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WFP OpEd: Right turns on red — it’s time for a change (Feb23'26)
by Beth McKechnie 23 Feb '26

23 Feb '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Right turns on red — it’s time for a change https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/2026/02/23/right-turns-o… By Brent Bellamy OVER the past two years in Winnipeg, 25 pedestrians or cyclists have been killed in vehicle collisions. More than one per month. On average, every second day in our city, a pedestrian or cyclist is struck and injured seriously enough to be reported to police. Every third day, one of those victims is sent to hospital. Like most cities in Canada and the United States, Winnipeg has prioritized vehicles in its urban design since the last horse and buggy left the streets. In recent years, however, that has begun to change, with the city taking important steps to improve safety for vulnerable road users like pedestrians and cyclists. These efforts include adding traffic-calming measures such as bike lanes, speed humps and narrowed intersections. Traffic lights with leading pedestrian intervals, which allow pedestrians to begin crossing five seconds before vehicles, have significantly improved safety downtown. Despite this progress, those troubling collision statistics demonstrate how important it is to continue looking for solutions to make our city’s streets safer. Further action could include converting one-way streets back to two-way, lowering residential speed limits and accelerating the construction of protected infrastructure. Many cities have also begun re-examining right turns on red (RTOR), a vehicle-prioritizing rule that exists in only two countries in the world. You can probably guess which ones. The policy originated in the United States during the 1970s Middle East oil embargo and was promoted as a fuel-saving measure to reduce idling at stop lights. Canadian cities soon followed suit, with only Montreal, New York City and, as of last year, Washington, D.C., prohibiting the practice. Since its widespread implementation, RTOR has been a target of road safety advocates, criticized for prioritizing vehicle movement at intersections, where most collisions occur and where cyclists and pedestrians are most vulnerable. When drivers approach an intersection intending to turn right on a red light, their attention is often directed to the left, searching for an opening in traffic to accelerate into, rather than carefully scanning for people crossing in front of them. This action also encourages drivers to make rolling stops or to stop as close as possible to the cross street, instead of stopping before the sidewalk. If you are a frequent pedestrian, you likely know the experience of trying to cross the street and finding a vehicle in the curb lane blocking the crosswalk in front of you as the driver looks for space in traffic to make the right turn into. Findings from numerous studies conducted in different cities over many years support the safety concerns raised by advocates and intuitively felt by pedestrians. A recent large-scale study from San Jose State University analyzed California road data from 2011 to 2022 and found that ROTR movements were linked to 39,000 collisions and 134 pedestrian or cyclist fatalities during that time. The researchers also found that the increasing size of vehicles played a significant role in doubling the pedestrian fatality rate in right-turn collisions over those years. Canadian studies reinforce these findings. A Toronto Public Health report found that right turns on red accounted for 13 per cent of all vehicle-pedestrian collisions in the city between 2008 and 2012. Similarly, after municipalities in Quebec outside of Montreal approved the practice in 2003, a Transport Québec study found it contributed to five deaths and more than 600 injuries in the first six years. Collision statistics are essential for informing policy, but the perception of safety is often overlooked as a powerful factor shaping how people use streets and public spaces. Regardless of what the data shows, if people don’t feel safe walking, they are less likely to do so, making communities less walkable, less livable and less vibrant. This is where even low-risk conflicts caused by RTOR movements, such as cars blocking crosswalks in front of pedestrians, become impactful. That uncertainty heightens the sense of vulnerability and creates a subtle but real deterrent to walking. Eliminating right turns on red lights helps reassert a clear hierarchy: when the light is red for drivers, pedestrian space is fully protected. That clarity improves predictability, reduces hesitation and strengthens the perception of safety. A recent study of 50 intersections in San Francisco found that eliminating RTOR reduced vehicles blocking crosswalks by 70 per cent and cut close calls by 80 per cent. A 2019 pilot project in Washington, D.C., which led to the recent citywide ban of ROTR, resulted in a 92 per cent reduction in drivers failing to yield to pedestrians. A 2025 study by the Canadian Automobile Association went beyond collision data to examine “near-miss” interactions at 20 intersections across Canada, including Winnipeg, using 360-degree cameras and AI analytics. It found that about nine per cent of pedestrians at busy intersections experienced conflicts with vehicles, more than half involving right-turning cars while the pedestrian had the right of way. Although most incidents were low to medium risk, they play a critical role in shaping the pedestrian experience and perception of safety. Winnipeg has made important strides to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists, but collision data show that much more must be done to protect the city’s most vulnerable road users. Right turns on red, a seemingly minor traffic rule, has consistently been linked to collisions, near misses and a diminished sense of safety for pedestrians and cyclists. Eliminating the practice in higher-pedestrian, established neighbourhoods could reduce actual risk while restoring predictability and confidence, encouraging more walking and biking and making streets more livable and vibrant. By pairing thoughtful infrastructure improvements with policies that prioritize people over vehicles, Winnipeg can continue moving toward streets that are safer, more accessible and truly welcoming for everyone. Brent Bellamy is creative director at Number Ten Architectural Group.

