July 2022 - AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

The Government of Canada launches consultations on establishing permanent public transit funding
by Beth McKechnie 02 Aug '22

02 Aug '22

OTTAWA, ON, July 29, 2022 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, announced the launch of public consultations on the design and implementation of Permanent Public Transit funding in Canada. Feedback will inform a long-term transit investment strategy that aims to build complete, sustainable and inclusive communities and unlock opportunities to address other challenges, including housing affordability. Investments in public transit will work toward reducing commute times and improving Canadians' quality of life, aid in providing access to meaningful employment, services and recreation and will help tackle traffic congestion and cut air pollution. *Interested stakeholders can share their feedback through Infrastructure Canada's web page <https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3607932-1&h=2725479515&u=https%3A%2F%2F…> until September 30, 2022*. https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/the-government-of-canada-launches-con…

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WFP: Connecting bike lanes a priority for political newbie (Jul29'22)
by Beth McKechnie 29 Jul '22

29 Jul '22

*Connecting bike lanes a priority for political newbie * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/07/28/connecting-bike-l… A candidate for St. James in the civic election said he’ll work to connect Winnipeg’s disjointed bike lanes, if elected. Daevid Ramey, 53, was born and raised in Winnipeg. He returned 10 years ago, and settled in St. James with his family. He leads a weekly community bike ride from Bourkevale Community Centre, and said making it easier for people to use active transport and avoid potentially dangerous open traffic is a policy priority for him. “My goal is to take care of the things that impact all people, not just focus on roads,” said Ramey, who officially registered to run Thursday. “Roads are important, of course, they get us to where we’re going. But there is a lot more in our community that we also need to take care of, including pathways, bicycle paths, sidewalks, appropriate lighting so that people can walk safely down their streets, even simple little things like putting more benches in our public spaces.” He said the city’s pedestrian and cycling action plan, which includes funding to create and connect protected bike lanes, moves too slowly. If elected, he would seek outside funding to hasten the projects. “So I would take the plans that exist now, and ensure that the resources and the things that we need to get them done, would be done. It’s about funding the policy, funding the plan in a way that is sustainable so that it does get done.” Creating fluid bike lanes across Winnipeg isn’t a pipe dream, Bike Winnipeg executive director Mark Cohoe said, especially as rising gas costs and the effects of climate change influence Winnipeggers, and city leadership has begun to show more interest. “There is a willingness. Right now, the money hasn’t been there to come through with it, but I think it’s pretty close,” he said. “I think we can, with a slightly different council and slightly different mayor… really make that change and see it. I think it is politically possible.” A 10-year time frame to build and connect the infrastructure would be realistic, he said, as long as investments in road-building and rehabilitation give more of a priority to active transport. “Certainly, the federal government is there with money, the province is moving toward providing some more money as well, they could definitely do better, but you have willing partners to help invest in that as well,” he said. “So I think that’s part of the solution, to make sure you’ve got the three levels of government, not just the city working on your own.” Shawn Dobson and Kelly Ryback are also running in St. James. Election day is Oct. 26. malak.abas(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Fwd: Winnipeg Road Safety Strategic Action Plan – July 2022 Project Update
by Terry Zdan 27 Jul '22

27 Jul '22

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: City of Winnipeg <notifications(a)engagementhq.com> Date: Wed., Jul. 27, 2022, 10:24 a.m. Subject: Winnipeg Road Safety Strategic Action Plan – July 2022 Project Update To: <tjzdan50(a)gmail.com> You are receiving this email because you requested updates on the Winnipeg Road Safety Strategic Action Plan. On July 21, 2022, Council approved the Winnipeg Road Safety Strategic Action Plan <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=9vcdD193qA8wVAWAMcxkDRPI9yvzhY…>, which will serve as a roadmap for implementing both short-term solutions and long-term investments to ensure the City is doing its part in preventing serious injury and death on our roads. Thank you to the stakeholders, partners, and the general public for their input that helped shape the plan. The plan consists of 67 actions to help Winnipeg reach its goal of a 20 percent reduction in fatal and serious injury collisions over the next five years, with a long-term vision of a transportation system that allows people of all ages and abilities to safely move around without experiencing death or serious injury. We will update you with next steps for implementation in the coming months. For more information, visit winnipeg.ca/roadsafetyplan <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=9vcdD193qA8wVAWAMcxkDRPI9yvzhY…> . Kind regards, The Project Team You're receiving this email because you are a registered participant on Engage Winnipeg. Powered by EngagementHQ <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=Ly4LMpFOFkQHsPvHv6lGIGWetLV0tE…> Unsubscribe <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=9vcdD193qA8wVAWAMcxkDRPI9yvzhY…>

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WFP: Thieves hit Orioles Bike Cage, dent confidence in cycling safety (Jul27'22)
by Beth McKechnie 27 Jul '22

