Whereas the Province of BC is cost sharing cycling infrastructure projects with local government through our BikeBC program to encourage healthy living and to help address climate change; And whereas prior to building cycling infrastructure, such as bike lanes, it is necessary to conduct a design stage that can be a very expensive endeavor: Therefore be it resolved that the Province cost share not only cycling infrastructure but also the design of the infrastructure, especially as it relates to bike lanes.
Ministry of Transportation and Highways Infrastructure The Provincial Government is eager to see the growth of active transportation across the province. OnJune 17, 2019, Move. Commute. Connect. https:cleanbc.gov.bc.caactive BCs Active Transportation Strategy - was released to support the Provinces CleanBC Strategy. One of the goals of Move. Commute. Connect. is to double the percentage of trips taken with active transportation by 2030. Move. Commute. Connect. is focused on changing the transportation landscape to make active transportation safer, more accessible and convenient for the public, regardless of age, ability, gender or ethnicity. In support of this strategy, the Ministry released the B.C. Active Transportation Design Guide, https:www2.gov.bc.cagovcontenttransportationtransportation-infrastructu… a detailed planning and engineering reference that includes best practices for the development of active transportation infrastructure projects. An early action item in Move. Commute. Connect. is to: expand the existing Provincial grant program to include all forms of active transportation and to support planning an infrastructure. As part of this work, staff will explore cost-share opportunities to encourage the development of infrastructure that promotes all forms of active transportation including the potential to expand eligible project expenditures to project planning and design estimates. In 2018, the Provinces cycling grant program expanded its cost-shareable items to include Cycling Network Plans for communities with a population of 15,000 or less, in recognition of the financial challenges associated with management and development of transportation in BCs smaller communities.