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Changing Lanes | February 25th
by Mel Marginet 11 Feb '26

11 Feb '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. On February 25th, Green Action Centre will welcome Todd Litman of the Victoria Transportation Policy Institute for Changing Lanes. Changing Lanes: Better Value From Winnipeg Transportation Investments North American cities are trapped in a wasteful cycle: more driving, reduced travel options and pressure to build and maintain ever-more costly infrastructure. Cities need better solutions to traffic problems. Roadway expansions are expensive, and typically provide only temporary relief until added traffic fills the new capacity. There are “win-win” solutions that reduce congestion while also advancing other community goals including affordability, pollution reduction, trade diversification, equity, public health and safety. Applying these solutions requires a shift to accessibility-based planning that recognizes the many benefits provided by multimodal planning and compact neighbourhoods. In this keynote address, Todd Litman will share important insights from his latest work: Smart Congestion Relief, Affordability as a Transportation Planning Goal and The Mobility-Productivity Paradox. His research provides practical guidance for making infrastructure investments more cost-effective, improving affordability and fairness, and creating more inclusive, livable communities. BOOK YOUR TICKET<https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/changing-lanes> THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Councillor Emma Durand-Wood Landmark Planning and Design Peg City Car Co-op Councillor Brian Mayes Mel Marginet | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 300-286 Smith Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3C 1K4 | Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> *Note: I work two days a week at Green Action Centre and it may take a few days to respond to you. We are located on Treaty 1 Territory and the homeland of the Métis Nation. The water we drink comes from Shoal Lake First Nation. [https://mail.google.com/mail/images/cleardot.gif] 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/> [https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4xnHIzg-oNAxItLMxFnB1HS5HGb…]<http://gomb.ca>

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WFP: City of Winnipeg looks at delaying projects to tackle province’s wish list
by Patman, David 11 Feb '26

11 Feb '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. City of Winnipeg looks at delaying projects to tackle province’s wish list By: Kevin Rollason Posted: 6:17 PM CST Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026 The installation of new spray pads and improvements to road safety could be shelved for a year so the City of Winnipeg can pay for projects the provincial government wants instead. In a report to be considered by the executive policy committee next week, the administration recommends council amend its 2025 capital budget, which was approved more than a year ago, to put $5 million toward the Assiniboine Park Conservancy animal health centre and $520,000 for renovations to the St. Boniface Museum. In addition, the city would reallocate unspent funds from other projects to pay for the Waverley West fire station after the province gave the city $508,000 less than expected for its construction. The administration says council should cancel this year’s $2.5-million spray pad program and $2.5 million road safety improvement program, to pay for the animal health centre. To pay for the fire hall, it suggests using unspent funds earmarked for the St. Boniface industrial area and Windsor Park station consolidation, as well as the Waverley West modular station and site development project. “Obviously it’s frustrating,” said Coun. Jeff Browaty, chairman of the civic finance committee, on Tuesday. “Council passed the budget on Jan. 29, 2025, and then we didn’t hear from the province until December of 2025 and they had different priorities for us. “You lose spending power… we lose construction season on things like road safety and spray pads when it takes them a year or two to sign off on our strategic infrastructure basket of priorities.” Browaty said he doesn’t understand why the province has made the two projects a priority. “If something happens, like there is a new massive important priority for the city and the province, I can accept making those changes, but in my opinion the Assiniboine Park Conservancy animal health centre and the St. Boniface Museum renovation are maybe a little questionable,” he said. The finance chair said road safety, spray pads and the fire hall are just as important. A spokesman for Glen Simard, the municipal relations minister, said in a statement the province is committed to working with the city on shared priorities, noting it gave Winnipeg $94 million for strategic projects, as well as $6.9 million it can allocate for any project it wants The spokesman said the province will continue to meet with the mayor and city council “to benefit Winnipeggers with better service and amenities.” The city had been planning to build new spray pads this year at Beryl Watts Park and the Tyndall Park Community Centre, but under the recommendation, they would be delayed until 2027. Construction of other spray pads in future years, including at Chalmers Community Centre, Bord-Aire Community Centre and the Norberry-Glenlea Community Centre, would be moved back a year; while the spray pad planned for the Riverview Community Centre in 2029 would be cancelled and considered as part of next year’s multi-year budget process. A city spokesman said road safety projects can include new pedestrian crossings, traffic signals, rail crossing improvements and adding left turn signals at intersections. kevin.rollason(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca>

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WFP Community Weekly: Call to restore 50/50 transit funding (Feb11'26)
by Beth McKechnie 11 Feb '26

