- AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

Peg City Car Co-op - new rates to make it easier to bike, walk, bus and sometimes drive!
by Shoni Litinsky 29 Apr '13

29 Apr '13

I know many of you are members of the car co-op or have interest in joining. With our new rate structure, now may be a good time to check it out! Today we have just released a new rate structure that will make it easier for members, and for people that want to try the carshare. Checkout the link below to learn about our 2 rate plans, and our new casual driver category for people that just want to try it out. Approaching our second anniversary we have 120 members sharing four cars. By 2014, we hope to double our fleet and our membership! http://pegcitycarcoop.ca/2013/04/fresh-new-rates-new-options-to-start-carsh… Thanks! -- *Shoni Litinsky* | Active and Safe Routes to School Green Action Centre <http://greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue* | *(204) 925-3773 Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/> Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/>

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City of Winnipeg 2013 AT Action Plan Released
by Mark Cohoe 29 Apr '13

29 Apr '13

The City of Winnipeg has released it's 2013 AT Action Plan, which will go before the public works committee on April 30th. You can view the AT Action Plan here <http://winnipeg.ca/CLKDMIS/ViewDoc.asp?DocId=12663&SectionId=&InitUrl=>. http://winnipeg.ca/CLKDMIS/ViewDoc.asp?DocId=12663&SectionId=&InitUrl= Mark Cohoe

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Pembina Highway
by Anders Swanson 27 Apr '13

27 Apr '13

[can't please 'em all...this from a cyclist capable/willing to so 30km/hr regularly...-AS] http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/westview/bicycle-corridors-clumsy-… ________________ Bicycle corridors clumsy Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 27, 2013 A17 No one was more enthused than I when the bicycle corridors along Pembina Highway were announced. After years of white-knuckle, adrenaline-fuelled bicycle commutes between my home in Wildwood Park and the University of Manitoba, I was overjoyed to learn the city was finally responding to pleas for greater bike safety. Yes, it was only a short one-kilometre stretch, a drop in the bucket for those travelling from the downtown area; and yes, it still left the perilous Bishop Grandin overpass unprotected, which I can never cross without recalling the moment I was struck by a car there six years ago. But it was encouraging to know alternative transportation along this important thoroughfare is an investment priority for the city. Once the corridors were complete, however, my joy was diminished and indeed almost crushed altogether, for I discovered the bike lanes had been shunted onto sidewalks around the bus stops. I can only assume the rationale for this unusual design is to prevent forcing passengers to load the bus by crossing a bike lane. Cyclists and buses, however, have been sharing the curb lane for as long as they have coexisted, and must continue to do so everywhere else in the city (and in every other city I have cycled). When I am cycling down Pembina at 30 km/h, the last thing I want to do is divert my course abruptly up a ramp, onto the sidewalk for several metres and then back down again. It's dangerous to me and it's dangerous to pedestrians. I find it hard to believe anyone who has cycled along Pembina Highway during rush hour would suggest such a clumsy design. There are several obvious problems. First, these ramps have become effective collectors of snow, ice, gravel and mud and will certainly become deep puddles once the melt begins in earnest. Second, most people waiting for the bus will stand precisely on the path on which we are now supposed to cycle. I know this from personal experience because I rode the bus for years before becoming a bicycle commuter. But I also know this because my recent attempts to take this detour often require calling out to warn the bus passengers I am coming, then slamming on my brakes and swerving while people attempt to scramble out of my way. It's not really their fault, because this is a natural place to stand and there is no signage to indicate this is a bike lane. Furthermore, if one is placidly waiting for a bus, why should it be necessary to worry about high-speed, pedal-powered vehicles careening through the waiting area? Finally, the curb-lane shoulders have been eliminated from the bus-stop areas, meaning when I choose to remain on the road to avoid crashing through the bus crowd, I must once again jockey for position with cars and trucks, except now there is no buffer zone and I am directly in their lane. In the short weeks the paths have been rideable, I have endured abuse from startled pedestrians and honks from indignant motorists. Suddenly, there's no place for the cyclist... again! The paradoxical and unfortunate result of this bizarre situation is driving down this stretch of Pembina is now more dangerous than ever. So I return to my earlier statement of appreciation that the city is taking commuter cycling seriously. Winnipeg is far behind other cities in Canada and around the world in this regard, and this is a welcome first step toward encouraging greater fitness and reducing automotive emissions. Unfortunately, this initial attempt is awkward at best and dangerous at worst and will do little to enhance safety for cyclists, motorists and pedestrians along this stretch of Pembina. I dearly hope future improvements are attended by more careful forethought so I and my children can cycle without fear to our chosen destinations around the city. Scott Kroeker is a professor of chemistry at the University of Manitoba.

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WFP Editorial: A safer cycling option (Apr.26'13)
by Beth McKechnie 26 Apr '13

26 Apr '13

A safer cycling option http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/editorials/a-safer-cycling-option-… It is entirely understandable that a cyclist in Winnipeg would choose to ride three feet -- about a metre -- from the curb, dodging refuse, rubble, potholes and crevices that tend to amass at the edges of streets. But the Highway Traffic Act requires cyclists to ride as close to the curb as "practicable," which inevitably puts them in conflict with motorists, many of whom regard bicycles as an inconvenience at best. A better, safer option is needed. The Selinger government is considering changing the highway act to give more room to cyclists and greater separation between them and vehicles. Cycling advocates want Manitoba to adopt Quebec's law that gives bike riders a full lane, requiring passing motorists to move into the left lane unless there's sufficient room in the same lane. At present, Manitoba law says only that motorists must pass on the left of cyclists "at a safe distance." Quebec's law puts greater responsibility on drivers. Motorists who bemoan cyclists impeding their commute will not welcome this. And a careful study of traffic flow on busy urban roads will have to be modelled to prepare for such a change. Vigorous public education would be needed for the cultural shift it would signal for the drivers who now exercise right of "weight." But a pursuit of policy that encourages cycling is long past due. Bicycle commuting is healthy, cheap and easy on the environment, and delivers substantial societal benefits. Such a policy shift won't happen any time soon relying upon infrastructure projects alone: Winnipeg's record $20-million investment in 2010 produced relatively few dedicated bike lanes and significant grievance and political backlash. It made meagre progress in encouraging people to leave the car at home. The faster way to promote cycling is to write strong, clear rules that entitle cyclists and motorists to their right of way while enforcing their responsibilities on the road. Motorists will have to slow down when cyclists are ahead of them -- perhaps leave home a little earlier -- and proceed with more caution when passing. That, however, promotes mutual respect between cyclists and motorists, which can only make for safer streets. *Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 26, 2013 A10*