27 Jul '22

Thieves hit Orioles Bike Cage, dent confidence in cycling safety https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/07/27/thieves-hit-oriol… THIEVES have put a wrench into a community bike hub in the West End. The Orioles Bike Cage has been forced to close its repair shop after dozens of bikes and tools were stolen on the weekend. “We suspect that it happened either very late Friday night or in the wee hours of Saturday morning,” said director Gregory Allan. “My heart sank a little bit. It’s not the first time we’ve been broken into.” The operation has run out of the Valour Community Centre by a team of volunteers that refurbishes donated bikes, and teaches people how to fix their own rides. Despite amping up security measures over the years, Allan said thefts happen at least once every two years. He said there have been six break-ins since the shop opened 13 years ago. “Every time it happens, it’s very frustrating and very disheartening,” Allan said. “It means a lot of work to re-establish everything that’s been taken, and it means a disruption to our service. People are going to come to our shop, realize we’re closed and not be able to fix their bikes.” After the last break-in, around Halloween 2020, a heavy-duty steel door was installed to amp up Orioles’ security — but it wasn’t enough. On the weekend, thieves made off with $3,000 in tools. Allan is convinced bike theft is getting worse. In 2020, 2,100 bikes were reported stolen to the Winnipeg Police Service. Some programs, such as Bike Winnipeg’s valet program, try to ward off theft by offering monitored bike parking at special events. When a community bike hub is targeted, many riders are affected. Orioles Bike Cage will have to spend money that could’ve paid for outreach and community initiatives on enhancing security and replacing stolen equipment. Allan believes theft has a wider impact on cycling advocacy in the city; dedicating a small amount of public money to installing security infrastructure for community bike hubs could be a solution, he said. “There are a lot of groups trying to get more people on bikes more often in an attempt to curb greenhouse gas emissions,” Allan said. “The more bikes get stolen, the more places like this to get broken into, the harder it is for people to make that switch and to trust that cycling is, in fact, a good decision to make.” Allan said the Orioles Bike Cage will remain closed for weeks. cierra.bettens(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Construction begins at north Winnipeg multi-use trail (Jul23'22)
by Beth McKechnie 23 Jul '22

23 Jul '22

*Construction begins at north Winnipeg multi-use trail * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/construction-begins-at-north-winnip… CONSTRUCTION is officially underway on a multi-use path in north Winnipeg. The ground was broken Friday morning, at the site of the Northwest Hydro Corridor Multi-use Path Project, within the hydro corridor between Leila and Church avenues. Representatives from the City of Winnipeg, Manitoba government, Manitoba Hydro, Trails Manitoba and Bike Winnipeg were on site as construction began on the 2.4-kilometre route. “It’s a very exciting day, and I know the residents of northwest Winnipeg and residents from across the city are going to benefit from this project. We’re ecstatic, and have been waiting for this for a long time,” said Coun. Devi Sharma (Old Kildonan). “The City of Winnipeg is proud to play a leading role in improving pedestrian and cycling facilities, which are a priority for all members of our community.” The project is one Sharma and her colleagues have been trying to get in motion for years. “Projects like this, near hydro transmission lines, are complicated. There are many steps to working on a project like this,” she said. “This is something that was absolutely needed. It connects to the network in a very important way and it’s going to provide so many benefits for residents in north Winnipeg and across the city.” The multi-use path will be 4.5 metres wide and feature lighting, benches, connections to surrounding neighbourhoods and new controlled crossings for pedestrians and cyclists at Leila and Jefferson avenues, and Inkster Boulevard. “When we embrace the opportunity to invest in our transportation network, we are striving to provide everyone with healthy transportation options that are more important than ever in the climate crisis,” said Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface). The overall cost of the project is $2.5 million, which includes a grant of $450,000 from Trails Manitoba and the Manitoba government. The grant is part of an overall $10-million investment by the Manitoba government designed to create social and economic benefits to trail users. “The Manitoba government is pleased to provide funding to Trails Manitoba to launch this important project that will benefit so many cyclists, pedestrians, and active transportation users of all kinds for generations to come,” said Sarah Guillemard, community wellness minister. The second project for the grant is a parkway that will connect The Forks and Chief Peguis Trail through a multi-use path. It will receive $150,000. The first phase of construction on the northwest path will take place this year. The second phase is slated for 2024. “Both these projects will help us make progress toward our climate change goals, close critical connectivity gaps, and address the long-standing imbalance between north and south Winnipeg in active transportation infrastructure,” Allard said. bryce.hunt(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP Around City Hall: Sustainable Procurement, Road Safety Plan and Sidewalk Snow Clearing (Jul22'22)
by Beth McKechnie 22 Jul '22

22 Jul '22

CITY TO PURSUE SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT THE City of Winnipeg will aim to use its buying power to better the community. On Thursday, council cast a final vote to implement a sustainable procurement action blueprint. The city will implement changes over three years that can help Winnipeggers overcome employment barriers and get hired, and/or achieve other key social and environmental goals. SIGHTS SET ON STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ROAD SAFETY THE City of Winnipeg will spend $22 million over five years on a road safety strategic action plan, which aims to reduce serious injuries and deaths caused by traffic collisions. The new plan sets a target to reduce the number of fatal and serious injury collisions by 20 per cent over five years. It suggests the city add more 30 km/h speed limits at neighbourhood greenways, review overall speed limits, add more traffic calming measures (such as speed bumps or roundabouts) and create public education on road safety, among several other steps. SIDEWALK SNOW CLEARING TO BE DONE QUICKER A plan to clear sidewalks of ice and snow quicker in future winters has been approved by council, minus an original recommendation to have private contractors do more of the work. On Thursday, council approved a call to spend $3 million on 15 more sidewalk-clearing machines but rejected a recommendation to also contract out an additional 500 kilometres of sidewalk plowing. More info here: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/snow-ice-clearing-options-winnipeg-…

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Big Vehicles impact on safety of road users
by Charles Feaver 17 Jul '22