11 Feb '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Call to restore 50/50 transit funding Adam Johnston, who owns a home in the Talbot-Grey section of Elmwood and has lived in various parts of Elmwood and East Kildonan his entire life, has launched a campaign to restore shared provincial funding for transit. Back in November, talking to other transit users and advocates, Johnston learned that many others shared his concern over a “lack of consistent funding” for transit. The Province of Manitoba formerly had an agreement with municipalities whereby the province would fund 50 per cent of transit operations[1.1]. This agreement was ended in 2017 by the previous provincial government. A survey from 2018 [2.1]showed that around 80 per cent of Winnipeggers wanted it restored. The current provincial government has not yet restored the transit funding agreement. Johnston believes inflationary pressures, rising fare costs, and Winnipeg Transit’s 2025 switch to a new network has revealed the inadequacy of funding for bus service and the insufficiency of transit service. Rising fares are a particular concern for Johnston, who argues they can lead to more fare disputes — which undermine safety. While some of Winnipeg Transit’s new routes, such as the Frequent Express Regent-Grant (FX3) line, have been more convenient and frequent for Johnston, other changes have resulted in worse service. As an example, he notes that the D17 (Direct Talbot - Selkirk) ends earlier on weekends than the route it replaced 44 (Grey). “It’s not the system, it’s the service levels – and that comes down to funding,” Johnston said. For Johnston, provincial funding is a matter of equity and planning for growth. He notes that women, those with lower incomes, and Indigenous peoples are overrepresented as transit riders. He also notes that those living in older communities, such as Elmwood, are more likely to take transit. As Winnipeg has over 800,000 residents and could reach a million in the not-too-distant future, it’s important to realize that not everyone will be driving cars for every trip and an effective, well-funded mass transit system is necessary to support growth. Johnston said this ties into various provincial policy concerns, including climate. “Half the city’s carbon emissions come from transportation and most of those come from private automobiles. When you support public transit, it’s a climate justice and transportation justice issue… you’re addressing two challenges with one stone” Johnston said. To learn more about the campaign to restore 50-50 provincial funding for transit you can visit 5050transitwpg.wordpress.com Dylon Martin is a community correspondent for Elmwood.

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Fwd: Funding Support to Help You Attend the Canadian Trail Summit / Du financement pour vous aider à vous rendre au Sommet canadien sur les sentiers
by Anders Swanson 10 Feb '26

10 Feb '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. If anyone know someone who would like to attend but could use support to attend the trail summit happening in Winnipeg. ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Anders Swanson <ed(a)winnipegtrails.ca<mailto:ed@winnipegtrails.ca>> Date: Tue, Feb 10, 2026 at 10:30 AM Subject: Fwd: Funding Support to Help You Attend the Canadian Trail Summit / Du financement pour vous aider à vous rendre au Sommet canadien sur les sentiers To: Anders Swanson <andersswanson(a)gmail.com<mailto:andersswanson@gmail.com>> ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Trans Canada Trail <communications(a)tctrail.ca<mailto:communications@tctrail.ca>> Date: Tue, Feb 10, 2026 at 9:00 AM Subject: Funding Support to Help You Attend the Canadian Trail Summit / Du financement pour vous aider à vous rendre au Sommet canadien sur les sentiers To: <ed(a)winnipegtrails.ca<mailto:ed@winnipegtrails.ca>> [Image placeholder] – Version française plus bas – Hello Anders Swanson, Trans Canada Trail has launched a new fund that can help members of non-profit organizations attend the 2026 Canadian Trail Summit<https://click.communications.tctrail.ca/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6ImY2Y2JjNzM0LWYyNWU…>. The Organization Capacity Building & Professional Development Fund helps volunteer groups and non-profit organizations pursue opportunities that enhance the skills, knowledge, and leadership capabilities of staff, volunteers and board members. This includes professional development funding to help cover costs associated with attending the Canadian Trail Summit. How to Apply + Deadline: * Apply online through our online form<https://click.communications.tctrail.ca/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6IjRlOTE0N2QxLTQxNzE…> (make sure to select “Professional Development”) * Deadline: February 28, 2026 Things to know before you apply: 1. Select “Professional Development” - The online form includes two options. Click the box beside “Professional Development” to apply for funding for the Canadian Trail Summit. 1. No membership required - This fund is open to non-profit groups or trail organizations either on or off the Trans Canada Trail. 1. For-profit organizations are ineligible – Applicants must work, volunteer, study or be affiliated with a non-profit organization. 1. One grant per organization - A maximum of one participant per trail organization may receive funding. 1. Do your research – Please be prepared to provide a rough budget for your costs associated with attending the Summit. This includes: registration fees, travel expenses, accommodation, meals, and any additional expenses (please specify). APPLY NOW<https://click.communications.tctrail.ca/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6IjU2YzAxODY0LWViZWM…> Funding is limited, so there is no guarantee every eligible applicant will receive a grant. For any questions, please use our contact form<https://click.communications.tctrail.ca/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6ImM5ZmE3YzA4LTdjYzc…> and a member of our team will get back to you as quickly as possible. ________________________________ Bonjour Anders Swanson, Sentier Transcanadien a mis en place un nouveau fonds afin d’aider les membres d’organismes à but non lucratif à assister au Sommet canadien sur les sentiers 2026.<https://click.communications.tctrail.ca/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6Ijk5YjE5MjA5LTdkYzc…> Le Fonds pour le renforcement des capacités et le développement professionnel aide les groupes bénévoles et les organismes à but non lucratif à explorer les possibilités de développement professionnel qui améliorent les compétences, les connaissances et les capacités de leadership du personnel, des bénévoles et des membres du conseil d’administration. Cela inclut du financement pour du développement professionnel pour aider à couvrir les coûts associés au Sommet canadien sur les sentiers. Comment faire une demande + date limite : * Faites une demande en utilisant le formulaire en ligne<https://click.communications.tctrail.ca/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6ImE3M2FjMjQ4LWEwNDQ…> (assurez-vous de sélectionner « Développement professionnel ») * Date limite : 28 février 2026 À savoir avant de faire une demande : 1. Sélectionnez « Développement professionnel ». Le formulaire en ligne offre deux options. Cochez la case « Développement professionnel » pour faire une demande de financement pour le Sommet canadien sur les sentiers. 1. Pas d’adhésion obligatoire. Ce fonds est accessible à tous les organismes et groupes de sentier à but non lucratif qui se trouvent sur le Sentier Transcanadien ou non. 1. Les organisations à but lucratif ne sont pas admissibles. Les demandes doivent venir de bénévoles ou de personnes qui travaillent, étudient ou sont affiliées à un organisme à but non lucratif. 1. Une subvention par organisation. Un maximum d’un participant ou d’une participante par organisation de sentiers peut recevoir une subvention. 1. Faites vos recherches. Vous devrez fournir un budget approximatif des coûts associés à votre présence au Sommet. Cela inclut : frais d’inscription, frais de déplacement, hébergement, repas et toute dépense supplémentaire (veuillez préciser). FAIRE UNE DEMANDE<https://click.communications.tctrail.ca/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6IjFhZDYzZDQ0LTU3MjQ…> Le financement est limité, il n’est donc pas de garanti que toutes les demandes admissibles recevront une subvention. Pour toute question, veuillez utiliser notre formulaire de contact<https://click.communications.tctrail.ca/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6IjQzOGU3NDRiLTNiOWE…> et un membre de notre équipe vous recontactera dès que possible. [Facebook]<https://click.communications.tctrail.ca/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6IjYzOWQwMzY3LTgxZTA…> [Twitter]<https://click.communications.tctrail.ca/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6IjY4NjlkOWQwLTlmNzU…> [Instagram]<https://click.communications.tctrail.ca/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6ImZjM2EyNGI2LWI3Nzg…> [LinkedIn]<https://click.communications.tctrail.ca/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6ImZlYzdhYWQ2LWE2MjA…> [YouTube]<https://click.communications.tctrail.ca/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6ImY2MTA1NjYzLTk2ZGI…> This email was sent by: Trans Canada Trail 150 Elgin Street, 8th Fl, suite 1053 Ottawa, ON, K2P 1L4, CA Copyright © 2026 Trans Canada Trail, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. To update your preferences or to unsubscribe, click here.<https://click.communications.tctrail.ca/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6ImU3NDk3NTJmLWZiMGE…> Update Profile<https://click.communications.tctrail.ca/profile_center.aspx?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6…>

