committee.
Last week cycling advocates witnessed the potential of a strong
political push for bicycling at City Council. Despite an initial
setback at the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee meeting,
pro-cycling councillors voted to reverse the committee's decision to
install sharrows, and instead directed staff to install full bike lanes
instead. Ward 13 residents and Annette Street users can now expect a
full bike lane to be painted from Jane to Runnymede.
Disappointing news last week for the Safe Cycling Coalition
and other cyclists hoping for a second chance to convince the City to
plan for full bike lanes on the transformed Bloor Street between Avenue
Road and Church Street.
As reported in TCAT News,
the group representing cyclists joined a group of Merchants led by
William Ashley China who petitioned the courts to reverse the City's
classification of the reconstruction project, which did not require a
full environmental assessment study and public consultation.
Though it was a big surprise, TCAT was happy to see a very significant
increase for cycling infrastructure in the city's 2009 Capital Budget,
released last week. This year's budget was set at $5.5 million and next
year it will increase to $7.9 million. Considering the difficult
economic times, and budget freezes and reductions in other areas, this
move shows that bicycling investments are a clear priority of the mayor
and budget chief. The budget will still need to move through the
consultation and committee process before it reaches City Council for
Last September, TCAT made a deputation to Toronto and East York
Community Council in support of a proposal to study an alternate
crossing for the current at-grade crossing of the rail corridor on
Strachan Avenue. We stressed the fact that any new crossing design
should meet the safety needs of cyclist and pedestrians first, since
this is a major connection to the waterfront.
As reported in TCAT News,
Bike Summit 2008 was a huge success back in April of this year. One of
the goals for the one-day conference was to share the knowledge and
lessons learned at the summit with bicycle advocates, professionals and
elected officials unable to join us in Toronto. To this end, TCAT
helped to first coordinate a follow-up Bike Summit webinar, and now TCAT has prepared a summary report to help build the case for cycling investments in communities across Canada.
Last Friday, October 24, TCAT partnered with the Community Bicycle Network and the Toronto Cyclists Union to coordinate a demonstration of Montreal's soon-to-be-launched public bike system known as Bixi.
For over a year now the City has been talking about pulling together
all the various staff divisions involved with public space design to
create a Public Realm Division. This division would be responsible for
sidewalks, parkettes, signage, the coordinated street furniture
program, among other responsibilities.
As reported in TCAT News
the City is planning to build an active transportation connection into
Fort York over the railway tracks. According to the notice, "The
Fort York Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge is intended to provide a link
between Stanley Park to the north and the western area of Fort York
grounds to the south, improving the connections between the City, Fort
York and the waterfront."
Following-up on our successful event in September, Bikes as a Public Good: What is the future of public bikes in Toronto?, Torontonians will get a real live feel for what public bikes might look like on our city streets. The recently launched Bixi system in Montreal will be demonstrating their platform station and specially designed bikes this Friday.
Date: Friday, October 24
Time: 10:30 am
Last week, TCAT News reported on immediate action needed
to show City Council your support for the Annette Street bike lane,
which is facing challenges to approval at City Hall. This effort is
being led by the local group World19.
TCAT has heard from City Hall insiders that the chances of overturning
the committee decision at City Council are looking pretty good, but the
e-mails of support are still needed to back-up this effort.
From the City's bicycle infrastructure planning group:
Do you live in the downtown west-end in the area bounded by Bloor
and the Gardiner, from Keele to Bathurst? Do your ride a bicycle? If
you answered yes, we want to hear from you!
In partnership with the Toronto Cyclists Union, the City of
Toronto is seeking your ideas on bikeway projects for west-end Toronto.
We are looking for quick fixes that can be built in 2009-2010, so
please keep in mind potential hurdles associated with your suggestions.
The Community Bicycle Network (CBN) and Mountain Equipment Co-Op (MEC) are TCAT supporters.
In the US, transportation infrastructure funding is a complicated
process. A large portion of funding is approved at the federal level
and can be administered by federal, state, regional, county and
municipal agencies. The current federal transportation bill is set to
expire shortly, and groups across the country are lobbying feverishly
to ensure that the next bill includes funding for what they believe is
important.
Yesterday, TCAT News reported on the disappointing defeat for bike lanes at last week's Public Works and Infrastructure Committee
meeting. Cycling advocates from a broad range of groups have been
working hard in the past few days, trying to find out what can done to
While we are nearing the end of the construction season, and the City
is far short of its target to install 50 km of bike lanes in 2008, only
one bike lane was up for approval at last Friday's Public Works and Infrastructure Committee.