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Video - Pembina@Chevrier buffered bike lane to U of M/Stadium via Southwood
by Anders Swanson 25 Apr '13

25 Apr '13

For all you Taylor swift fans, Bomber fans, summer PHD students or a combination of all three (perhaps?)... *VIDEO: *http://vimeo.com/64786226 Pembina @ Chevrier to Investors Group Stadium first-person perspective...2X speed. Feel free to share. This was taken yesterday. In it, you can see how the buffered bike lane functions and can see how the innovative bus stop details work. It also shows an interim access point to the old golf course off D'Arcy. Note that this represents a "before" or "interim" video, and you will see that some of the finer details on Pembina - like detectable paving stones and proper maintenance - or smooth direct access through the old golf course - are still in the works. (The construction of the bike lane was nearing completion in November last year before a big snowfall....The U of M is still finalizing its interim access work plan through the recently opened Southwood Lands.) I am sharing this video because there is now a viable separated alternative to Pembina HWY for those wishing to cycle to the U of M. Folks can try it now. For me, it is already a HUGE improvement to the jockeying, buzzing and squishing that used to go on in this section. Soon I suspect that it will be even better. Wayfinding for this route is still be a bit tricky, so carefully note the linkage using the Ten Thousand Villages entrance and the left turn technique on Plaza, for example. It may take a trip or two for the uninitiated to know where exactly to go, so hopefully this video will help. Note that from Pembina @ Chevrier north (not shown in video), there is a winding, but pleasant alternative to Pembina in the adjacent neigbourhood for those coming from points to the Northeast. It goes from Riverside near Jubilee and the BRT pathway to Chevrier/Pembina. See last year's Winnipeg Cycling Map<http://www.winnipeg.ca/publicworks/MajorProjects/ActiveTransportation/maps_…>for more info on that section for now. I will take another video when some of the finishing touches have been made for comparison's sake. Regards, Anders BTW...this may perhaps be misleadingly labeled as a "before" video. Really it should probably say "in progress". If anyone has an actual "before" video of this section, I would LOVE to see it. I am kicking myself for not doing so.

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Walk to School Manitoba! Our new video is ready!
by Shoni Litinsky 25 Apr '13

25 Apr '13

Hi Everyone, Thought I would share our new Active and Safe Routes to School video with all of you. If you can post it on your websites, put it in your newsletters, share it with your co-workers I would be so grateful! This was probably my funnest day at work so far - covered in sparkles, glue, and feathers from head to toe! See it here: https://vimeo.com/56783631 Big thanks to the budding movie stars from the Walk on Wednesday's club at Woodlawn Elementary School in Steinbach, MB. These kids created all of their own artwork and spent the day walking outside with us. Also thank you to Assiniboine Credit Union for supporting the production of this video and to Chris Paetkau and Trevor Gill for creating it. -- *Shoni Litinsky* | Active and Safe Routes to School Green Action Centre <http://greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue* | *(204) 925-3773 Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/> Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/>

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WFP: Buffer zone for cyclists mulled - Province may require motorists to move over (Apr.25'13)
by Beth McKechnie 25 Apr '13

