- AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

Ebikes for business...in London ON
by Terry Zdan 28 Jun '22

28 Jun '22

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/this-london-ont-tech-firm-is-making-e…

1 0

Biz for Climate in Winnipeg
by Charles Feaver 28 Jun '22

28 Jun '22

Business community gathers at climate concern rally point What do a Prairie farm, a marketing firm and an electronic payment company have in common? Theyve all signed a pledge urging government to prioritize climate action. More than 130 businesses have banded together through the non-profit BizforClimate. "This is about mobilizing business leaders and business owners to speak up," said BizforClimate president Derek Earl. "We want to encourage a bolder, faster response in line with the climate science." Earl was previously vice-president of World Trade Centre Winnipeg. There, hed meet leaders looking to decarbonize their companies. Derek Earl and a group founded BizforClimate in August 2020. "The missing piece was, Are businesses speaking up about climate? Are they stepping forward?" Earl said. "We need to move the needle." Earl found a gap: he said he wouldnt see business owners at climate conventions and meetings he attended. So, he and a group founded BizforClimate in August 2020. The board is comprised of well-connected members: there are presidents and chief executive officers from a range of business sectors on the seven-person team. They began encouraging contacts to sign BizforClimates pledge. Companies who do so show they want politicians to prioritize limiting global warming to 1.5 C through emissions reductions. "We want to build a long and impressive list and share that story with policy makers," Earl said. Companies signing align with BizforClimates messages: climate change is an urgent problem, climate action is the best path to economic prosperity, and public policy is needed to achieve climate solutions. Earl hopes signatories will take steps within their own networks to decarbonize or otherwise take climate action. However, BizforClimate doesnt have the capacity to follow up, nor would they want to micro-manage, Earl said. As of June 7, 133 businesses had signed. Winnipeg-based Highland Electric did so in May. "When I started Highland Electric (in 2015), I just decided that immediately we were going to do something differently," said CEO Ben Bruce. Hed had enough of working on construction sites and seeing environmentally harmful practices. "A lot of job sites werent even recycling their cardboard. Youd notice a lot of garbage that blows away in the wind." Bruce, 38, said he fishes and hunts; he wants to ensure his child can experience the same outdoors he did as she grows up. His staff use reusable notepads, called Rocketbooks, to prevent paper waste. Highland Electric plants trees on the job, specializes in electric vehicle chargers and uses recyclable materials. "I think its more just a choice that companies have to make," Bruce said. "You can either choose to use a company that packages things in plastic or you can choose not to." Bruce said he hopes signing the pledge will signal to companies like his that being environmentally friendly is possible. "You actually save costs," Bruce said, noting theres generally a larger payment up front before the savings kick in. (For example, he had to pay more for a Rocketbook than a typical notepad, but now doesnt have to restock.) Maddie Thompson signed the pledge on behalf of Spark Media in May. "Ive been increasingly aware of (climate change) as theres more events that are happening, more forest fires, that sort of situation," she said. "Before, it seemed like such a future thing." Thompson shared the pledge on LinkedIn shes hoping it spreads awareness. "Everything is going to get worse," she said. "Whats been on my mind lately, specifically, is food security. I think thats going to be a coming issue." Small things, such as businesses switching to compostable cups at meetings, do matter, Thompson said. "Its a sign of the times that companies of all sizes, all over the world, are realizing that there are really good reasons for them to change their ways," said Danny Blair, co-director of the Prairie Climate Centre at the University of Winnipeg. Many will alter practices if they face pressure from customers, Blair noted. "The public is much more sensitive to climate change, theyre much more concerned about climate change, and they will more so, over time, insist that the companies they do business with are themselves working hard to be carbon neutral." Forty-three per cent of Canadians are willing to pay more for sustainable products, according to the third Canadian edition of the EY Future Consumer Index, released in December 2020. Some businesses want to reduce emissions upon learning about climate change, Blair said. Theres no specific date humanity has to reach net-zero by, he added. Instead, emissions reductions need to happen "rapidly." "Every year that we go along and continue business as usual limits our ability to constrain climate change." "In order for us to be successful in addressing climate change, we need everybody involved," agreed Curt Hull, project director of Climate Change Connection. Hull and his team have spent 2 1/2 years researching a path to reducing emissions in Manitoba. Their final report is called: Road to Resilience. Manitoba should electrify heating and transportation, Hull said, proposing "a (Second World War) level of effort, where we go neighbourhood by neighbourhood, improving the efficiency of homes and connecting those homes to district geothermal." Various business sectors, including construction, will be needed, Hull said. "Every step we take to move away from fossil fuels and towards electricity keeps more of that revenue in the province." Manitobans spent roughly $3.7 billion on fossil fuels last year, according to a provincial spokesperson. The figure is based on gas prices of $1.25 per litre. Manitobans spent more than $3.3 billion on diesel and gasoline for transport, and around $400 million on natural gas, the spokesperson wrote in an email. BizforClimate is not government funded, Earl said. Some businesses who sign the pledge choose to donate money, though its not required. The board is volunteer-run. Meetings with government and opposition members have begun, he said. gabrielle.piche(a)freepress.mb.ca Gabrielle Piché Gabrielle Piché Reporter

1 0

Fwd: Winnipeg Road Safety Strategic Action Plan – June 2022 Project Update
by Terry Zdan 28 Jun '22

28 Jun '22

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: City of Winnipeg <notifications(a)engagementhq.com> Date: Tue., Jun. 28, 2022, 9:22 a.m. Subject: Winnipeg Road Safety Strategic Action Plan – June 2022 Project Update To: <tjzdan50(a)gmail.com> Good morning/afternoon, You are receiving this email because you requested updates on the Winnipeg Road Safety Strategic Action Plan. The Phase 3 public engagement report <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=9vcdD193qA8wVAWAMcxkDRPI9yvzhY…> , summary <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=9vcdD193qA8wVAWAMcxkDRPI9yvzhY…>, and appendices <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=9vcdD193qA8wVAWAMcxkDRPI9yvzhY…> are now available and provide an overview of the feedback collected for the project. The Winnipeg Road Safety Strategic Action Plan <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=v8N1PNoNaFoK-2BfJX-2Fm8WUToon9…> will be considered by the Standing Policy Committee on Infrastructure and Public Works <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=v8N1PNoNaFoK-2BfJX-2Fm8WUToon9…> on July 5, 2022. If you would like to appear as a delegation <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=9vcdD193qA8wVAWAMcxkDeVqlC6tFy…>, please contact the City Clerk's Department <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=9vcdD193qA8wVAWAMcxkDSNRO9dxOj…> by noon on July 4, 2022. 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…>

1 0

WFP: City highlights $165M for road repairs this year (Jun28'22)
by Beth McKechnie 28 Jun '22

28 Jun '22

City highlights $165M for road repairs this year https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/city-highlights-165m-for-road-work-… NEARLY 200 construction projects will renew 175 lane kilometres of Winnipeg roads in 2022. Overall, $165 million of repairs will be completed this year, including enhancing sidewalks and active transportation routes, the city says. By 2023, Winnipeg will have invested $1 billion in road repairs since 2014, Mayor Brian Bowman said. “After decades of neglect of our city roads, we’re finally starting to repair and fix the robust network of roads that we have throughout our city,” he said. The work includes some funding from the federal and provincial governments, which each committed $100 million to boost Winnipeg road repairs between 2019 and 2024. This year’s key construction projects include: • Stafford Street, from Corydon Avenue to Pembina Highway: $14 million • Jubilee Avenue, from Osborne Street to Pembina: $13 million • Mountain Avenue, from Arlington Street to McPhillips Street: $10.5 million • Smith Street, from Notre Dame Avenue to the Midtown Bridge: $9.2 million • Nairn Avenue, from Stadacona Street to Watt Street: $5.4 million The province will also give Winnipeg $8.9 million for additional road projects, including fixing a massive number of recently formed potholes caused by a cold, wet winter followed by repeated freeze-thaw cycles in the spring. When asked if that money will stretch beyond potholes to support additional projects, Bowman said a staff proposal on how the extra cash should be spent will be considered by council in July. “We want to see those dollars utilized as quickly as possible,” he said Monday. Thanks to a few years of higher road repair standards after the city began imposing changes in 2020, the current roads should also last longer than they may have in the past, Bowman said. “The city has made significant progress in fixing and improving how roads are being built,” he said. Dr. Ahmed Shalaby, a University of Manitoba professor with expertise in pavement engineering, worked to improve road repairs with a team of U of M students and researchers, along with city, provincial and industry experts. Because of that work, new pavement in Winnipeg is now expected to last about 15 per cent longer, due to improved construction standards that began in 2020. One key change involves removing weaker materials such as clay and finer elements from the aggregate below roads, which lets pavement drain more quickly, said Shalaby. “By removing those materials we are ensuring that these foundations are stronger and can last longer.” Since the expected life span of a road can range from 15 to 30 years, depending on its type, how much the service life is extended also varies, said Shalaby. While the construction changes were first approved in 2020, they have since gradually become a universal standard for municipal and provincial projects, with few exceptions, he said. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