The Annette Street bike lane from Runnymede to Jane was actually a
deferred decision from a previous committee meeting. After some debate
over the reduction in some on-street parking to accommodate the bike
Last Thursday in Ontario Divisional Court, cyclists joined a very
powerful contingent of litigants trying to reverse a City decision made
almost a decade ago. In the submission by a group of Bloor Street
merchants, aptly named Concerned About Bloor,
they argued that the City mis-classified the Bloor Transformation
process as a Schedule A roads project, thus negating the need for a
full environmental assessment. The Safe Cycling Coalition acted as intervener in the case, and also had the opportunity to support the argument made by Concerned About Bloor.
The Bike Train is a TCAT supporter, and congratulations goes out to this very deserving initiative.
Bike Train wins two prestigious Ontario Tourism Awards.
For those who ride BMX or maybe have kids that ride BMX, you might be
interested to learn that the City of Toronto is presenting a report to
develop a strategy and policy for BMX facilities. This report will go
to the Community Development and Recreation Committee at its meeting this Thursday, October 16th.
To read the staff report click here
TCAT is thrilled to receive news that we have been awarded funding
toward three transportation research projects we proposed together with
the Clean Air Partnership. The funding is through the Toronto Community Foundation (TCF),
which is a founding sponsor of TCAT, and their continued support makes
TCAT's work possible. Other Toronto groups were also awarding funding
for projects. Below is an excerpt from the TCF press release.
One of the above-mentioned projects for which TCAT has been awarded
funding is a study looking at the impact on business resulting from the
removal of on-street parking in order to install bike lanes. The study
area is the Annex section of Bloor Street, between Spadina and
Bathurst. The findings from this report should be published by the end
of 2008 and will be of significant interest to City staff working on
the Bloor Corridor Visioning Study. This study was mostly completed in
2007, but the final report was just recently released (thanks to one
Two weeks ago, Metrolinx released a draft version of its Regional
Transportation Plan (RTP) for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.
TCAT has been following the development and consultation that led to
this draft document, and so far we are generally happy with what we
see. Of course, Metrolinx is limited in how it can influence what is
translated on the ground in local municipalities. For example,
Metrolinx is committing $20 million per year to invest in cycling and
walking - however that incentive can only go so far in motivating local
One thing missing from the Metrolinx RTP, and more specifically the
accompanying Investment Strategy, is the discussion of implementing
road pricing. It seems as if this was too big a political pill to
swallow at this point in time. While TCAT is disappointed to hear this
news, we're inspired that the discussion is still going on. Please see
the notice below about an upcoming road pricing conference.
Last week TCAT, in partnership with the Community Bicycle Network and the Clean Air Partnership,
hosted two events, both looking to start the public discussion on
public bike sharing, and the prospects for bringing a world-class
system to Toronto. For those who don't know, public bike sharing
systems provide bikes for short-term rental at stations scattered
around an urban area. Bikes can be rented at one station and returned
This past June, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), in partnership with TCAT, hosted a webinar called Highlights from Bike Summit 2008: Leading Examples from London, England and Seattle, Washington.
This was an opportunity for those unable to attend Bike Summit 2008 in
April to hear from two of the most popular presenters: Koy Thomson and
Peter Lagerwey.
A group calling itself the Safe Cycling Coalition has
been granted the right to intervene in the recently launched court case
involving some members of the Bloor-Yorkville Business Improvement
Area. The court case is challenging the decision by the City not to
conduct a full Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Bloor
transformation project. Below is an excerpt from last week's press
release.
Thanks to an anonymous cycling advocate working to do great things here
in Canada, TCAT was alerted to this symbolic new legislation recently
passed in the United States.
Section 827 of the Comprehensive American Energy Security and Consumer Protection Act states the following:
TRANSPORTATION FRINGE BENEFIT TO BICYCLE COMMUTERS
TCAT's current Project Coordinator, Fred Sztabinski, will be leaving
TCAT soon to pursue other endeavours outside of Toronto. The TCAT
Steering Committee is excited to continue the work of TCAT, in
partnership with The Clean Air Partnership, by hiring a new TCAT Research and Program Lead.
Please help us find a suitable candidate by forwarding the job posting, or applying yourself!
To read the job posting click here
TCAT, in partnership with the Community Bicycle Network and the Clean Air Partnership, are happy to announce our next public event, coming up in just under two weeks!