25 Apr '13

Buffer zone for cyclists mulled Province may require motorists to move over By: Bruce Owen http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/buffer-zone-for-cyclists-mulled-2046… The province is looking at amending its traffic laws to specify how much space motorists must give cyclists when passing them on the street. Bike Winnipeg says the Highway Traffic Act is too vague and drivers should give cyclists at least one metre or pass them using the next lane over. It's a move Nova Scotia, Quebec and almost two dozen U.S. states have adopted to make urban cycling safer and so drivers know how much room to give a cyclist. Ontario and B.C. are also being lobbied to amend their highway traffic laws in this regard. The changes are coming as the cycling lobby becomes more organized and more people take up cycling to get to work and for exercise. Local Government Minister Ron Lemieux, who's responsible for the active-transportation file, said the province is studying a safe-cycling amendment to the Highway Traffic Act. "When you have a buffer (space), aside from the respect issue, it's so common-sense," Lemieux said. "When you have a buffer, or a protective barrier between traffic and cyclists, that tells people it's the law to respect each other, and here's the boundary. I think for most Manitobans, they would say this makes a lot of sense." Lemieux said the change is just one of several ideas being considered to improve cycling safety and infrastructure in the city and province. The government also plans to conduct a media campaign in June on cycling safety. The buffer idea was raised by advocacy group Bike Winnipeg, formerly Bike to the Future. Dave Elmore, Bike Winnipeg's director of safety and education, said the Highway Traffic Act now leaves it up to each driver to decide what's a safe distance to pass a cyclist. "The lack of any true definition makes this not only unenforceable, but also leaves it up to the judgment of drivers," Elmore said. "Unfortunately, some drivers interpret this as meaning that as long as they can squeeze by without hitting the cyclists, that it is safe." Bike Winnipeg points to Quebec's traffic laws, which say no driver may pass a bicycle within the same traffic lane unless there is sufficient space to do it safely. "As cyclists, we would like to see this practice using the adjacent lane encouraged for all passing situations," Elmore said. Cyclists are lobbying Manitoba Public Insurance to teach new drivers to give cyclists more room when passing. Co-chairman Tom McMahon said the group has appeared before the Public Utilities Board to ask it to get MPI to revise its driver's handbook. McMahon said a diagram in the handbook (on page 74) essentially says it's OK to pass cyclists in the same lane. "That little diagram is physically impossible, but it's in the driver's handbook," McMahon said. "If they were to draw it to scale, this can't happen. The car would be running over you if you're the cyclist. It pretends to show that it's possible to squeeze by a cyclist in an ordinary lane." Elmore said the Highway Traffic Act says cyclists must ride "as close as practicable" to the edge of the road, not an easy task at the best of times, given road and traffic conditions. "Once again, there is no specific distance, and so it is up to the cyclists as to how far they ride from the edge. The Winnipeg Police Service has long contended that they make the decision as to what is 'practicable' even though it is the cyclists balancing on two wheels that has to avoid hazards, potholes and debris on the edge of the road." Elmore said he teaches cyclists to ride a minimum of one metre from the edge to avoid hazards along the curb or edge while adding to their visibility to motorists. "It also provides them with a metre safety buffer to their right should they have to manoeuvre around obstacles or avoid a motorist that passes them too closely," he said. "By riding a metre from the curb, motorists most often will provide the cyclist with a reasonable passing distance, since travel lanes in our city are rarely wide enough to safely accommodate both a cyclist and a passing motor vehicle." Bike Winnipeg is currently working on a bus advertising campaign it hopes will tell drivers the importance of both passing space and a cyclist's position on the road. bruce.owen(a)freepress.mb.ca *The current law* MANITOBA'S Highway Traffic Act says: 114(1) a driver overtaking another vehicle or bicycle proceeding in the same direction (a) shall pass to the left thereof at a safe distance; and (b) shall not return to the right side of the highway until safely clear of the overtaken vehicle or bicycle. *Bike safety quiz*: http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=bike-helmet-safety-quiz *Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 25, 2013 A3*

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Jane's Walk 2013 - May 4 & 5
by Beth McKechnie 24 Apr '13

24 Apr '13

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE *7th Annual Jane's Walk celebrates diversity and vibrancy of neighbourhoods across Winnipeg * WINNIPEG Tuesday April 23, 2012 – On Saturday May 4th and Sunday May 5th the seventh annual Jane's Walk is strolling into town. This year, Winnipeggers can choose from over a dozen guided walks across the city presented in an innovative and uniquely neighbourly fashion. Jane's Walk celebrates the ideas and legacy of Jane Jacobs — a celebrated urbanist and activist whose writings championed a fresh, community-based approach to building walkable and vibrant cities. Free walking tours are held on the first weekend of May each year are led by locals who want to create a space for residents to talk about what matters to them in the places they live and work. The first Jane's Walk was organized in Toronto seven years ago and it has since spread to cities across Canada, the United States, and worldwide. Participating in Jane's Walk is simple: local community members with a passion for urban issues and local history volunteer to organize a walking tour in their neighbourhood exploring an interesting aspect of the lived urban experience. Jane's Walks are about community conversations. The public is encouraged to contribute to the urban conversation by asking questions and sharing their passion and knowledge with other Jane's Walk participants. Walks are either an hour or an hour and a half long and take place throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday. Some walks confirmed for this year include: - Back by popular demand: blogger and journalist Rob Galston takes walkers on a tour of his beloved neighbourhood in Village Urbanism: Explorations in North Point Douglas<http://janeswalk.net/index.php/walks/canada/winnipeg/village-urbanism-explo…> - Get to know the area around the new Neechi Commons with the building’s architect in The Edge Condition: Main Street between the Disraeli and Neechi Commons<http://janeswalk.net/index.php/walks/canada/winnipeg/edge-condition-main-st…> by Wins Bridgman - A favourite guide every year, Jino Distasio explores Riverview: Beer, Bears and Boxing and Roller Coaster Ride through Time<http://janeswalk.net/index.php/walks/canada/winnipeg/riverview-beer-bears-b…> - Researcher Abigail Auld explores how the Hudson’s Bay company left an indelible mark on our city in WPGxHBC - A Company’s influence on the City<http://janeswalk.net/index.php/walks/canada/winnipeg/wpgxhbc-companys-influ…> - Sandy Gessler examines a forgotten area that played a major role in the 1919 strike in Victoria Park: Invisible Memories and Lost Meaning<http://janeswalk.net/index.php/walks/canada/winnipeg/victoria-park-invisibl…> - In Broadway Modern<http://janeswalk.net/index.php/walks/canada/winnipeg/broadway-modern/>, Susan Algie from the Winnipeg Architecture Foundation celebrates and discusses the abundance of modernist architecture on Broadway Avenue - Find out about The Communities, the Campus & the Re-Generation<http://janeswalk.net/index.php/walks/canada/winnipeg/communities-campus-re-…> with University of Manitoba Campus Planner Michelle Richard and Winnipeg Trails Association/community resident Janice Lukes - David Connors makes us ask What if there was an alternative to riding your bike on McPhillips? [forthcoming] A complete list of walks with starting times and meeting locations is published on www.janeswalk.net. Be sure to also visit our Facebook Event<https://www.facebook.com/events/528987633810342/>page and share with your network. -30- For more information: Matt Carreau Jane's Walk Winnipeg City Organizer mgcarreau(a)gmail.com (204) 430-5686

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Active travelers are competitive customers, research report indicates
by Beth McKechnie 23 Apr '13