17 Jul '22

The Globe's lead editorial Saturday: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/editorials/article-reducing-the-dang erous-impact-of-cars-that-just-keep-getting-bigger/ Reducing the dangerous impact of cars that just keep getting bigger and meaner In many respects, vehicles today are safer than they have ever been. Mandatory seatbelt laws, airbags, headlights that turn on automatically and modern crumple zones make the inside of a vehicle an increasingly secure spot. In Canada, the fatality rate per 100,000 vehicles in 2020 was the <https://tc.canada.ca/en/road-transportation/statistics-data/canadian-motor- vehicle-traffic-collision-statistics-2020> lowest in at least two decades. However, safety overseers - at least in North America - have been much slower to address the risk vehicles pose to everyone around them. Hundreds of Canadian pedestrians and cyclists are fatally struck every year. While European regulators insist on design changes that can protect people outside the vehicle, North American auto safety standards have traditionally not taken them into account. This is particularly relevant today, because vehicles on this continent have gone on steroids. The supersizing of cars and trucks is everywhere. The new Volkswagen Beetle is 73 per cent heavier than the model that starred as Herbie the Love Bug. The changes are even more striking among larger vehicles. The Cadillac Escalade is an SUV so big that up to <https://www.wthr.com/article/news/investigations/13-investigates/13-investi gates-millions-vehicles-have-unexpected-dangerous-front-blind-zone/531-9521c 471-3bc1-4b55-b860-3363f0954b3b> 13 children can sit in a line in front of it without the driver being able to see them. Sedans have increasingly been discontinued and marketing muscle poured into bigger, and higher-profit, vehicles that make a sales pitch of their aggressive shape. The man behind the looks of the 2020 GMC Sierra HD aimed to evoke "a massive fist moving through the air." Karan Moorjani told Muscle Cars & Trucks he wanted the pickup <https://www.musclecarsandtrucks.com/2020-gmc-sierra-hd-design-the-origin-st ory/> to look imposing. "We spent a lot of time making sure that when you stand in front of this thing it looks like it's going to come get you. It's got that pissed-off feel." People who do find themselves in front of such a truck are at much higher risk than if hit by a smaller vehicle. A high and squared-off front end strikes a pedestrian directly in the chest, unlike a sedan that hits lower and can cause the victim to roll onto the hood. In Europe, regulators have recognized the problem, and rate vehicles' ability to protect not just the driver and passengers. Vehicles in Europe must meet standards for <https://www.euroncap.com/en/vehicle-safety/the-ratings-explained/vulnerable -road-user-vru-protection/> human impact on the bumper and hood, as well as for sightlines from the driver's seat. The practical result of these rules is that hoods tend to be shorter and slope down more. Windows are larger. This helps explain why the Ford Transit, which comes in cargo van or open-bed options, and features a large windshield and stubby raked hood, is the <https://www.statista.com/statistics/260025/market-share-of-best-selling-lig ht-commercial-vehicle-models-in-eu-27/#:~:text=The%20Ford%20Transit%20accoun ted%20for,best%2Dselling%20LCV%20by%20far> most popular light commercial vehicle in Europe. Last year in the United States it was outsold more than seven to one by the blunt-nosed F-150 pickup truck. The design of vehicles is just one of the reasons Europeans <https://www.vox.com/the-big-idea/2016/11/30/13784520/roads-deaths-increase- safety-traffic-us> enjoy safer roads. The EU took another big step this month toward controlling speeds. As of July, new vehicle models released in Europe must be fitted with intelligent speed assistance (ISA). This uses cameras or GPS to determine the speed limit, and then employs escalating audio and physical cues to discourage drivers from exceeding it. ISA will be <https://road-safety-charter.ec.europa.eu/resources-knowledge/media-and-pres s/intelligent-speed-assistance-isa-set-become-mandatory-across_en> mandatory by 2024 on all new vehicles sold in the EU. Not all such changes could realistically be brought in by Canada alone. The country exists as a bit player in an integrated continental auto market. But officials here can support and participate in nascent efforts south of the border to make vehicles safer for those outside them. Earlier this year, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration <https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/2022-03/NCAP-ADAS-RFC-03-03-202 2-web.pdf> floated the idea of including pedestrian protection in its vehicle safety ratings. And there are things Canada can do unilaterally. A commercial licence could be required for the biggest private vehicles, which have surpassed <https://www.edmunds.com/car-news/2022-gmc-hummer-ev-range-battery-pack-and- weight-revealed.html#:~:text=The%20Hummer%20EV%20tips%20the%20scales%20at%20 9%2C063%20pounds%2C%20according,lightest%20car%2C%20the%20Chevrolet%20Spark> four tonnes in weight. A limit could be put on how high after-market modifications can raise a vehicle. The use of "bull bars" installed in front of the grill could be regulated, as could those <https://images.customwheeloffset.com/buy2-compressed/web/18095-2-metal-lugs -spiked-lug-nuts-chrome-8-lug.jpg> spiked lug-nut covers whose only apparent purpose is to intimidate people riding bicycles. When seatbelt laws were introduced, many people howled. Now the majority of Canadian motorists buckle up without a second thought - and are safer as a result. Some of that same safety ethos should be extended to protect the people these drivers might encounter. Charles Feaver 11 Harvard Ave Winnipeg R3M 0J6 204.293.6332

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HealthyPlan.City is Here!
by Beth McKechnie 13 Jul '22

