Share The Road Cycling Coalition City of Vaughn Vaughn Cycling Forum April 11, 2012
Overview Share the Road Cycling Coalition 1. Ontario: Bicycle Friendly? 2. Ontario Bicycle Policy 3. Bicycle Friendly Communities Program 4.
One of cycling’s many benefits…
“Boris” bikes…
London…
Cambridge UK
Bikeability – Cycling Education
Mission To make Ontario bicycle-friendly for everyone: – Enhancing access for bicyclists on roads and trails – Improving safety for all bicyclists – Educating citizens on the values and importance of safe bicycling for health lifestyles and communities
Who we are… The SRCC represents over 3,000 stakeholders across the province through our network of local experts, municipal officials, advocates, public health, business and tourism officials.
What we do Unite: Created to unite cycling stakeholders from across Ontario Harness: local resources, talent, knowledge Change: Minds, Attitudes, the Conversation Evidence: Data Build capacity: work with and on behalf of municipalities, enhancing their bike-friendliness Champions: develop political champions and facilitate legislative change. Provincial role: Policy, Legislation, Programs, Infrastructure $
Strategic Plan Provincial Role Champions Advocacy Build Bicycle Friendly Communities Unite/Harness Building the Changing the Evidence-based Tools for change movement Conversation
Highlights from 2010-2011
Highlights 2010-2011 Green Paper on Bicycling in Ontario “When Ontario Bikes, • Ontario Benefits” Ontario Bicycle Policy update (1992 last policy developed) • led by Minister Wynne. 5 Regional/Local Bike Summits : Peterborough – March; • Sault Ste. Marie – April; Guelph – May; Essex – October; London Cycling Tourism initiatives: Lake Erie Route; Sudbury- • Sault Ste. Marie North Shore Route; Manitoulin/Hwy 6 Yearly Ontario Bicycle Summits • CAA Partnership: Road safety; cycling education •
Highlights 2010-2011 Two Rounds: Bicycle Friendly Communities Program • 8 “Share the Road Rides” throughout Ontario: • Wiarton/Tobermory/Manitoulin; Huntsville; Minden; Port Carling; Sudbury; Ottawa; Milton – 2,000 cyclists Wheeling to School Pilot Program • Share the Road Pilot Program: Halton Regional Police • Ontario Medical Association Policy on Cycling (August • 2011) www.oma.org Approached Provincial Coroner to investigate cycling • deaths 2006-2011
2012
Strategic Plan 2012 Operational Planning: Advocacy program: Advocacy Tool Kit; training programs; Legislative Change (PMBs); Queen’s Park Lobby Day (2012); Ontario Coroner Expert Panel Building the Cycling Movement : Increasing the number of Share the Road Rides across Ontario (3 in 2009; 8 in 2012) – Local/Regional Summits: 5 in 2011; 6 in 2012 Changing the Conversation : Yearly Polling; Study on the Impact of Cycling; Share the Road Advertising/Public Education Campaign with CAA (2012)
2012 Advocacy Agenda • Phase One: Ontario Cycling Advisory Network – Ontario CAN! • Secure Ontario Bicycle Policy • Make the case for $25 M Infrastructure Fund for municipalities • Legislative changes to HTA: • Paved shoulders PMB (Norm Miller – Bill 9) • One metre Safe Passing Law – PMB It all starts at the Ontario Bike Summit! It can’t happen without you!
Ontario: Bicycle Friendly?
The Big Picture Growing recognition of the many benefits of cycling (the conversation is changing): – Improved personal health (less obesity and diabetes, reduced healthcare costs) – Improved quality of life and more livable communities – Addressing climate change and air pollution – Transportation solutions (reduced cost and less congestion) – Economic Development (cycling industry, tourism and leisure)
The Big Picture Examples: – Europe : UK $20 M Re-investment Cycling Education (Bikeability) 2011-2014 – U.S. -- $5 B since 1990; 2005 $612 M Active and Safe Routes to School – Canada = Route Verte, 4300 km bike route through Quebec; $200 M provincial government investment; $134 M ROI – BC -- $31 M municipal fund Bike BC
Bicycling in Ontario: The Good News Stakeholder support is strong and growing – AMO – OPPI (Ontario Professional Planners Institute) – OACP (Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police) – CAA Cycling movement in Ontario continues to grow, building capacity and diversity – OBS, regional summits, regional rides and municipal initiatives, tourism initiatives Growing public support for measures to promote cycling Response to BFC Program
Bicycling in Ontario: The Bad News… Unlike BC + Quebec, Ontario has... – No Bicycle Policy framework – No taxation or financing arrangements to support bike infrastructure in local municipalities (Quebec $200 M; BC $31 M) – No job creation plan linked to the business of bicycles:(Bike sales Canada (2010) $250 M; 350,000 sold in 2010; up 10%) Bikes mean business!