23 Apr '13

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Terry Zdan <tjzdan50(a)gmail.com> Date: Tue, 23 Apr 2013 08:47:21 -0500 Subject: Active travelers are competitive customers, research report indicates * Active travelers are competitive customers, research report indicates<http://otrec.us/news/entry/active_travelers_are_competitive_customers_study…> * Efforts to promote active transportation often come up against concerns, from business owners, that any shift away from automobile use will mean fewer customers or less revenue. In fact, new OTREC research indicates that, for the most part, how much people spend has little to do with what transportation mode they use. An OTREC final report, "Consumer Behavior and Travel Mode Choices," does highlight some key differences between transportation modes. People arriving by bus, bike or on foot average more trips per month to convenience stores, supermarkets, drinking establishments and restaurants than do people arriving by car. Read more...<http://otrec.us/news/entry/active_travelers_are_competitive_customers_study…> *http://otrec.us/project/411* <http://otrec.us/project/411> -- Terry Zdan 126 Duncan Norrie Drive Wpg MB R3P 2J9 CANADA tjzdan50(a)gmail.com <tjzdan(a)gmasil.com>

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WFP: Cyclists, cars, and cops don't mix (Apr.20'13)
by Beth McKechnie 20 Apr '13

20 Apr '13

Cyclists, cars, and cops don't mix The cautionary tale of Cyril and Moe By: Gordon Sinclair Jr. <gordon.sinclair(a)freepress.mb.ca> http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/cyclists-cars-and-cops-dont-mix-2038… I suppose you could call this a cautionary tale. But it's more than that. You might also call it an ugly example of the guerilla road war between motorists and cyclists that usually heats up with the spring weather. But it's more than that, too. For a year now, I've been tracking the case of the pair I'll call Cyril the Cyclist and Moe the Motorist. The story begins on the chilly morning of April 18, 2012, when both were on their way to work, headed north with the early-morning airport traffic on Century Street. That's when the altercation happened. According to a police report I would wait 11 months to finally see, a cruiser was dispatched at 7:46 a.m. that Wednesday. Two days later, in an email to the Free Press, the cyclist, then 23, would describe what happened from his perspective. Cyril wrote that he had strayed about a metre away from the east curb because of puddles and potholes, and that several vehicles passed him without issue until the driver of a minivan, upset at the cyclist who was blocking the lane, "laid on his horn and flew past me, leaving inches between my left shoulder and his mirror." It was Moe the Motorist, a man who appeared to be at least two decades older than Cyril. "I made eye contact with the driver and gave him a dirty look," Cyril wrote. "He had already begun to hastily roll his window down and started to shout at me." The usual back-and-forth name-calling ensued, followed by Moe reaching out his open window and punching Cyril in the left eye. And then speeding off. Cyril managed to get the licenceplate number and called 911. When the two officers responded, Cyril told them he wanted to press charges for assault. He said police responded by saying something along the lines of "we may just give him a traffic ticket for imprudent driving." Later, after interviewing the driver, police called Cyril at work. The victim and the accused were about to change roles. Moe the Motorist didn't deny striking the cyclist in face, but he claimed Cyril initiated it all by starting the screaming match and then spitting on him. Cyril would deny he spit on Moe. That left police to try to defuse the incident by telling Cyril the assaults were "very minor in nature" and no one should be charged. Again Cyril insisted the driver shouldn't get away with hitting him. Police cautioned him that he may be charged with assault, too, but Cyril wouldn't back down. Later that afternoon, after consulting their sergeant, police arrested Cyril at work and charged him with assault and a highway traffic offence for straying too far from the curb. Two days later, Cyril would write this: "The whole situation left me feeling intimidated, confused, embarrassed and quite fearful of both this driver and the authorities in place to protect a person in my situation." I don't know how Moe the Motorist felt, but I can guess. Lucky. Why did police charge Cyril for allegedly spitting on Moe, when Moe admitted to punching Cyril? Basically, they chose to believe Moe's version and believe he acted in self-defence. More specifically, they offered four reasons in their report: Cyril confronted Moe; Cyril initiated a verbal argument with Moe; Cyril spat on Moe, causing Moe to defend himself; Moe immediately drove away, removing himself from the situation. Jay Prober, the lawyer Cyril hired to defend him, argues punching someone in those alleged circumstances is excessive, and a law professor I spoke with agrees. At the very least, in Prober's opinion, if Cyril was charged, Moe also should have been. Then let a judge decide who's telling the truth. But a case like this was never destined to end in court. The Crown diverted it to mediation, where it was resolved late last summer despite the absence of Moe the Motorist, who passed on the opportunity to apologize to Cyril for punching him, the way Moe apologized to police at the time. This week, on the anniversary of the incident that made Cyril fearful to ride his bike this winter, he is out an estimated $2,000 in lawyer's fees and lost wages. And he's still traumatized. Cyril the Cyclist has learned to better control his feelings about the drivers who show no understanding or respect for bike riders. But sadly, he says he has also learned something else from this cautionary tale. That his biggest mistake was calling police. *gordon.sinclair(a)freepress.mb.ca* *Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 20, 2013 B1*

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Local Bike Helmet video
by Beth McKechnie 20 Apr '13

20 Apr '13

Check out the new local video<https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=b6r3f7M_XOY>on bike helmets from the Province: Also keep in mind that the new law<http://www.gov.mb.ca/healthyliving/hlp/bikesafety/#bike>takes effect on May 1st in Manitoba that makes it compulsory for cyclists under the age of 18 to wear a suitable helmet while cycling. cheers, Beth

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FW: [Bike to the Future] Bike Winnipeg Logo Contest
by Dave Elmore 18 Apr '13