13 Jul '22

*Start Using HealthyPlan.City* The first of the HealthyDesign.City <https://city.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1a3fced43d8438d6c8b88536f&id…> project tools, HealthyPlan.City, has been released! This version of HealthyPlan.City focuses on identifying urban heat islands in Canadian cities. The tool, developed by leading environmental health researchers and epidemiologists, uses environmental exposure data and Canadian Census data to identify areas of equity priority in over 150 Canadian cities. The tool draws attention to neighbourhoods with both a greater proportion of vulnerable populations and higher land surface temperatures and fewer trees and green spaces that help cool temperatures. “This free tool is really a watershed moment for environmental health, healthy city planning and open science in Canada,” Jeff Brook, a Co-Director of the HealthyDesign.city project and Associate Professor at the University of Toronto, said. “Every city in Canada now has access to data showing where they need to focus their energies to support residents at risk for heat-related health risks.” The fact that cities are hotter than rural areas is well-known. The tool provides a block-by-block snapshot of disparities in temperature and population vulnerabilities of urban areas. Proactively identifying areas with hotter temperatures where more older adults or low-income residents live and implementing cooling interventions in the area could save lives during a heat wave. The power and potential of this data visualization tool was showcased in a recent CBC series. You can read the CBC articles here: 1. Sweltering cities <https://city.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1a3fced43d8438d6c8b88536f&id…> 2. Here's who lives in your city's worst heat islands <https://city.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1a3fced43d8438d6c8b88536f&id…> 3. Cooling canopy <https://city.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1a3fced43d8438d6c8b88536f&id…> You can read the Radio-Canada articles here 1. Étouffer en ville <https://city.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1a3fced43d8438d6c8b88536f&id…> 2. Voici qui vit dans les pires îlots de chaleur de votre ville <https://city.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1a3fced43d8438d6c8b88536f&id…> 3. Au frais sous les arbres <https://city.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1a3fced43d8438d6c8b88536f&id…> Please feel free to share the tool with your colleagues and networks! Explore the Tool in English <https://city.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1a3fced43d8438d6c8b88536f&id…> Explore the Tool in French <https://city.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1a3fced43d8438d6c8b88536f&id…> *Copyright © 2022 HealthyDesign.City, All rights reserved.* You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. *Our mailing address is:* HealthyDesign.City 155 College St Room 500 Toronto, ON M5T 3M7 Canada Add us to your address book <https://city.us1.list-manage.com/vcard?u=1a3fced43d8438d6c8b88536f&id=87bb0…> [image: Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp] <http://www.mailchimp.com/email-referral/?utm_source=freemium_newsletter&utm…>

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Imprinting car culture on young kids
by Beth McKechnie 13 Jul '22

13 Jul '22

Another example of programs inculcating car culture on young kids from today's Free Press: HE’S only six and has just arrived in Winnipeg from Ukraine, but Sviatoslav Nakonechna proudly made his first Canadian vehicle using a cardboard packing box and construction paper wheels. “I’m making a car, a huge car,” he proclaimed in Ukrainian to a group of visitors touring the nursery room at St. Anne Ukrainian Catholic Church Monday, where 20 five- and six-year olds were building their own cardboard vehicles as part of an English language and life skills summer program. https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/everyone-wins-at-summer-camp-for-uk…

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City of Winnipeg Leisure Guide: Cartown offers a licence for fun
by Beth McKechnie 12 Jul '22

12 Jul '22

Apparently we still have a long way to go to promote getting around by bike, on foot and taking the bus. Programs like "cartown" are not helping. https://www.winnipeg.ca/ourstories/2022/220708.stm -- Beth McKechnie (she/her) *| *Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3777 x102 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> *Green Action Centre is located on the ancestral lands of the Anishinaabeg, Ininew, Anishininiwag, Dakota, and Dene Peoples, and the homeland of* *the Métis Nation. We acknowledge that our water is sourced from Shoal Lake 40 First Nation and that our hydro is sourced from numerous First Nations here in Manitoba**. * Green Action Centre is your green living hub Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://www.gomanitoba.ca>

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Amphibious e-bike you can live in.
by Terry Zdan 10 Jul '22

10 Jul '22

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9IMUWLsgiM

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From 1953
by Dave Elmore 10 Jul '22

10 Jul '22

As much as things change, they stay the same. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjSq2-XmVNI&t=432s

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WFP: E-bikes, scooters take the pain out of high gas prices (Jul9'22)
by Beth McKechnie 10 Jul '22