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WFP: Driver admits guilt for crash that killed two cyclists on Kenaston (Feb6'26)
by Beth McKechnie 06 Feb '26

06 Feb '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Driver admits guilt for crash that killed two cyclists on Kenaston https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/02/06/driver-admits-gui… A Winnipeg man has admitted responsibility for a drunk driving crash that killed two cyclists on Kenaston Boulevard last summer. Kuldeep Singh Gill pleaded guilty in court Friday to two counts of impaired driving causing death and two counts of failing to stop at the scene of a collision. Gill was arrested Sept. 13 after a high-speed crash that killed 25-year-old Kerry Ashley Bonner and her common-law partner, 31-year-old Egor Popov. The couple had a young child. Gill, who has permanent resident status in Canada, sat beside a Punjabi interpreter as he responded in a barely audible voice to a series of questions by defence lawyer Jesse Brar in which he confirmed he was aware of the consequences of his guilty pleas. The 46-year-old, who remains free on bail, will be sentenced at a later date following the completion of a court-ordered pre-sentence report. Brar said Gill faces a “significant” penitentiary sentence and deportation proceedings. Court was told Gill had consumed an “unknown amount” of alcohol while driving a Dodge Ram pickup truck along Kenaston Boulevard. Witnesses had already called police to report the vehicle driving erratically when Gill veered around slower moving traffic and onto the paved shoulder at the intersection of Enterprise Drive. Gill was still driving on the paved shoulder when he crashed into Bonner and Popov on their bicycles at approximately 9:15 p.m. Popov was pronounced dead at the scene while Bonner died in hospital a short time later. Gill, who had abandoned his vehicle and ran away, was arrested shortly before 11 p.m. as he walked in the area of Kenaston Boulevard and Scurfield Boulevard. “Police immediately observed indicia of intoxication” Crown attorney Mike Himmelman told court, reading from an agreed statement of facts. Gill provided a breath sample and his blood-alcohol level was estimated to be as high as .137 at the time of the collision. Criminal charges are triggered for drivers with a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher. Police analyzed location data on Gill’s phone, which showed he had been in the vicinity of a Keewatin Street Liquor Mart earlier that afternoon. A review of security video at the store confirmed Gill had bought a bottle of 5-Star whiskey at the store. “A partially consumed bottle of the same whiskey was located post-collision in (Gill’s) vehicle’s centre console,” Himmelman said. An analysis of the truck’s crash data revealed Gill had been driving 131 km/h at the point of impact, which is 51 kilometres over the posted speed limit. Following the deaths, Bike Winnipeg released a statement in which it said the site of the crash isn’t safe. “This devastating incident highlights a long-standing and dangerous reality: Kenaston Boulevard between Sterling Lyon and McGillivray Boulevard lacks safe infrastructure for people walking and cycling, forcing vulnerable road users onto an unprotected shoulder.” A GoFundMe campaign raised more than $10,000 to help the Popov family pay for funeral expenses. The tragedy wasn’t Gill’s first arrest for impaired driving. In July 2016, Gill was driving a Jeep Wrangler at a high speed in a residential area when he drove onto a boulevard, struck a school zone sign and crashed into a tree before coming to a stop on a resident’s front lawn. Gill tried to run away, but was followed by witnesses until police arrived and arrested him. He later pleaded guilty to driving over .08 and was fined $1,500 and prohibited from driving for one year. In 2020, Gill was convicted of failing to comply with licence restrictions after driving without a licence and driving while suspended. dean.pritchard(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca>