18 Apr '13

Please circulate widely. Dear Bike to the Future members and supporters: After a lengthy series of discussions and a recommendation from a re branding expert, Bike to the Future's Board of Directors has decided to change the public name of our organization to Bike Winnipeg and change our domain name to bikewinnipeg.ca. We will also be changing our logo. In making this change, we are following in the footsteps of many other cycling advocacy organizations such as Bike Calgary, Bike Minneapolis, and Bike New York. It is our hope that bikewinnipeg.ca will be easier to remember for members of the public, the media, government officials, and our current and new supporters. We also hope that the name Bike Winnipeg more clearly and simply defines who we are and our central mission , which is to encourage more Winnipeggers to choose to bike more often, to bring impediments to cycli ng to the attention of elected and government officials, and to inform the public and media about the various benefits of cycling. ____________ Bike Winnipeg Logo Contest Please send us your idea/design for a Bike Winnipeg logo. The logo will support the new name of our organization: Bike Winnipeg ( bikewinnipeg.ca ). All logo submissions must be in two-tone, black and white. You may add a color logo if you wish. Everyone who sends a logo to info(a)bikewinnipeg.ca by May 1, 2013 will be entered into a draw for a 1 Metre Please jersey. We will acknowledge the receipt of all submissions, and we will publicly credit the designer of the chosen logo when we unveil it. By sending us a logo, you agree that, if we select your idea /design, full ownership of all intellectual property rights will belong to Bike to the Future, Inc. -- Mark Cohoe Executive Director Bike to the Future http://biketothefuture.org ____________________________________ Bike to the Future -- announcements announce(a)lists.biketothefuture.org http://biketothefuture.org

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Biking for bucks - Toronto
by Dave Elmore 18 Apr '13

18 Apr '13

These employees get paid to drive too, but its a start. On CBC news there was another company that was simply paying their employees $ 1.00 per kilmeter to ride. http://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2013/01/29/cycling_in_the_city_toronto _employers_peddle_incentives_to_bike_to_work.html Cycling in the city: Toronto employers peddle incentives to bike to work JASON FRANSON / THE CANADIAN PRESS You could call it biking for bucks. Increasingly, Torontonians want to incorporate cycling into their work lives - and some companies are now paying people to do just that. At Bursting Silver, a growing technology company with consultants in several Canadian cities, employees who bike to meetings get paid double the mileage they would recoup if they drove a car - $1 per kilometer rather than 50 cents. It's a new policy that came out of a conversation between Edmonton-based founder Al Povoledo and principal consultant James Schwartz, who regularly rides his bike to visit clients in Toronto. Povoledo says the policy underscores the company's social conscience. But it works for everyone. It helps keep staff healthy and active, and "I actually think it saves money for customers," he said. If a consultant has to drive from the suburbs to a client downtown, the client gets charged 50 cents per kilometer, plus $25 for parking. That can add up to a $45 charge for the client. "If someone takes their bike, we're paying them $1 a kilometer and that ends up being cheaper," said Povoledo. If there's air travel involved, the savings can be greater, says Schwartz, who works in Toronto and actually cycles to the airport <http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/1281452--man-encourages-cycling-to- pearson-airport> . "When I ride my bicycle to the airport for client travel, I am entitled to $24 for the 24-kilometre bike ride . However, if I took a taxi to the airport, it would cost the client $55. So on a return trip to the airport, I am saving my client $62, I get to keep healthy, and we have one less taxi to clog the road to the airport," wrote Schwartz on his blog <http://www.theurbancountry.com/> . But it's not just about the bottom line, says Povoledo. "We wanted to integrate the concept of giving back to our culture and the way we work on a daily basis," he said. It's the kind of idea Povoledo and Schwartz say is becoming increasingly mainstream. Toronto Environmental Office director Lawson Oates agrees. Cycling rewards increasingly resonate with younger workers and employers, he said. "It's the wave of the future. (Companies) want to attract and retain topnotch employees," and these people don't necessarily function in "the old 9-5 mould," he said. Top Drawer Creative founder Howard Chang is a pioneer when it comes to bike-friendly employers. In 2003 the ad agency began a bike-to-work program offering an honorarium of $2 a day for employees who cycled to the agency's old Leslieville location. To make the idea more attractive, Top Drawer installed showers and locker rooms and provided secure, indoor bike parking. Chang even made a deal with a bike supplier so employees could buy wheels at wholesale prices. The company has since moved to the Beach and the honorarium has risen to $5 a day. It's a policy Chang says is one factor in helping retain employees in the transient advertising industry - and yes, many of them are younger. But among the 40 per cent of Top Drawer's staff that cycle to work, at least one participant is in his 50s. Chang, who acknowledges that not everyone rides year-round, <http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/transportation/article/1311772--bike-lanes- being-peddled-for-richmond-and-adelaide> would like more employees to sign on but says, "I'm not messianic about it." He figures that the program has cost Top Drawer tens of thousands of dollars, but it's an investment. "Our agency's very focused on social responsibility," he said. "I just want to make sure we walk our talk, that we're authentic. "It's one thing to advocate commuting to work, it's another thing when you're actually investing in it," he said.

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FW: T-shirts, Pit Stops and Volunteers...that's right.
by Dave Elmore 18 Apr '13