Join the Toronto Renewable Energy Co-operative in partnership with the Community Bicycle Network for an exciting urban bike tour featuring Toronto’s progressive renewable energy initiatives.
During the many stops on the tour, you will have the chance to:
In July, TCAT and the Toronto Cyclists Union
hosted Transportation Alternatives' Deputy Director, Noah Budnick, to
give a series of talks in Toronto. A few weeks ago, Transportation
Alternatives continued to take transportation advocacy to a new level,
preparing and releasing a report titled Suburbanizing the City: How New York City Parking Requirements Lead to More Driving
Over the past few months, we have received messages from Yahoo e-mail users who cannot view our weekly e-Bulletin. It seems the issue relates to the web interface that users use. Here are some simple instructions to ensure you can read future editions of the e-Bulletin.
In order to properly view the TCAT Newsletter emails, please follow the following steps to upgrade from Classic Yahoo! Mail to the new Yahoo! Mail:
This coming Monday, September 8th, the City's Public Works and Infrastructure Committee will be reviewing a staff report to install 5 more bike lanes this year, totaling 13.2 km. The 5 bike lanes are:
From the City of Toronto's City Planning web site:
The City of Toronto, City Planning Division and the
consulting firm of Brook Mcllroy Planning & Urban Design/Pace
Architects invite you to participate in a Design Workshop from 1:00
p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 20, as part of the Bloor
Dundas ‘Avenue’ Study.
TCAT, in partnership with the Community Bicycle Network and the Clean Air Partnership, are happy to announce our next public event, coming up in just over three weeks!
The much-anticipated Toronto-based bicycling magazine, Dandyhorse, launches at a party this Thursday.
Date: Thursday, August 28
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Cinecycle - In the coach house, down the lane behind 129 Spadina Avenue, just south of Richmond Street
DJs, cash bar, fresh magazines & cake!
$5 at the door
For more information click here
Walk and Bike for Life is a TCAT Supporter.
They are just getting started on a unique project to assist communities
across Ontario in developing more active transportation options.
Walk & Bike for Life is a non-profit
organization based in Port Credit, Ontario, with a mission to promote
walking and cycling as a recreational activity and as a healthier, more
sustainable mode of transportation.
A new study is just getting underway titled Methodologies for Identifying and Ranking Sustainable Transport Practices in Urban Regions.
The study leaders would like to get the word out about their research
in case interested parties would like to be involved or learn more. A
Project Synopsis has been prepared, and it can be accessed by clicking here.
A new study is just getting underway titled Methodologies for Identifying and Ranking Sustainable Transport Practices in Urban Regions.
The study leaders would like to get the word out about their research
in case interested parties would like to be involved or learn more. A
Project Synopsis has been prepared, and it can be accessed by clicking here.
A notice from Councillor Joe Mihevc (Ward 21 St. Paul's) was sent to TCAT letting us know that starting this Wednesday, August 27 (weather permitting), the City will be installing the bicycle lanes that have recently been approved for Vaughan Road between St. Clair Avenue and Winona Drive. The installation work is expected to take approximately one week to complete.
Though the goals may not be exactly in line, Bells on Bloor and Take the Tooker
now have some allies in their quest to force a full Environmental
Assessment process for the Bloor transformation project. As reported in
TCAT News, a formal
demand has been filed with Ontario's Environment Commissioner for a
review of the City's decision not to conduct an Environmental
Assessment for the reconstruction of Bloor Street between Avenue Road
From the City of Toronto's public consultation web site:
The City of Toronto and the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC)
are examining ways to significantly improve transit service on Eglinton
Avenue between Kennedy Subway Station and Renforth Drive, and
potentially as far as Lester B. Pearson International Airport.
As reported on Spacing Toronto,
there is an on-line petition circulating that asks the Toronto Police
to donate the recently recovered stolen bikes to those in need.
From the petition web site:
Grab your bike and get ready to explore Ontario like never before!
Following the public open house on July 9, where the technically
preferred street design did not include a bike lane, it looks like
cyclists should not expect a bike lane once construction gets underway
next year. The street is being redesigned to make it more
pedestrian-friendly and to improve streetcar access. Bike lanes may be
proposed to run on nearby Sorauren. Cyclists who feel strongly about
the Roncesvalles redesign including a bike lane need to have their
voices heard, especially if you live in Ward 14.
As a recap, Metrolinx (the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority) is in the process of drafting a Regional Transportation Plan.