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WFP OpEd: Creating a city where kids can safely walk, bike to school (Feb6'26)
by Beth McKechnie 06 Feb '26

06 Feb '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Creating a city where kids can safely walk, bike to school MEL MARGINET https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/2026/02/06/creating-a-ci… IF there’s one thing that all Winnipeggers can agree on, other than potholes, it’s the chaos of getting kids to and from school. The frustration extends to households without children who live a short distance to local schools and must deal with traffic jams twice a day. Coun. Markus Chambers brought the fury of his ward residents into the public eye in early January when he made the first moves on a “stopdrop- go” motion to limit parking to one minute in designated school zones. How did we get here? Local news outlets asked on their social media for stories from Winnipeggers about their school travel experiences. Comments flowed in about childhoods spent walking and biking to school with friends, and how that has been replaced with door-to-door drives. Meanwhile, MPI reported in October that 36 kids were hit by drivers in the last year. So what changed in the last few decades? First, there are far more vehicles on our roads, and those vehicles are much bigger and heavier than cars of the past. Second, we’ve allowed our municipalities to essentially engineer a meaningful walk out of the lives of the majority of people, with residential neighbourhoods spread out further and further from facilities. Finally, we have few, if any, municipal policies to discourage the door-to-door school drop. Instead, parents who do encourage their kids to walk or bike to school share stories of social norms that make them feel like bad parents for allowing their kids to partake in the “risky” activity of biking or walking to school. Honestly, if we’ve created neighbourhoods where independent, active travel to and from school is likened to childhood endangerment, we truly have lost our way. How do we fix this? While the councillor’s motion to limit drop offs to one minute is well-intentioned, it is a Band-Aid, not a solution. It treats the symptom while offering no cure. This strategy does nothing to reduce traffic levels — it would actually add more stress (assuming there’s even a way to meaningfully enforce this rule). However, there are time-tested solutions to encourage active and safer travel to school that we can and should implement. There is no single magic action that city staff can undertake; rather, we need to do a lot of little things better all at once. Here are a few places we can start. Speed. We can’t force vehicle manufacturers to make vehicles with fewer blind spots and less weight. In fact, this problem is only going to get worse as we see more electric vehicles, which are much heavier. If you can’t control the size or the weight of the vehicle, what can the municipality control? The speed. Fifty km/h kills, 30 km/h means those involved in a collision will likely walk away. That’s not an opinion, that’s physics. Winnipeg has had a “safe speed” report in the works for close to two years now, and it’s time we see the results and start calming our residential streets. Design. This follows on the heels of speed. Wide, straight roads encourage speeding. Narrow roads around schools would provide the mental cues to drivers to slow down. This can be quickly implemented and tested with some planters or other fun designs. City councillors could work with schools in their wards to apply this before the end of the school year. Connection. If children can’t get from their homes to their school without having to interact with traffic, how do we expect the adults in their lives to feel safe letting them get to school independently? Whether it’s missing sidewalks or lack of protected bike lanes, we need to close these gaps. This also doesn’t have to be expensive, again using the idea of planters to create space on the road for bikes. Moving forward, new developments should include a strong focus on design that encourages residents to easily and safely walk or bike to common destinations in their neighbourhood, such as schools. And no, being able to walk around a retention pond is not walkability. More vibrant and active communities translate into more people and more “eyes on the street,” which helps to address the “stranger danger” fears. Health. We need to get serious about creating safe neighbourhoods for our kids to walk and bike in for more urgent reasons other than solving traffic chaos. With more driving and less walking, we know that kids are no longer getting the recommended activity they need each day. The sad reality is the amount of physical movement they need is often equivalent to the amount of time it would take for most kids to walk to school. Whether it’s asthma, anxiety, obesity, air quality or the myriad of issues that result from a sedentary lifestyle, we can solve many of them by ensuring that walking to school, the community centre, the grocery store and the park is possible in our neighbourhoods. As children age into tweens and teens, the need for independence grows. Having to rely on rides to access activities, first jobs or just hanging out with friends creates unnecessary stress on families. Parents are forced to do the driving or plan the rides, and the kids lose out on the opportunity to be more independent. Who has the happiest kids in the world? The Dutch. Kids in the Netherlands have the freedom of movement kids in our city can only dream of. It hasn’t always been this way. In the 1970s, death and injury to children was on the rise in the car-clogged country and parents had enough. A “Stop de Kindermoord” (Stop Murdering Children) campaign was launched. This coincided with the government looking at their balance sheets and realizing the infrastructure needed to move most people by vehicle was going to bankrupt them. Change wasn’t easy, but 40 years later they are enjoying the fruits of coming through a frustrating time focused on changing their transportation system for the better. They have made many, many (many) changes, big and small, to get to the top of the 2025 UNICEF Report for happy kids. This is probably the point in the article where you might be thinking “well, but winter ...” I encourage us to stop using winter as a reason for dallying on strategies to move conveniently and safely without a personal vehicle. Plenty of winter cities around the world have found a way. In Oulu, Finland, thousands of kids bike to school in the depths of winter. Montreal has also made great leaps to tackle their ice and snow. Let’s move on from this excuse. It’s time for us adults to do the work and give kids in Winnipeg the chance to move freely, safely and happily here, too. Mel Marginet is part of the sustainable transportation team at Green Action Centre and she’s the publisher at Great Plains Press, which publishes The City Project.