18 Apr '13

Please distribute widely. Sorry for any duplication. Thanks Dave o _ ( \ _ (X)\ /(X) Friday, June 21, 2013 BIKE TO WORK DAY How will you join us? T-SHIRTS ARE BACK! We know you love the shirts. So much so that we can't keep up to your adoration! To keep building up Bike to Work Day and get as many orange shirts out there as we can... we are inviting you to purchase a shirt in advance of the event this year. We are offering cotton and technical-fabric shirts for $15-$25 on our website. <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001SLl8bl9_SX0u00QnQVfT91SLmmw07Ug5-DQlTF_XNHMW wZR-6WxmrEOdcDsPtTADONiTqMz-C6BOohkQcqEMHeaKU0psCTYOUcqQyuN4BPQ2-UzRKMoYMzTm IWl7w1T3wY2Nv9IgBLvUMBWC8gRsVg==> click here to BUY ONE TODAY Everyone looks good in orange, right? We will only be giving away free shirts to our sponsors, volunteers and pit stop hosts. Which reminds me... RIDE WITH US... There are lots of ways to get involved with Bike to Work Day. And now's the time! Click below to travel through cyberspace and have all of your dreams come true. <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001SLl8bl9_SX0zdIX0HOaYiLUicoXeOxs3iftF7ieJ62no BeYs5n96SbkulgWHt976MBZsgW_FMPdyjt8C47ibnQDWX0u9Lf5cQ-80D1IYle7obxgbo0xqQ53D WGJtsVTJ9zB9w0ZVU7jwfBuowirjZKXxHfO53AzP> REGISTER <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001SLl8bl9_SX37-E-DvtvAlFcUIx883D588XDl3fGCA4Tp XAtA3X4wxrTGW3i_WSusEXMbKpLynjUOf8yPHS5HRNVGhpklD2dx6GsupXgot4FhTobbkskfvQ3H vXf0vKfq-Lol6jO6fZX-fJ2N8ZESsXTsohztiPOCZ9RYID7gpXU-owB416p_bQ==> HOST A PIT STOP ...wait what's a <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001SLl8bl9_SX1YmMZL9XCkgILtVq785IhNT-b7Vfifct49 IAMCH7owLMLwMTijyeq3YS9HSOhjWDIyhcgEtlNgL2EwV9KHfxLZq77wP8X9o-V2gEIyKTV55iQV mUpzDO8Pl3VAD4uP0s23PFuiMtMOAA==> PIT STOP? (click here) <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001SLl8bl9_SX3QfVdFL2ylVlv-7uVGCD1PGSvNQ9O1AoXe UWhoTKGUxZ1IW4vTTf7FJKpoxK4EtDlZCYBfkDa1ajuoymK5j-H_5En7h7H8v1BOZazsH_LQAHcq NAA7fPBsZARzowz__KwHN4Pf9CcmbEjh1z8z6Rza> VOLUNTEER <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001SLl8bl9_SX0hU8ASe_CGjMe-h_rdUHg1gNyWu8DPCMXx Za8XypP4ncbiHhbBSxM2uAX5ldesVO2VyYCxE-8m4Uz2aeOdLsMZrfV6r4BarEbGRQj_6UiOxKAl EV6x7i5eAH1x6SvA3BLaOTTkJLk18YzzQUNP7ngX> SPONSOR <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001SLl8bl9_SX0zdIX0HOaYiLUicoXeOxs3iftF7ieJ62no BeYs5n96SbkulgWHt976MBZsgW_FMPdyjt8C47ibnQDWX0u9Lf5cQ-80D1IYle7obxgbo0xqQ53D WGJtsVTJ9zB9w0ZVU7jwfBuowirjZKXxHfO53AzP> REGISTER NOW WELCOME ACU! This year we welcome on board Assiniboine Credit Union. ACU has helped us out in the past, but this year they are going the extra kilometre. ACU will donate $0.25 for every Bike to Work registered rider to The Winnipeg Repair Education Cycling Hub (The WRENCH). That's right folks, time to: COUNT YOURSELF IN. MAKE CYCLING COUNT. Stay Connected <http://your.website.address.here> biketoworkdaywinnipeg.org <http://your.website.address.here> <http://your.website.address.here> <http://your.website.address.here> <http://your.website.address.here> <http://your.website.address.here> -- Thanks Dave

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Physical activity promotion at the Red River Ex - June 14-23
by Kristine Hayward 17 Apr '13

17 Apr '13

Hi Physical Activity Folks, As most of you know, for the last few years the WRHA Population & Public Health team and a whole host of community partners have partnered together with the Red River Exhibition to offer health related information and opportunities through the creation of the GO4health EXpo. As the Physical Activity Promotion team and a partner with Winnipeg in motion, we (along with many community partners) have been in attendance to provide education, opportunities to try, and connections to community programs, opportunities, and resources to support physical activity. >From the survey evaluations (2010, 2011, 2012) we've received positive feedback from attendees that the information/resources provided has been of value and appreciated. They indicated an increased awareness of the importance of a physically active lifestyle and where to be active within their community. The surveys also indicated that there was an increase in the attendees intention to make behaviour change, in many instances, behaviour change had already occurred in one or more healthy lifestyle changes. Planning has begun for 2013. This year, things are changing slightly as we've reduced the footprint of the GO4health EXpo within Exhibition Place and have moved from the back 1/3 of the building to the front corner. With our smaller digs, we have made the decision to no longer host a physical activity demonstration stage. >From our initial discussions, TWO main themes have emerged for the Physical Activity Promotion area at the GO4health Expo: 1 - Active Play (children, youth & adults) 2 - Active Transportation (children, youth & adults) As key players in physical activity promotion, we would like to invite you to a meeting to further explore creative and engaging ways to promote physical activity in these themed areas. Date: Tuesday, April 30 Time: 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Location of meeting: Room 119 - 490 Hargrave Street(please use the door located on the corner of Hargrave and McDermot) Call in option: - Call 1-877-727-8553 - Participant code - 904444228 Items up for discussion - - Supporting play o creation of resources that teach play o highlight play opportunities in the community o focus on fundamental movement skills o play leaders to assist with staffing the play zone o training leaders/sharing expertise for play zone o providing families an opportunity to play together o giveaways to support play - Active Transportation o creation of resources that highlight trails and AT routes o highlight active transportation events/opportunities o giveaways to support AT o using technology - touch screens/iPads, etc. to help people find a route o highlight active and safe routes to school and active commuting If you are unable to make the meeting or call in but have ideas, please give me a shout. Thanks! Have a great "in motion" day! Kristine Hayward Physical Activity Promotion/in motion Coordinator 2nd floor - 490 Hargrave Street Winnipeg, MB R3A 0X7 Telephone 204 940-1676 Cell 204 232-7546 Fax 204 940-2690 Email khayward(a)wrha.mb.ca<mailto:khayward@wrha.mb.ca> Follow Winnipeg in motion on Twitter - @wpginmotion Sign up to receive updates from Winnipeg in motion @ http://www.winnipeginmotion.ca/signup/ PLEASE NOTE THAT WE HAVE MOVED (MAY 5, 2012) - our mailing address and fax number has changed. This email and/or any documents in this transmission is intended for the addressee(s) only and may contain legally privileged or confidential information. Any unauthorized use, disclosure, distribution, copying or dissemination is strictly prohibited. If you receive this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and return the original. Ce courriel et tout document dans cette transmission est destiné à la personne ou aux personnes à qui il est adressé. Il peut contenir des informations privilégiées ou confidentielles. Toute utilisation, divulgation, distribution, copie, ou diffusion non autorisée est strictement défendue. Si vous n'êtes pas le destinataire de ce message, veuillez en informer l'expéditeur immédiatement et lui remettre l'original.