In the lead-up to this document, Metrolinx first released seven Green
Papers outlining policy and investment options across all
transportation sectors. The Green Papers helped to form the content of
White Papers 1 and 2, released in May of this year. In late September
Metrolinx staff will be presenting the draft RTP to the Metrolinx
Etobicoke-Finch West
Time: 6:30pm to 9:00pm
Location: Jane-Finch Mall, 1911 Finch Avenue West (SE corner of Finch Avenue and Jane Street)
Time: 6:30pm to 9:00pm
Last week, representatives from Bells on Bloor and Take the Tooker
filed a formal demand with Ontario's Environment Commissioner for a
review of the City's decision not to conduct an Environmental
Assessment for the reconstruction of Bloor Street between Avenue Road
and Church Street. This project will remove parking, widen sidewalks,
and plant trees - yet no bike lane will be installed.
Last week, Transportation Alternatives'
Deputy Director Noah Budnick visited Canada, stopping in Montreal,
Ottawa and Toronto. While in Toronto, TCAT setup meetings for Noah with
the City of Toronto and Metrolinx, a bike tour of Toronto, and Noah
also gave a public presentation on Thursday evening at the Centre for
Social Innovation. It was an opportunity for Toronto area
transportation practitioners and advocates (over 70 in attendance) to
learn about exciting new projects in New York City, and more
A notice sent through the City's Cyclometer newsletter:
"Waterfront Toronto and Toronto and Region Conservation
invite you to join us in celebrating the Mimico Waterfront Park - Phase
1! Activities include official opening ceremonies, a fish check-up and
community BBQ.Cyclists are invited to join in the celebrations and check out
a new cycling trail in the park that makes an important link in the
Toronto Bikeway Network and the Waterfront Trail."
For those who missed the news at our Annual General Meeting in February, TCAT is now officially a project of the Clean Air Partnership (CAP).
TCAT continues to do the exact same work it has over the past couple
years, acting as the unified voice to the many groups working for a
better cycling and pedestrian environment in Toronto.
The relationship also allows you to now donate to help support TCAT's work, and to receive a tax deductible receipt from CAP.
From the City of Toronto's consultation web site:
"The City of Toronto and the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC)
are examining ways to significantly improve transit service on Finch
Avenue West between Yonge Street and the Highway 27 area.The Etobicoke-Finch West LRT is one component of the Transit
City Light Rail Plan - a proposed network of seven new light rail lines
that would provide comfortable, efficient rapid transit throughout
Toronto.
Professor John Pucher at Rutgers University is the foremost North
American writer on comparative government cycling policy. He has
various publications on the subject, and travels regularly to present
his work.
TCAT, in partnership with the Toronto Cyclists Union, The Clean Air Partnership, and the US Consulate General in Toronto, is happy to present:
While it's clear that there's still lots of room for improvement in
Toronto's cycling environment, it's also important to celebrate newly
installed bike lanes. Come join the City in celebrating the completion
of one of Toronto's newest bike lanes: Royal York Road (from Delroy Drive to Mimico Creek).
Date: Tuesday, July 15th
Time: 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Location: East side of Royal York Road, at Castlebar Road.
Free juice and snacks will be provided.
From the City's consultation web site:
From the Waterfront Toronto public notice:
"Waterfront Toronto, the City of Toronto and the Toronto
Transit Commission are developing a plan to revitalize the Lower Don
Lands and create a vibrant, mixed use, sustainable community that
embraces and respects a newly naturalized and flood-protected mouth of
the Don River.
Yesterday at Etobicoke York Community Council,
the culmination of more than a year's worth of community organizing was
put to the test. Community Council had before it a report from staff
recommending a slightly modified configuration to this extremely
dangerous and unpleasant interchange in South Etobicoke. Members of the
For those following the plans to redesign the stretch of Bloor Street
between Church Street and Avenue Road, there is an information meeting
tonight. However, it's not clear if this is a public event. But for a
project taking place on public streets, it probably should be. If you
do try and go, make sure to ask why there are no bike lanes planned for
this renewed grand avenue.
Date: Tuesday, July 8
Time: 6:00 p.m.
It helps to be able to say how many individuals and groups support
the work we do when we speak with City Councillors, City staff, and the
media, or put out a publication. As part of our effort to grow the
collective voice of TCAT, a new organization has joined our list of
supporters. It is:
The TCAT Steering Committee welcomes this group to TCAT.
