WHEREAS Canada has agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions under the Kyoto Protocol; AND WHEREAS air quality in most villages, towns and cities is regularly fair to poor due to increased particulate matter levels and pollution from fuel exhaust; AND WHEREAS the Province of British Columbia through its ACT NOW program and the Government of Canada through the Olympic Live, Healthy Eating and Living Program and other programs, are promoting healthier lifestyles: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia include funding for commuter highways for non-greenhouse gas emitting transportation such as that used by cyclists, roller bladers, cross country skiers, pedestrians and other forms of clean, non-motorized transportation, in their annual budgets, operations plans and capital improvement plans.
Ministry of Transportation The Province of British Columbia does provide funding for non-greenhouse gas emitting transportation infrastructure. The Cycling Infrastructure Partnership Program assists local governments throughout the Province of British Columbia Province in the construction of new cycling infrastructure such as separated paths, shoulder bikeways, and bicycle lanes. Up to 2 million is made available for cost sharing annually. Since 2004, the program has created over 270 kilometers of cycling facilities and has invested over 4.8 million in the development of infrastructure for non-greenhouse gas emitting transportation. An example of the type of project cost-shared by this program is the 1.1 kilometer separated path that links the College Heights area to Prince Georges city centre. This path is used not only by cyclists but also by pedestrians, roller bladers and other non-greenhouse gas emitting forms of transportation. At the 2006 Union of BC Municipalities Annual Convention, Premier Campbell responded to the municipalities call for vibrant and integrated communities. Premier Campbell shared a vision of vibrant communities that are safe healthy places where people can chose to bike to work, where they can breathe clean air and have access to clean water and proper sewage treatment. To assist local governments in developing these vibrant communities, the Province has launched the Green Communities Project, which includes four programs: LocalMotion, Spirit Squares, Towns for Tomorrow, and the Green Cities Awards program. The Ministry of Transportation Ministry, working in partnership with the Ministry of Community Services, is administering the LocalMotion program, which will provide 10 million per year for four years, for a total of 40 million, to cost share capital projects with local governments directed at building bike paths, walkways, greenways, improving accessibility for people with disabilities and support programs to get kids playing in communities and parks. These projects will be cost shared on a 50-50 basis. The Province also provides funding for non-greenhouse gas emitting transportation during capital projects. The Ministrys cycling policy states that provisions will be made for cycling on all new and upgraded provincial highways. An excellent example of this is the Gateway Program, which will invest 50 million in cycling infrastructure as part of the program. This investment will include cycling and pedestrian access across the Port Mann and Pitt River Bridge, as well as cycling on both the South Fraser and North Fraser Perimeter Roads. An additional 10 million will be invested through cost sharing with local governments for the construction of facilities that link to the provincial infrastructure.