Ontario Bicycle Policy
Ontario Bicycle Policy Quebec’s Bike Policy (1995; 2008)
The business case: Research Paper on Cycling
2009 Stakeholder Survey: Making the case Expert Survey I nfrastructure Funding 86% Increased Education Policy and Mode Cyclists/ legislation Share Motorists 74% 62% Public Awareness Safety Campaigns 71%
Ontario Bicycle Policy Started 2009 First provincial policy update in 19 years Policy framework to promote cycling Ontario government needs to support municipal cycling efforts To get the change we need requires investments, partnerships, coordinated efforts to get people on bikes more often
Ontario Bicycle Policy Why is this important? – Respond to municipal needs: reflect urban and rural reality – Citizens want safe, liveable communities – Employers want safe, liveable communities, quality of life – Need to address congestion – Municipal spending on cycling lowers health care costs – provincial spending??? – Increased economic development via bicycle tourism – Bike Tourism is a $46.9 B business in the US
Ontario Bicycle Policy Why is this important? – Aligned with existing provincial priorities: Provincial Policy Statement, Climate Change Plan; Places to Grow legislation, Regional transportation measures – Metrolinx Big Move – Aligned with increased provincial focus on healthy promotion, chronic disease prevention “Keeping Ontario Healthy” – Aligned with Childhood Obesity Council – reduction of 20% in 5 years
Polling Data
Support for Cycling: Poll Results (June 2011) 28% of Ontarians are regular cyclists (at least once a month) – up from 24% 2009 – 2-out-of-3 say they ride for health and exercise – 36% ride for reasons of cost – 20% ride because it’s better for the environment 53% would like to cycle more often 60% don’t - too afraid
Support for Cycling: Poll Results (June 2011) 65% agree that ‘where I live, cyclists need more bike lanes/paved shoulders’ 58% believe the provincial gov’t. has a duty to support cycling as a choice for Ontarians 86% say “sharing the road” is a mutual responsibility
Support for Cycling: Poll Results (June 2011) 67% agree that ‘if the province is going to spend money on roads, it should earmark a portion of that spending to meet the needs of cyclists’ 69% believe that ‘As healthcare costs rise in Ontario, the provincial government should invest in cycling infrastructure so that more people could leave their car at home and ride a bike instead’
Bike Friendly Communities: Changing the Conversation 34
Bicycle Friendly Communities Program
Bicycle Friendly Communities Launched the Bicycle Friendly Community program – AMO 2010 Based on successful U.S. partnership model Canadian version: Bicycle Trade Association of Canada; Trek Bicycles, AMO
Bicycle Friendly Communities Initiative Civic pride initiative Roadmap for improvements, platform for change 4 Award levels – Platinum – Gold – Silver – Bronze
Bicycle Friendly Communities Initiative Application Criteria: 5 “Es” – Engineering – physical environment – Education - both cyclists and motorists – Encouragement- promotion, events, route finding, commuting incentive, active/safe routes to school – Enforcement – targeted enforcement, police on bikes, by-laws that promote safety – Evaluation & Planning – current programs, future planning: measuring cycling now; collision rates, plans for improvement
Bicycle Friendly – Inspiration Bike-Friendly City -- #1 Bike City: Minneapolis/St. Paul The unforgiving and frigid city of Minneapolis is the country's top spot to be an urban cyclist. St. Paul Population: 285,068 Cold climate – bike friendly?
Bicycle Friendly – Inspiration Between them, Minneapolis and St. Paul have 84 miles of dedicated bike paths and 44 miles of designated bike lanes on streets. The city has plans to install another 40 miles of designated bike lanes. Every city bus and train has bicycle-carrying capability.
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