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WFP: Without key data, transit plan lacked direction (F
by Beth McKechnie 05 Feb '26

05 Feb '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Without key data, transit plan lacked direction Tech problems meant city ill-equipped to make necessary adjustments to new network https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/02/04/without-key-gps-d… FOR the first six months after Winnipeg Transit’s $20.4-million network overhaul, city officials had little information to assess how well the new system was working. The city’s data had been plagued by a faulty GPS tracking system that left major gaps in the first four months of ridership and performance numbers, which prevented Winnipeg transit from making significant adjustments to the network. Flaws in the vision meant to rekindle the city’s relationship with transit have been widely reported — ridership is down, service hours are shorter and passengers are so underwhelmed, some users, in rare cases, have reportedly bought cars for the first time. Instead of encouraging more Winnipeggers onto the bus, the system appears to be driving users away. The Free Press/Narwhal set out to understand when and why ridership was lagging. While the independent analysis showed declines on weeknights and weekends are far steeper than previously reported, transit officials warned the city’s publicly available figures are unreliable. The city’s own data analysis, which estimates daily ridership based on sensors installed on about 20 per cent of the buses, shows the average weekday passengers dropped nearly 14 per cent this fall compared to a year ago, and is expected to result in a $8.5-million hit to fare revenue this year. Bjorn Radstrom, manager of service development for Winnipeg Transit, said the problem with transit’s GPS system — which was not resolved until early November — meant the city was missing reliable information from September and October, the busiest months of the year, leaving him “leery to draw any solid conclusions” from the numbers. “The GPS problem has tied our hands far more than people realize,” Radstrom said. The lack of information is problematic, particularly during the early stages of an overhaul, Orly Linovski, an associate professor of city planning at the University of Manitoba, said. “It’s impossible to make evidence-informed decisions if we don’t have the evidence,” Linovski said. Passenger counts are one of several metrics transit planners use to evaluate whether the network is working as intended, identify problem areas and make future adjustments. In the wake of what Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham had called the “most significant change to transit” in the city’s history, a lack of reliable ridership numbers and on-time performance data made planning decisions more challenging, Radstrom said. Still, “we do know ridership has dropped,” he said. “There’s no question.” Between September and December 2025, approximately 178,500 people boarded a bus every weekday, down 14 per cent from just over 207,000 the year prior. But according to the Free Press/Narwhal analysis, ridership appears to decline more steeply after students and rush-hour commuters get home. Passenger counts decreased 23 per cent during the evening hours (6:30-10:30 p.m.), while nighttime ridership (after 10:30 p.m.) dropped nearly 40 per cent. Weekend drops were even more dramatic, prompting surprise from Radstrom. While he later confirmed the Free Press/Narwhal’s calculations were correct based on the publicly available passenger counts, he stressed the city’s data was unreliable. The city only sampled about half the number of trips it normally would on Saturdays and Sundays, meaning the counts are more likely to be inaccurate, he explained, and are based almost exclusively on November and December, when ridership starts a seasonal tail-off. Based on data from the tap-to-ride (Peggo) fare system and ticket sales, Winnipeg Transit calculated ridership dropped 22 per cent on Saturdays and 18 per cent on Sundays. Those drops are each about 50 percentage points lower than the numbers in the city’s publicly available database — further demonstrating a marked disparity between datasets. As part of the network redesign, transit reduced late-night operating hours. As a result, the Free Press/Narwhal analysis found, the number of nighttime bus trips across the city dropped 22 per cent on weekday evenings and nearly 50 per cent on weekday nights. The nighttime service cuts were widely criticized by riders, prompting the city to extend hours for its on-demand service. In the spring, it plans to juggle some route schedules to extend service until after midnight. “We wanted to start doing this in September with the summer data, but we didn’t have it because of GPS problems,” he said. “We also wanted to start doing it earlier with fall data, but we didn’t have it.” It’s only in recent weeks Radstrom and other planners have been able to “dig in” and plan adjustments for spring. Radstrom said transit wants to “demonstrate some actual progress” when April’s schedule is released, and will be able to “do a few really good things … but not as much as if we’d had all the data for the full amount of time we wanted it.” On Wednesday, transit delivered an unplanned verbal report to the public works committee acknowledging the GPS issues have now been resolved to within one per cent of baseline error levels. Linovski said the city needs more than just numbers to assess how well the new network is performing. “(Ridership data) gives us no information about why people are taking transit or not taking transit. It gives us no information about what their experience is like on transit,” she said, suggesting surveying users and non-users would help form a clearer picture. “Service really needs to improve if you’re going to switch people over to transit.” A 2018 study by the Canadian Urban Transit Association has determined a 10 per cent increase in hours a bus is on the road (called vehicle revenue hours) leads to a 10 per cent increase in ridership. The association also found that a 10 per cent increase to operating budgets translates to a 5.5 per cent increase in revenue hours, even when the costs of labour, fuel and maintenance are factored in. Despite steadily increasing its operating budget and allocating more property tax dollars to Winnipeg transit since 2020, it is underfunded compared to agencies across the country. In late January, James Van Gerwen, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505, which represents transit operators, was one of several public advocacy group representatives to call on the province to increase climate funding in its upcoming budget. Van Gerwen advocated specifically for the province to restore a 50-50 transit funding partnership with the City of Winnipeg that was cut in 2016. Since then, the Manitoba government has provided about $42 million to Winnipeg Transit every year. But as transit’s operating budget has grown, the province’s share of the costs has shrunk to just 15 per cent. Van Gerwen is confident “the ridership will be there” with a properly funded system that can commit to expanded service, more safety and more reliability. Radstrom is on the same page. He expected some people to stop riding the bus as service changed, but that ridership would recover as new users realized there is “better, more frequent service closer to them,” he said. A healthier budget would allow him to implement the changes needed to make the system convenient for more riders, he said. julia-simone.rutgers(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:julia-simone.rutgers@freepress.mb.ca>