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The Invisible Bike Helmet That You'll Have To (Not) See To Believe
by Erik Dickson 15 Apr '13

15 Apr '13

Wow! This invention is almost too crazy to be true. Luckily, that sentence had the world "almost" in it. Enjoy living in the future, everyone. http://www.upworthy.com/the-invisible-bike-helmet-that-youll-have-to-not-see -to-believe Regards, Erik Dickson Suite 1120 - 201 Portage Avenue Winnipeg, MB R3B 3K6 ph: (204) 927-3444 ext. 242 fax: (204) 927-3443 web: www.scatliff.ca blog: http://scatliff.tumblr.com Please consider our environment before printing this message.

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Winnipeg to host 2014 Winter Cycling Conference!
by Beth McKechnie 15 Apr '13

15 Apr '13

More info to follow from Anders on this exciting announcement. If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact Anders Swanson < andersswanson(a)gmail.com> Seems appropriate to share this news on a snowy blustery day in April! ** Winter cycling federation aims to share winter cycling knowledge around the world. Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser<http://us5.campaign-archive1.com/?u=d2e49a7d161f830c39e4d5aaa&id=7eedbecf42…>. *WINNIPEG TO HOST WCC 2014* The city of Winnipeg (Manitoba, Canada) has been selected to host the next international Winter Cycling Conference in mid February 2014. More precise schedule for the venue will be announced soon. Application for hosting WCC 2015 opens in June 2013. Cities from Europe are given a preference in selection. Details for the application will be published in late April 2013 on our web pages. *WINTER CYCLING FEDERATION FOUNDED* The Winter Cycling Congress 2013 in Oulu launched an idea to found an organisation running future winter cycling conferences, sharing winter cycling best practices and promoting winter cycling globally. Therefore the Winter Cycling Federation emerged in April 2013. We will shortly report of our goals, actions, visions and rules on our web site www.wintercycling.org<http://ibikeoulu.us5.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=d2e49a7d161f830c39e4d5a…>. Our pages are still pretty basic, but no worries; we will work on them. You can also find us in Facebook<http://ibikeoulu.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d2e49a7d161f830c39e4d5aa…> . Friend on Facebook <#13df310e41ce85cc_> Follow on Twitter <http://Twitter+Account+not+yet+Authorized> Forward to a Friend<http://us5.forward-to-friend.com/forward?u=d2e49a7d161f830c39e4d5aaa&id=7ee…> [image: Oulu region traffic service]<http://ibikeoulu.us5.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=d2e49a7d161f830c39e4d5a…> OULU ROUTE PLANNER Find your way around in Oulu! <http://ibikeoulu.us5.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=d2e49a7d161f830c39e4d5a…> [image: Find us on facebook!]<http://ibikeoulu.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d2e49a7d161f830c39e4d5aa…> Find us on Facebook! follow on Twitter <http://Twitter+Account+not+yet+Authorized> | friend on Facebook <#13df310e41ce85cc_> | forward to a friend<http://us5.forward-to-friend.com/forward?u=d2e49a7d161f830c39e4d5aaa&id=7ee…> *Copyright © 2013 Navico Ltd., All rights reserved.* You are receiving this email because you are a cycling enthousiast :) *Our mailing address is:* Navico Ltd. Kirkkokatu 8 A 9 Oulu 90100 Finland Add us to your address book<http://ibikeoulu.us5.list-manage.com/vcard?u=d2e49a7d161f830c39e4d5aaa&id=e…> [image: Email Marketing Powered by MailChimp]<http://www.mailchimp.com/monkey-rewards/?utm_source=freemium_newsletter&utm…> unsubscribe from this list<http://ibikeoulu.us5.list-manage.com/unsubscribe?u=d2e49a7d161f830c39e4d5aa…>| update subscription preferences<http://ibikeoulu.us5.list-manage2.com/profile?u=d2e49a7d161f830c39e4d5aaa&i…>

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AT webinar: Economic Benefits of Walkable and Bike Friendly Communities, 2-3 pm, Apr 17, EcoCentre
by Beth McKechnie 15 Apr '13

15 Apr '13

Green Action Centre and Bike to the Future invite you to join us for a local viewing of the following APBP webinar at the EcoCentre (3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave). This will be followed by group discussion of local applications.* *Detailed description provided below. *Economic Benefits of Walkable and Bike Friendly Communities Wednesday, April 17th | 2:00-3:00 p.m. * RSVPs are appreciated but not necessary. Hope to see you then! cheers, Beth 925-3772 * * * * * ** Economic Benefits of Walkable and Bike Friendly Communities Wednesday, April 17th | 2:00 to 3:00 pm As communities work to maintain or restore their vibrancy and sense of place, providing great places to walk and bicycle has been a successful strategy. This webinar will present case studies on how economic vitality can be restored in historic downtowns, big cities and rural communities through improved walk and bike ability.