10 Jul '22

MOTORIN’ PAST THE GAS STATION E-bikes, scooters take the pain out of high gas prices https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/motorin-past-the-gas-station-576… GAS stations are almost foreign territory for Ian Walker. Prices climb to record highs — $1.99 per litre one day, more than $2 the next — and Walker cruises by, unaffected. He’s one of a growing number of Manitobans who’ve shifted their feet from gas pedals to the footholds of electric bikes and scooters. “If we’re going long distances, the e-bike is amazing,” Walker, 41, said. “I’ve found the e-bike is replacing car trips.” He’s cycled his Urban Arrow to Birds Hill Provincial Park. One “wickedly windy” May day, he loaded his son in the bike’s front basket and trekked him to a birthday party a half hour’s ride away. “It would’ve been way too much work on a conventional bike,” Walker said. He’ll adjust the bike’s motor to work in tandem with him as he lugs equipment to his Grade 3 classroom, as he comes home from a grocery store and as he battles weather conditions. Walker isn’t new to the e-bike industry — he’s been a rider for two years — but the number of people joining him has skyrocketed in tandem with the rising cost of fuel. “It’s been explosive,” said Michael Pasquali, president of the Canadian Electric Bike Association. Governments don’t track the number of e-bike users, so growth rates are anecdotal, Pasquali said. Still, the association has noted a sharp uptick in the past months by talking with Canadian shop owners. “With gas prices, obviously, it’s put a big crunch on people,” Pasquali said. A typical e-bike charge costs about 10 to 25 cents, he said. Owners plug their bikes’ lithium batteries into electrical outlets; Walker’s bike takes four hours to recharge. It’s a roughly $3 to $5 increase to the monthly Hydro bill, depending on the rider, Pasquali said. A typical e-bike charge has a distance of 30 to 60 kilometres, he said. “There are not many things you can invest in today that’s going to pay for itself as quickly as an e-bike,” he said. The two-wheelers can range from around $1,000 to upwards of $15,000. Woodcock Cycle Works on St. Mary’s Road has more than doubled the number of e-bike sales this year compared to last, owner Tim Woodcock said. “In Canada, we’re just hitting the point where they’re becoming more recognized,” Woodcock said. He’ll take his down city streets, along gravel floodway paths and through grassy plains. He might bump the bike’s motor to a higher setting, meaning it does more work and he doesn’t break a sweat. En route home, Woodcock might choose eco-mode to “get more of a workout.” E-bikes in Manitoba have a maximum speed of 32 km/h. Kevin McLaren sold five electric bikes in 2017, his first year of bringing them to market through More Than Bikes. This summer, he might sell five in a week. “Once the gas started hitting $2, the demand for bikes picked up,” McLaren said. So has the desire for electric scooters. “The high-end ones we’ve sold more of — a lot more than we did last year,” McLaren said. Then, More Than Bikes sold more scooters in the $2,000 to $2,500 range, he said. This year, models costing $4,000 to $6,000 are more popular. “(Customers) went with bigger batteries so they could get a farther range,” he said. Gas-powered scooters, known as mopeds, have also entered the spotlight. Jennifer Abel swapped her Kia Niro for a canary yellow Vespa to get around Virden, her home community. “The thought of driving an entire summer on likely about $50 for gas is very appealing,” Abel said. The 49-year-old said she bought the Vespa to celebrate her 50th birthday, but the gas savings are a major perk. The tank fills up — with premium gas — for less than $15, Abel said. “I’ve driven 35 km on it so far and it hasn’t even come off ‘F,’ (for full)” she said. She didn’t need a new licence — the vehicle has a top speed of 50 km/h, and her Class 5 driver’s licence is sufficient. However, she needed to get a licence plate and basic insurance. Electric scooters, which have a maximum speed of 32 km/h, don’t require users to have a licence, but drivers to be at least 14 years old. “I believe the culture of scooters has grown so much, and every year, it grows more,” said Leehee Hasid, general manager of Scooter City. Neither electric nor gas-powered scooters stay in the Main Street retailer long before being sold, Hasid said. “Once you ride it, you really get addicted to it,” she said. Manitoba had 1,632 registered mopeds as of March 31, an increase of 28 from the previous year, said Kristy Rydz, Manitoba Public Insurance’s communications manager. Both figures are from before gas prices spiked. Abel is keeping her Kia. She can’t take her yellow Vespa on the highway, and she’s a regular highway user. Walker avoids driving his family’s electric car whenever possible, but it’s still an option. He’s also on the Peg City Car Co-op’s board and borrows vehicles when needed, like the pickup truck he took to this year’s Winnipeg Folk Festival. “We’ve designed Winnipeg to be very car-dependent,” Walker said. “It’s a hard city to live in without a car. Now it’s leaving people at the mercy of the fossil fuel industry.” Walker will ride his e-bike in the middle of winter if roads and paths are cleared. “As long as it’s dry on the ground, you can still ride your e-bike,” said Pasquali from the Canadian Electric Bike Association. A major problem facing the industry is a lack of mechanics with expertise, he added. “They’re pulling parts off and trying to plug parts in until they figure out the problem,” said Pasquali, who heads a program for new technicians through Canadian bike association. “You want it to be standardized, just like a mechanic.” Without mechanics’ proper training, bikes that need fixing will remain in shops or must be sent back without repair, Pasquali said. There are a “few hundred” e-bike technicians across Canada, he said. He wouldn’t give an exact number but said there’s plenty of room for more. gabrielle.piche(a)winnipegfreepress.com

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WFP: Transit ridership up due to high gas prices (Jul9'22)
by Beth McKechnie 10 Jul '22

10 Jul '22

Transit ridership up due to high gas prices https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/transit-ridership-up-due-to-high-ga… THE jump in gas prices has resulted in a leap in people getting on the bus. The latest City of Winnipeg report on the financial implications of COVID-19, says Winnipeg Transit has had roughly a 29 per cent increase in passengers in the last four weeks. Coun. Jeff Browaty, chairman of the civic finance committee, said Friday that even though ridership is still down about 25 per cent from pre-pandemic levels, it’s a step in the right direction. “It’s because both the world is opening up again, with people going back to the workplace, and people are going back to old patterns, but the cost of running cars has also gone up,” Browaty said. “You hear (that) people who have never taken the bus before are now taking it because of gas prices and others are coming back.” Browaty said the city is facing the same fuel price crunch as motorists, but it helps when there are more passengers on buses. “It’s wonderful to see more people on the bus because the cost of running empty buses is the same as running a full bus,” he said. “Hopefully, people are coming back and will stay.” A civic report shows COVID-19 will put a $41.3-million dent in city coffers this year. The report says transit is looking at a budget shortfall of $7 million this year, in part because of an increase in overtime costs due to employees being off sick or isolating because of the virus. The Fire Paramedic Services is $3 million over-budget because of similar overtime costs, and parking revenue is down about $500,000. Other hits to the city’s budget include the snow clearing and ice control budget: $34.2 million over-budget this year and a possible $5 million to $13 million extra expenditure if fuel prices remain high. Currently, $7.9 million in property taxes is in arrears. The number of property owners who pay their entire tax bill at once, but have outstanding payments, is 7,430 accounts out of about 230,000 accounts. About $600,000 in business property taxes is outstanding. kevin.rollason(a)freepress.mb.ca

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These German-Made Cargo E-Bikes Are Unlike Anything We’ve Seen Before
by Terry Zdan 08 Jul '22

08 Jul '22

https://insideevs.com/news/596916/maniac-sane-electric-cargo-bikes/

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Apollo Tyres launches its first dedicated micro-mobility tire: the Vredestein Cargo - Green Car Congress
by Terry Zdan 08 Jul '22

08 Jul '22

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/07/20220708-apollo.html

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WFP: ‘Not a penny’ to get more Winnipeggers to take the bus (Jul8'22)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Jul '22

08 Jul '22

‘Not a penny’ to get more Winnipeggers to take the bus https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/not-a-penny-to-get-more-winnipegger… ONE might expect loud cheers from mass transit advocates after the three levels of government announced $539 million for Winnipeg Transit on Thursday. Their responses, however, were low key because there’s nothing in the announcement to make more Winnipeggers gung-ho about taking the bus. “Half-a-billion dollars and not a penny is being spent to improve service,” said Brent Bellamy, a Winnipeg architect and columnist who advocates for improved transportation. “We are in a climate crisis and an affordability crisis,” he said. “Improving transit frequency and service to attract more riders is a response to both.” The city is struggling to attract riders after the pandemic, Bellamy said. Even before COVID-19, he said, Winnipeg was the only major city in Canada to have lower transit ridership than it did 20 years ago. “Every effort should be made to improve service,” said Bellamy. Functional Transit Winnipeg, a grassroots advocacy group, agrees. “What’s really going to get people excited about using transit is shorter wait times, more frequent service,” said vice-president Matt Austman. Still, the long-overdue money for a new garage and buses was welcome news, he said. “As a transit advocacy organization, it’s more funding for capital projects and infrastructure to support Transit. That’s a good thing from our perspective,” Austman said after the announcement. “It’s only one piece of the puzzle,” though. The challenge is the operational side of the transit master plan, Austman said. “It’s about more buses, more frequent service,” that are desperately needed in Winnipeg more than ever, he said. “With gas hovering around $2 a litre right now, people need other options,” he said. Winnipeg’s manager of transit service development promised service will be more frequent years from now. “We’re basically taking the existing route network, throwing it out the window and redrawing it from scratch,” Bjorn Radstrom said Thursday. It includes $7 million to plan a complete overhaul of Winnipeg routes, he said. “It literally doubles the number of people in the city who are within a five-minute walk of frequent transit service,” said Radstrom. “It’s a much more efficient network, as well. It gets us 20 per cent more capacity without having to invest in any additional resources, or additional bus hours. We don’t need more buses. We get 20 per cent more capacity because the network is that much more efficient.” The newly designed network will include six new corridors, with three lines and loops at the end of the routes, some terminals, an elevated portion through Union Station, heated shelters, new signals and be “transformational,” the planner said. “It will take to 2025-26 to do that design,” Radstrom said. “The $7 million for the preliminary design allows us to get to the level of the design detail where we could apply for funding to build it.” He said ridership is just over 70 per cent; some riders might still be working from home and not coming back. “We need the new master plan to attract new riders,” said Radstrom. The city has 646 buses and Thursday’s announcement works out to 16 net new buses added. “We’re not expanding the fleet greatly,” Radstrom said. Thanks to the efficiencies expected from the route overhaul, “we don’t need a lot of new buses.” Hiring enough drivers for the existing fleet is hard enough, said Romeo Ignacio, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505. The pay is decent but concerns about safety persist, he said. The union leader said he hopes the city and the province can work together to address some of the systemic issues that result in bus shelters being misused, drivers being assaulted and riders fearing for their safety. “Now, there’s a lot more people that are suffering from poverty, the root cause of homelessness and, of course, drug addiction, the root cause of a crime,” said Ignacio. carol.sanders(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Transit to get $539-M boost (Jul8'22)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Jul '22

08 Jul '22

New zero-emission buses, new garage in works Transit to get $539-M boost https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/half-billion-dollars-rolls-out-for-… DESPITE substantial delays that left millions of federal infrastructure dollars unspent for years, the Progressive Conservative government is being commended for finally getting on board a tri-level agreement to modernize Winnipeg Transit to the tune of $539 million. As rapid transit buses rolled through Seel Station in Winnipeg’s Fort Garry neighbourhood Thursday morning, Premier Heather Stefanson said the province will spend nearly $170 million to purchase approximately 235 new buses, build a new Transit garage and implement planned changes to its network. “These new infrastructure projects will help to reduce our carbon footprint while also promoting job growth and opportunities for Manitoba businesses,” Stefanson said at the announcement, flanked by Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman and Manitoba Liberal MPs Terry Duguid and Kevin Lamoureux. The three levels of government will spend a combined $539 million to buy 100 zero-emission buses and requisite infrastructure by 2027; purchase 135 new diesel buses during the transition to a zero-emission fleet; construct a new, LEED certified garage in the North End neighbourhood; conduct further design work to carry out the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan; replace 325 wheelchair securement devices on Transit vehicles; and upgrade radio hardware and equipment on buses. The federal government’s share of the projects is $203.3 million, and the City of Winnipeg will contribute $135.2 million. The money comes through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, a cost-sharing deal the PCs signed with federal Liberals in 2018. Manitoba has been slow to access that cash, as former Tory premier Brian Pallister sought to constrain spending, and chafed against federal criteria Ottawa eventually loosened. However, Stefanson has struck a different tone since taking office in November, federal and municipal leaders said Thursday. Bowman said the project had been “stalled on the former premier’s desk” and praised Stefanson for being more active and sticking to a commitment to fund Transit improvements. “You made good on that and you delivered for Winnipeg,” he said. “After years of idling, we’re shifting to drive, and finally moving Winnipeg Transit forward in a transformative way.” Duguid, member of Parliament for Winnipeg South, also thanked the premier for her approach. “We’re all singing from the same song sheet,” Duguid said. “You have set a new tone, which I think is really making a difference.” Lamoureux noted the Liberals’ last major transit announcement in Winnipeg, in February 2019, involved Ottawa signing a deal directly with the city, bypassing a reluctant province. “When the different levels of government come together, we can really get things done,” said the Winnipeg North MP. Stefanson, meanwhile, said her government is keen to collaborate with all levels of government to advance infrastructure projects, and is fully subscribed to the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. An announcement is expected in the coming weeks under the infrastructure plan to complete upgrades of the North End Winnipeg sewage treatment plant. While admitting it has been “too long” since she used Transit, Stefanson said the partnership between the three levels of government to enhance the capital city’s public network is one way to boost ridership, which has yet to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s working collaboratively with the City of Winnipeg to do that, and so if there are some ideas that people have, we’re certainly open to those ideas — because we all want the end goal that people are utilizing our transit system more,” the premier said. “It’s better for the environment, and so we’ll continue to work collaboratively with City of Winnipeg on various programs.” However, Opposition environment critic Lisa Naylor said the Tories missed an opportunity for a “cleaner, healthier” province by supporting the purchase of new diesel buses. “As Winnipeg grows, the need for a safer, more reliable and cleaner public transit system grows as well,” Naylor said. “Yet, for six years, the PCs did nothing to improve transit infrastructure.” And while the new Transit spending is a positive development, delays will likely mean inflation “is going to take a much bigger bite of this investment,” Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont said. The province ought to also investigate the potential for relocating railways outside the city to use then vacated tracks for a public commuter system, he said. “If we really want to transform our city, we can go further than just a lot more of the same,” Lamont said. Meanwhile, Winnipeg Transit manager of service development Bjorn Radstrom said Thursday’s announcement is the most significant funding commitment of his career. “This is the first time we’ve ever done a complete redesign of the route network and it really is the basis for what Transit is going to look like for the next 100 years,” Radstrom said. “This, for me, is really the most exciting thing. I’m very happy today.” — with files from Dylan Robertson danielle.dasilva(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Dutch Cycling: Quantifying the Health and Related Economic Benefits
by Terry Zdan 05 Jul '22

05 Jul '22

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4504332/#:~:text=With%20a%20va… . The CST OttoCycle study also included an economic evaluation of cycling benefits in Winnipeg

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Montreal is on the road to greater livability, and other cities should follow
by Charles Feaver 04 Jul '22

04 Jul '22

Monday editorial in the Globe and Mail: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/editorials/article-montreal-is-on-th e-road-to-greater-livability-and-other-cities-should/ Fifteen years ago, the defining symbol of Montreal was the pothole. Every time a driver kathunked over a crater in the asphalt, it felt like a reminder of the corruption, mismanagement and malaise of a faded metropolis. Today there are still a lot of potholes in Montreals streets. Its not Zurich. But the city also has a new infrastructural hallmark, with a happier story to tell. That would be the humble bike lane, whose narrow painted lines represent a particular kind of urban revival. Call it the theory of livability. Other cities should take note. When Valérie Plante became mayor in 2017, cyclists knew they had a champion at City Hall. Her party, Projet Montréal, had already become famous, or infamous, for transforming the boroughs it governed like the bourgeois-bohemian Plateau-Mont-Royal into more walkable, bikeable places that were also notably more difficult to drive in. Projet had many weapons in its self-confessed war on the car in the Plateau. It narrowed streets, made others one-way, expanded and beautified sidewalks, and above all built bike lanes. They perfectly expressed the partys green, Europe-inflected vision. In the past five years, Ms. Plante has taken that ethos citywide. The defining policy of her first term was the 184-kilometre REV bike highway. It has been a hit, even producing an unexpected and quite wonderful problem: bicycle traffic jams. Her suburban critics might disagree, but the mayor doesnt have a fetish for getting around on two wheels, even if that happens to be her lifestyle preference Ms. Plante lives in the trendy Rosemont neighbourhood, without a car. But making cities livable also benefits society as a whole. As she likes to explain, cycling represents a concept of the city that Canada could use more of. Bike lanes are part of a broader vision designed to ensure that dense city centres stay attractive to young families, to curb urban sprawl. Pandemic-era remote work tempted some people to drift out of commuting range from downtown offices. The shift is probably mostly temporary, but a mortgage in the Laurentians or Guelph makes a powerful argument for keeping the home office. Between the summers of 2020 and 2021, Montreal lost nearly 40,000 people to other parts of the province, the most in 20 years. Now in her second term after a landslide re-election, Ms. Plante is building an argument for why cities are still the best, most vibrant places to live, even in the era of remote work. The results have been impressive. On top of all those bike lanes, shes trying to use her limited municipal levers to make homes a bit more affordable (although another Montrealer, Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem, may do more toward that end with rising interest rates). Her 20-20-20 policy mandates a certain share of affordable housing in big developments, and the city plans to use its right of first refusal to buy hundreds of properties on which it will build social housing. Like the Gilded Age progressives who dreamed up swathes of urban green space for the masses, the Plante administration is also on a park-building spree. It rapidly expanded the grand parc de louest at the western tip of the Island of Montreal it covers some 30 square kilometres and plans to recreate the feat at the citys eastern edge. With Projet Montréal, the big infrastructure schemes have always come with a healthy concern for the aesthetic. The party has a flair for the design of little things such as curb bump-outs and public planters. Call them frills if you want, but young professionals are less likely to flee a beautiful city. The pedestrianization of Mont-Royal Ave. a busy commercial strip, and one of several streets closed to cars for at least part of the summer shows the Plante recipe in full force: whimsical street furniture, makeshift vegetable gardens, hordes of flâneurs and, yes, headaches for drivers. But then, this mayor has always been comfortable with the trade-off between livability and driveability. Sure, Montreal has some natural advantages in its bike-lane revolution, like tightly packed triplex housing and a layout that long predates the automobile. But a message to other Canadian cities: Forget about Montreals potholes. On the road to creating a greener, more attractive place for people to live, its lapping the field. And its riding a bike. Charles Feaver