Rather than only harping on missed opportunities when it comes to
advocating for more bike lanes in the City, it's also important to
celebrate newly installed bike lanes. Come join the City in celebrating
the completion of one of Toronto's newest bike lanes: Rogers Road (from Oakwood Avenue to Old Weston Road).
Date: Thursday, July 3rd
Time: 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Location: Boon Avenue & Rogers Road
As mentioned in last week's TCAT News e-Bulletin, there is an important Community Council meeting coming up next Monday. The Toronto Urban Renewal Network (TURN) is working hard to get as many pedestrians and cyclists - especially those living in Ward 13 - out to speak in favour of a redesign for this dangerous intersection to more safely accommodate active transportation.
Talk around an improved streetscape for Roncesvalles has been underway
for quite some time. Some of the elements included in the preliminary
designs have triggered the Environmental Assessment Process. This means
more opportunity for residents to become involved in the planning
process and to provide input on how the street will be redesigned.
The first public open house for the EA will take place next Wednesday.
Date: Wednesday, July 8
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
At last Friday's Public Works and Infrastructure Committee meeting, members approved a City report to install four more bike lanes in 2008. Those lanes are:
There is a lot of contention that surrounds the Toronto Police Service's annual campaign
to target drivers and cyclists who commit 'offences' that make cycling
unsafe on our streets. It's also surprising that the City chooses to
run this campaign during the very period they are trying to promote
From the June edition of Cyclometer:
The transformation of the Martin Goodman Trail at Ontario
Place will consist of extending the trail from Marilyn Bell Park to the
existing trail within Coronation Park at Strachan Avenue.
Bike Train
is a TCAT supporter and is set to begin its second year of service.
Join Bike Train staff and partners for the Official Launch of the
Toronto-Niagara Bike Train.
Date: Friday, June 27
Time: Press Conference - 9:00 - 9:45 a.m.
Location: Union Station (Great Hall)
For those living in Ward 21
or those interested in plans for improving the cycling environment in
this ward, you are invited to attend the first ward chapter meeting of
the Toronto Cyclists Union, co-hosted by the local City Councillor Joe Mihevc.
Date: Thursday, July 3
Time: 6:30 - 8:25 p.m.
It's been a while since TCAT News last reported on the debate around a redesign for the South Kingsway-Queensway Interchange in Ward 13. The Toronto Urban Renewal Network (TURN)
has been busy organizing residents interested in designing and building
an interchange that improves safety and accessibility for pedestrians,
cyclists and transit users.
On June 2nd, TFO (Ontario's French language television network) aired a
segment on cycling in Toronto on its daily current affairs program Panorama.
The Toronto Cyclists Union's Yvonne Bambrick, City of Toronto's
Christina Bouchard, and TCAT's Fred Sztabinski appear, along with a few
others.
If you'd like to view the segment (in French) click here
As reported recently in TCAT News,
the TTC and the City are well underway with the EA for the Sheppard
East LRT route - part of the Transit City network - and current designs
do include a bike lane. It's important that those supportive of bike-
and pedestrian-friendly streets express these priorities to project
staff.
There are two upcoming open houses to present preliminary plans and design options for this project.
There are a variety of items coming up from the Toronto Cycling Advisory Committee on this week's Public Works and Infrastructure Committee agenda. The meeting is on June 4th at 9:30 a.m. in Committee Room 1 at City Hall.
The items are:
The Don Mills LRT EA is also underway, and three open houses are scheduled.
From the City's web site:
The City of Toronto and the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC)
are carrying out an Environmental Assessment (EA) study to identify a
light rail transit route in the Don Mills Road corridor extending from
Steeles Avenue to the Bloor-Danforth subway, with options for providing
continuous service to downtown. The Don Mills EA study is part of the
Toronto’s Transit City plan.
The City is looking at ways to improve the Kipling and Islington
interchanges with the Gardiner Expressway. It is important that the
study focus not only on vehicular movement, and that is why a cyclist
and pedestrian presence throughout the EA will be very important.
As the City gets the project EAs underway, they are hosting an open house on June 11. The dates are:
Date: Wednesday, June 11
Time: 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Bells on Bloor and Take the Tooker have teamed up to launch an on-line petition to City Council calling for a bike lane on Bloor Street.
To sign the petition click here
With City Councillor Gord Perks, MPP Cheri DiNovo, and MP Peggy Nash
Date: Monday May 26
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Parkdale Activity Recreation Centre, 1499 Queen St. West
Sent from the Parkdale High Park Waterfront Group:
