Canada invests in healthier and greener communities in the Lower Mainland through active transportation planning

BURNABY, BC, Nov. 22, 2022 /CNW/ - Today, Terry Beech, Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Member of Parliament for Burnaby North—Seymour; His Worship Mike Hurley, Mayor of the City of Burnaby; and His Worship Patrick Johnstone, Mayor of the City of New Westminster, announced $550,000 in federal and municipal funding for three active transportation projects on the eastern side of the Burrard Peninsula. This investment will support the planning and design of active transportation infrastructure to provide convenient, healthier, and greener modes of travel.

The City of Burnaby will use part of this funding to update its street and traffic bylaw. The update will focus on revising regulations to encourage sustainable transportation options. This funding will also enable the City to undertake an active school travel planning study that aligns with regional planning initiatives like TransLink's regional Youth Travel Strategy. This planning effort will complement the City's evaluation of existing school travel routes to identify potential safety improvements and will develop strategies that support students walking and cycling to school.

With this fund, the City of New Westminster will plan a city-wide active transportation network that responds to advances in accessibility and considers the significant mobility changes that have resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding will enable the design of a safe, convenient All Ages and Abilities (AAA) active transportation network that will connect neighbourhoods, business districts, schools, community facilities, and interregional routes. The plan will also include an ambitious implementation timeline that aims to build out the network within the next five years.

By investing in infrastructure, the Government of Canada is growing our country's economy, increasing the resiliency of our communities, and improving the lives of Canadians.

Quotes

"The Government of Canada is committed to creating safe, convenient, and accessible options for British Columbians of all ages to walk, bike, roll, and scoot through their communities. This investment will support healthier lifestyles, reduce carbon emissions, create jobs, and build a stronger local economy. City-wide active transportation planning and initiatives like the ones announced today will connect more communities and further Canada's path to meet net-zero targets by 2050."

Terry Beech, Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Member of Parliament for Burnaby North—Seymour, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities

"It's fantastic to have the support of Infrastructure Canada as we move forward with the goals outlined in Burnaby's transportation plan, which aim to make travel in our city safer and more sustainable. This funding will help advance our work to make it easier for our residents to leave their car behind and choose other options to get around such as walking, or emerging low and zero-carbon options such as e-bikes."

His Worship Mike Hurley, Mayor of the City of Burnaby

"Last year, the City of New Westminster committed to prioritizing development of an all ages and abilities (AAA) active transportation network plan, as part of our commitments to Climate Action and a safer community for all. The funding provided by Infrastructure Canada accelerated this effort, and assured we were able to deliver a visionary plan for the future of transportation in our City."

His Worship Patrick Johnstone, Mayor of New Westminster

Quick facts

• The Government of Canada is investing $150,000 for these projects through the Active Transportation Fund (ATF). The City of Burnaby is contributing $350,000, while the City of New Westminster is providing $50,000.
• The Active Transportation Fund will provide $400 million over five years to support a modal shift toward active transportation, in support of Canada's first National Active Transportation Strategy.
• Municipal governments, defined as local and regional governments such as service districts, and Indigenous organizations are eligible recipients for the ATF. Provinces, territories, and not-for-profit organizations are also eligible in specific circumstances.
• Applications for planning and capital projects from eligible Indigenous recipients continue to be accepted on an ongoing basis.
• Funding provided through the Active Transportation Fund (ATF) supports Canada's National Active Transportation Strategy by expanding networks of pathways, bike lanes, trails, and pedestrian bridges, in addition to supporting active transportation planning and stakeholder engagement activities.
• Canada's National Active Transportation Strategy is the country's first coast-to-coast-to-coast strategic approach for promoting active transportation and its benefits. The Strategy aims to make data-driven, evidence-based investments to build new and expanded active transportation networks and to create safe, attractive alternatives for more convenient, healthy, active, equitable, and sustainable travel options.
• Investments in active transportation build on the Government of Canada's work to create well-paying middle-class jobs, strengthen local economies, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions while setting the foundation to achieve a more inclusive Canada and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
• Active transportation refers to the movement of people or goods powered by human activity, including walking, cycling and the use of human-powered or hybrid mobility aids, such as wheelchairs, scooters, e-bikes, rollerblades, snowshoes, and cross-country skis.

Related Product

Backgrounder: Canada invests in healthier and greener communities in Lower Mainland through active transportation planning

Associated links

Active Transportation Fund

National Active Transportation Strategy 

Infrastructure in British Columbia

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(media only), please contact: Jean-Sébastien Comeau, Press Secretary and Senior Communications Advisor, Office of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, Jean-Sé[email protected], [phone]; Chris Bryan, Manager, Public Affairs City of Burnaby, 604-570-3616, [email protected]; Melissa Nilan, Communications Coordinator, City of New Westminster, 604-515-3808, [email protected]; Media Relations, Infrastructure Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, [email protected]