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WFP: Free parking helps keep councillors driving to city hall (Jul4'22)
by Beth McKechnie 04 Jul '22

04 Jul '22

Free parking helps keep councillors driving to city hall https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/free-parking-helps-keep-councillors… MOST city councillors, like the majority of Winnipeggers, drive to work, and those commutes help make driving the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the city. Despite the city’s plan to slice emissions in the coming decades, one city hall perk makes it hard for councillors to abandon their cars — a free parking pass. Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface) says the option of free parking makes it easy to decide to drive to work. “One of the biggest inconveniences of commuting to work downtown is finding that parking spot,” he said. “So not only is it tempting from a financial perspective, because you already have a spot paid for, but also you have the convenience of knowing that there’s going to be a spot for you as soon as you pull in.” But Allard is an exception, having relinquished his free parking pass in 2018. In January that year, Allard, who chairs the public works committee that oversees transit, pledged to take the bus to work every day for a month to get a better understanding of the bus system. When the month came to an end, he decided to say goodbye to his parking pass and instead walk, bike and take the bus as much as possible. “I kind of fell in love with the mode shift and the bus and using different modes of transport in my everyday life,” he said. “And I found that it didn’t make sense anymore for me to have this parking spot because I wasn’t using it.” A Free Press survey of city councillors found Coun. Ross Eadie (Mynarski), who is blind, is the only other councillor who has turned down the parking pass. Though several councillors who responded to the survey said they try to take transit, walk or bike when possible, most indicated the nature of their work, which often requires travelling to meetings across the city in addition to time spent at city hall, makes it hard to give up driving. “Much of my ward that requires my attention to attend to are in areas with poor public transit supports,” said Coun. Shawn Nason (Transcona) in an email. “Demands of the job sometimes make it necessary to bring (a) car in order to attend multiple meetings or events off-site, which is expected of councillors,” said Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital). Couns. Jeff Browaty, Kevin Klein, John Orlikow, Vivian Santos and Jason Schreyer, as well as Mayor Brian Bowman, did not respond. Under city policy, the mayor and councillors are offered a free, dedicated parking space near city hall, an annual surface parking card and a monthly $550 transportation allowance, which is to be used for mileage expenses or taxis. Many more city workers receive parking passes. Researchers at Second-Street.org submitted a freedom of information request to the city and found nearly 400 city employees are offered parking passes. The city offers employees the option of a partially subsidized monthly bus pass — called the eco-pass — which allows staff to take the bus at a 30 per cent discount. Between 250 and 300 city staff purchase an eco-pass each month, the city said in a statement. While parking for free at work has long been considered a business standard nationwide, some advocates suggest the time has come to rethink the policy and instead give incentives for low-emission commuter options. All told, residential vehicle use makes up 32 per cent of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions, according to 2011 City of Winnipeg data. That’s in part because more than three-quarters of Winnipeggers drive to work, and about 80 per cent of those trips are made alone, according to Statistics Canada. By contrast, 16 per cent of Winnipeggers commute on the bus, and just seven per cent use active transportation. Mel Marginet is part of the sustainable transportation team at the environmental non-profit organization Green Action Centre. Over the past few decades, she said “it’s become sort of ingrained to offer free parking for employees,” be it through subsidized parking passes or big on-site parking lots. But at the Green Action Centre, Marginet’s team hopes to encourage businesses to do things differently. “There’s no such thing as free parking,” she said. “The message that sends is that you’re considered an employee of value if you’re driving to work; if there isn’t something of equal value to those who are not driving to work, I would question why.” Parking reimbursement for municipal staff cost the city $425,297 in 2021 alone, city staff said in an email. By contrast, the city has spent $27,539 on its share of the eco-pass program in the last three months. There is no option to transfer the value of the parking pass to other modes of transportation. Allard said he would prefer to see the city — and other employers — offer a more flexible transportation benefit to staff. Offering a commuting budget, for example, that could be applied to transit, bikes or parking if employees so choose, would ensure all commuting options are fairly compensated. “Flexibility would allow for Winnipeggers to do what we hope to be able to encourage them to do by providing transportation options, whether that’s taking the bus, biking, walking, being passengers in vehicles, taking up the occasional car-share,” he said. At the Green Action Centre, flexibility is a priority. Staff are offered transit passes or an equivalent dollar value for other modes of transportation. For some, that money is spent on parking, but others choose to spend the benefit on bike maintenance, running shoes and other means of getting to work. Ultimately, changing the way people get to and from work is about interrupting long-held habits and behaviour, Marginet said. With gas prices on the rise and a pandemic prompting the restructuring of the workday, Marginet said people are ready to start rethinking their daily commute. “You have so many people for whom the price to fill up their gas tank has more than doubled in a very short amount of time — just as they’re being expected to go back to work and go back to doing all of the in-person things. It’s really kind of hitting people, just the incredible personal cost of this,” she said. Statistics Canada shows the average price of gas jumped 43 per cent in the last year. With Canadians dedicating almost 20 per cent of their spending to transportation in 2019, the costs of daily driving are set to keep rising. “It would be very disappointing to not encourage or reward employees who are making a healthier, more sustainable, climate-friendly choice,” Marginet said. “If you’re offering a privilege to people who drive, you should at least be offering something of equal value, or perhaps more value, if you want to look at getting your employees to shift their mode of travel.” julia-simone.rutgers(a)freepress.mb.ca

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