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WFP: Step in right direction: GPS issues on buses fixed, Transit says (Feb5'26)
by Beth McKechnie 05 Feb '26

05 Feb '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Step in right direction: GPS issues on buses fixed, Transit says https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/02/04/step-in-the-right… WINNIPEG Transit says the GPS failure that wreaked havoc with bus schedules for several months has been fixed. That will provide much more extensive and accurate data to help improve the new primary transit network, said Coun. Janice Lukes (Waverley West). “It’s just so huge because there’s a lot of conversation and suggestions and feedback that we’re getting that the buses aren’t connecting (well)… We can now take some of those buses that aren’t being utilized (enough and) put them on routes that need higher frequency, so we can make those connections. This (repair) is huge and this is great news,” said Lukes, chairwoman of the public works committee. On July 7, a “widespread” GPS issue meant incorrect bus arrival times appeared on Navigo, bus schedule boards and Transit’s website, Transit previously noted. About 18 to 24 per cent of bus location reports were incorrect at the peak of the problem. On Wednesday, Transit said the number of GPS error messages is now within one per cent of a normal “baseline” error level of about three to four per cent of all reports. That improvement was first achieved in November but hasn’t impacted routes yet, since schedules take time to plan out. Transit expects the more accurate data will start helping to improve some routes in April, since the GPS system collects ridership data as well as bus timing details. Lukes noted the GPS failure began at the worst possible time, shortly after Transit switched to a new route network on June 29, which changed virtually every route in the city. The new spine-and-feeder concept, where direct spines along major corridors are supported by a network of feeder routes, means many rides that begin outside of a main route now require transfers, making bus timing even more important. Lukes said the failures had nothing to do with the route change but added confusion just as riders were learning the new system, noting it wasn’t clear what caused some missed and late buses. Following a presentation at a public works meeting Wednesday, Winnipeg Transit officials said the more accurate data that’s now available will allow the city to pinpoint where some changes are needed. “It gives us the ability to know where our passengers are with a higher degree of certainty. So, when we look at making some of the changes in terms of redistributing frequency (of buses) … we know exactly where and when you want to place the frequency,” said Adam Budowski, a senior Transit planner. “(We’re) looking forward to April (when) we’re making additional changes, more changes to frequency of routes like the F8. We’re improving that even more,” said Budowski. Transit declined to offer further details of upcoming changes, noting those will be released in a future report. The fix should also make some buses easier to track for riders. That’s because arrival times posted online for buses with glitching GPS systems would rely only on the bus schedule, instead of reflecting real-time delays. Winnipeg Transit director Greg Ewankiw said the issue required a lengthy process to fix. “We had to install a cable on each bus. And as you get to the older models of buses, the cabling becomes more complex, so it actually takes longer for each bus to (be fixed),” said Ewankiw. He said about 45 remaining buses still have cable issues that are now being addressed, a relatively small portion of Transit’s 640-bus fleet. “We actually have better reporting (on locations) now than what we did before this problem even started,” said Ewankiw. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca> X: @joyanne_pursaga

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Globe editorial on plowing bike lanes and sidewalks
by feaver＠mts.net 04 Feb '26

04 Feb '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. This was the Globe and Mail's editorial yesterday: The slippery politics of snow removal The Editorial Board Published Yesterday Open this photo in gallery:<https://www.theglobeandmail.com/resizer/v2/5VLMW5TCONDQVN2E5VJLBVF5Y4.JPG?a…> [cid:image001.jpg@01DC95C0.B1A6A460]<https://www.theglobeandmail.com/resizer/v2/5VLMW5TCONDQVN2E5VJLBVF5Y4.JPG?a…> Bike lanes running along Toronto's Bloor Street remain blocked on Sunday, Feb. 1, a week after the city received a historic dump of snow. Kathryn Mannie/The Canadian Press 189 Comments<https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/editorials/article-the-slippery-pol…> After a recent snowstorm hit Southern Ontario, an obvious pecking order revealed itself in Toronto. The roads were clear enough within days that drivers could move around at will. But people on foot or bike were left to fight through uncleared snow for more than a week. This was not the first time the city has struggled to deal with the aftermath of a storm. Who could forget former Toronto mayor Mel Lastman calling in the army and making the city butt of a national joke? But snow removal is no laughing matter. Delays in clearing can leave people trapped at home, or put them in dangerous situations. Doing it right is one of the fundamental responsibilities of local government. Snow clearing is also a matter of political choices. It's understandable that no city will have enough equipment and personnel to dig out immediately after an atypical snowstorm. The roughly 50 centimetres that fell on Toronto late in January was the snowiest single day on record. So choices have to be made, priorities determined. The choice not to clear many sidewalks and bike lanes is one Mayor Olivia Chow must wear. Something failed here. If the policy is the problem, change the policy. If crews are shirking, light a fire under them. If the snow-removal contracts Ms. Chow inherited are flawed, renegotiate them. Toronto is still digging out of a record-breaking dump of snow<https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-toronto-is-still-digging-out…> Frustratingly, Toronto also fell down on the job<https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/editorials/article-toronto-falls-do…> of clearing sidewalks promptly after another storm, less than a year ago. Was nothing learned? This pattern breaks the deal the city made with residents. Toronto pushes much of its growth to a small number of areas, which puts a premium on sidewalk space there. As well, the city no longer requires new developments to include parking spots. The logic is that local roads can't absorb more traffic, so many new residents will opt to walk or ride bicycles. However, Toronto is not living up to its side of the bargain: providing safe spaces for active transportation. Clearing snow is, like picking up garbage or running transit or keeping water fountains flowing, among the key tasks of big-city government. Doing these well is table stakes for urban life, allowing people to spend their time, safely and pleasantly, out in public. More stories below advertisement Before the rest of the country snickers too much at Toronto's winter woes, these are tests more easily aimed at than achieved. Snow clearing is a perennial complaint in cities across Canada. In many cases, people are right to complain. This is not kvetching, this is demanding competence. Without proper snow clearing, people can't get around. And it's illustrative to note just who gets left behind. Uncleared snow can result in disabled people being unable to leave home. Anyone with a stroller or a cart faces tough slogging. Cyclists are forced into traffic with motor vehicles, a dangerous scenario the city has spent tens of millions of dollars building infrastructure to prevent. Delivery riders risk their lives to bring food. This is unacceptable, particularly for a city as obsessed with equity as Toronto. Digging out? How to minimize the toll shovelling snow takes on your body<https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/advice/article-shovelling-snow-how-to-…> With the city missing in action after the storm, many Torontonians stepped up to clear the sidewalk in front of their home. That's to be commended. But that it fell to them illustrates the inequity at play. The city wouldn't dream of relying on residents to shovel the road. Adding to the insult, the city gaslit its residents. There are examples of people complaining about a particular stretch of uncleared snow and being told that it had been taken care of, although it hadn't been. This recalls dishonesty after the storm last winter, when the city claimed sidewalks had been plowed while simple observation showed they hadn't. There was also policy incoherence. Some transit stops were cleared by moving the snow to an adjacent bicycle lane. Curb-lane parking spots on residential streets were being cleared out before all sidewalks were properly plowed. The approach must be rethought before the next storm. The first priority should be to ensure roads are clear enough for emergency vehicles to get through. Beyond that, deploy resources so that no manner of getting around is disadvantaged. Or, better yet, make the political choice to tackle snow removal more aggressively on sidewalks and bicycle lanes than roads. Cars can be mounted with snow tires but people can't, leaving them more vulnerable to winter conditions. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/editorials/article-the-slippery-pol…

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