1 0

50% of MB's transportation ghg emmisions occur within the capital region
by Terry Zdan 24 Jun '22

24 Jun '22

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/06/23/suspend-transit-fares-in…

1 0

WFP: Fish’s fireworks spark consternation among cyclists (Jun24'22)
by Beth McKechnie 24 Jun '22

24 Jun '22

Fish’s fireworks spark consternation among cyclists https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/fishs-fireworks-spark-consternation… DYLON Martin has biked to work every day for 12 years. A few times each year, his regular route home is blocked by the temporary closure of Waterfront Drive for firework shows following select Winnipeg Goldeyes games. The street in downtown Winnipeg is closed for roughly eight hours from Lombard Avenue to Pioneer Avenue those nights — and its impact is felt by those who use the route, the 31-year-old says. “The transportation trail on Waterfront is to cyclists what Portage and Main is to vehicles and traffic. It adds 20 to 30 minutes to my commute every time it’s closed.” The Goldeyes have been hosting firework shows every year since moving to Shaw Park in 1999. This year, a petition to keep Waterfront Drive’s bike path (skirting the ballpark’s outfield wall) open during those select games has received more than 100 virtual signatures. “I don’t think there’s a safe detour for cyclists. It’s not easy to take a five-block detour on foot, bike or by wheelchair, so there needs to be more attention to providing safe and not terribly out of the way detours when critical pieces of our active transportation network are disrupted for whatever reason,” Martin said. A representative from the Goldeyes said the team isn’t trying to be a problem. “We’ve been doing this for over 20 years. We want everyone to be happy and we’re not trying to make it inconvenient for anyone, but we’re trying to entertain our fans, and for us to safely have fireworks on those occasions, we need to close those access ways to keep everyone safe.” The Goldeyes hold permits and permission from the City of Winnipeg and The Forks, which allow them to display the fireworks and close off the street. They also advertise the dates of the firework shows on the team website. “Fireworks have been a huge attraction for us for over 20 years and we think that six nights out of 41/2 months isn’t that obtrusive,” the team representative said. “We’ve had discussions since our last fireworks night, about how we can better inform fans, what alternate routes we can take and what better signage we can use.” One cyclist who asked to remain anonymous said if the road continues to be blocked, they will look to organize a sit-in protest on the street. “I’ve reached out to the city, councillors, the mayor and enforcement officers about the issue and don’t know what to do next,” the cyclist said. “Not everyone has internet or a cellphone to check their website to see if their regular route will be closed that day.” The Goldeyes have four scheduled fireworks shows remaining this summer: June 30, July 14, Aug. 12 and Sept. 3. bryce.hunt(a)freepress.mb.ca

1 0

Volvo Trucks introducing new safety system to protect cyclists and pedestrians - Green Car Congress
by Terry Zdan 23 Jun '22

23 Jun '22

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/06/20220606-volvo.html

1 0

Who Needs a Massive RV When You Can Build an Army of $1, 200 Bicycle Campers and Be Free - autoevolution
by Terry Zdan 22 Jun '22

22 Jun '22

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/who-needs-a-massive-rv-when-you-can-buil…

1 0

Rethink roads to save lives
by Charles F 22 Jun '22

22 Jun '22

Today's Globe and Mail editorial Rethink roads to save liveshttps://globe2go.pressreader.com/article/281689733487416Sent from my phone.

1 0

CBC: Winnipeggers call for more reliable bus service as gas prices continue to surge
by Beth McKechnie 22 Jun '22

22 Jun '22

In case anyone missed this spot on article: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-transit-efficient-1.6491239

1 0