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Still room in the Cycling Skills courses through the Leisure Guide
by Dave Elmore 12 Apr '13

12 Apr '13

There is still lots of space in the cycling skills courses being offered through the City's Leisure Guide. Please distribute widely to remind people about this opportunity. City Cycling for Beginners <http://www.leisureonline.ca/eConnect/Activities/ActivitiesDetails.asp?aid=7 215> : Do you want to ride your bike more often but just don't feel safe? Do you want to teach your kids how to cycle safely? Can-Bike certified instructors from Bike to the Future will help you build both the knowledge and confidence to start riding on the streets and trails in Winnipeg. Saturday May 4, 2013 - 12:00 to 4:00 PM - Fort Rouge Leisure Centre http://www.leisureonline.ca/eConnect/Activities/ActivitiesCourseDetails.asp? cid=456906&LanguageId=1&LanguageIndex=1&SCheck=420583712&SDT=41336.715277777 8 City Cycling for Commuters: Would you like to start commuting but are uncomfortable on busier streets? Are you already commuting, but want to learn the cycling skills that will allow you to ride safely in heavier traffic? Certified Can-Bike instructors from Bike to the Future will help you build the skills and knowledge to ride confidently in traffic. Saturday May 4, 2013 - 12:00 to 4:00 PM - Auditorium-St. James Civic Centre http://www.leisureonline.ca/eConnect/Activities/ActivitiesCourseDetails.asp? cid=456905&LanguageId=1&LanguageIndex=1&SCheck=420583716&SDT=41336.716157407 4 Thanks Dave o _ ( \ _ (X)\ /(X)

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Top 10 Complete Streets Policies of 2012 (US)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Apr '13

08 Apr '13

>From Smart Growth America<http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/2013/04/08/announcing-the-best-complete-s…> ... Communities across the country are making roads safer and more accessible for everyone who uses them, and more communities are using these strategies now than ever before. The Best Complete Streets Policies of 2012, released today, examines all the Complete Streets policies passed in the last year and highlights some of the best. The analysis also revealed that the Complete Streets movement grew in 2012, continuing a national trend since 2005. *The Best Complete Streets Policies of 2012* Download the full report, including the list of top 10 Complete Streets policies from 2012 as well as a full explanation of our policy evaluation. Click here to download the full report (PDF)<http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/documents/cs-2012-policy-analysis.pdf> *The Best Complete Streets Policies of 2012: Executive Summary* Download the list of top 10 Complete Streets policies from 2012 as well as an an overview of our policy evaluation. Click here to download the Executive Summary (PDF)<http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/documents/cs-2012-policy-analysis-exec-su…>

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City set to Declare Surplus Parkland that could serve as important local AT Connection
by Mark Cohoe 06 Apr '13

06 Apr '13

Hi, I just wanted to alert people to an impending decision at the City of Winnipeg's Standing Policy Committee on Property and Development -- April 9, 2013to declare two parcels of land near Shaftesbury and St. Paul High Schools surplus. You can view the agenda item here <http://winnipeg.ca/CLKDMIS/ViewDoc.asp?DocId=12605&SectionId=&InitUrl=>. You can view the areas under consideration below. As I have previously pointed out in Bike to the Future's submission <http://biketothefuture.org/attachments/0000/1824/2012-10-26_bttf_charleswoo…>before the Charleswood Transportation Study, these properties hold the potential to create a direct, high quality AT link from the existing trails into Assiniboine Park and Forest along Bower road right of Way into the South Tuxedo neighbourhood (see below). I plan on attending the committee meeting Tuesday to ask that an easement for AT be left intact to allow for any future connection through to Bard Pl. to the south, I will also contact the city and Councillor Havixbeck to ensure that they are aware of the potential AT connection and need to retain an easement. Mark

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City set to Declare Surplus Parkland that could serve as important local AT Connection
by Mark Cohoe 06 Apr '13

06 Apr '13

Hi, I just wanted to alert people to an impending decision at the City of Winnipeg's Standing Policy Committee on Property and Development -- April 9, 2013to declare two parcels of land near Shaftesbury and St. Paul High Schools surplus. You can view the agenda item here <http://winnipeg.ca/CLKDMIS/ViewDoc.asp?DocId=12605&SectionId=&InitUrl=>. You can view the areas under consideration below. As I have previously pointed out in Bike to the Future's submission <http://biketothefuture.org/attachments/0000/1824/2012-10-26_bttf_charleswoo…>before the Charleswood Transportation Study, these properties hold the potential to create a direct, high quality AT link from the existing trails into Assiniboine Park and Forest along Bower road right of Way into the South Tuxedo neighbourhood (see below). I plan on attending the committee meeting Tuesday to ask that an easement for AT be left intact to allow for any future connection through to Byng to the south, I will also contact the city and Councillor Havixbeck to ensure that they are aware of the potential AT connection and need to retain an easement. Mark

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Peg City Car Co-op - internship opportunity
by Beth McKechnie 06 Apr '13

06 Apr '13

** Please share widely - thanks! ** *Peg City Car Co-op is hiring! * *Marketing and Membership Recruitment Internship * Know any grads under 30 who are underemployed? An energetic self-starter who cares about the environment? This spring, Peg City Car Co-op is expanding into more neighbourhoods in central Winnipeg. To help do this successfully, we need a people person who gets what carsharing is and how it works. Someone who understands the individual, environmental and community benefits. And better yet, can explain these benefits to others in a way that encourages them to join the co-op. Find the full job posting here<http://pegcitycarcoop.ca/2013/04/were-hiring-marketing-and-membership-recru…> . *Bike. Walk. Bus. And Sometimes, Drive.*

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AT webinar: Institutional and Campus Bicycle Parking Programs - Wed, Apr 10th, 2-3 pm
by Beth McKechnie 04 Apr '13

04 Apr '13

Green Action Centre and Stantec Consulting invite you to join us for a local viewing of the fourth and final webinar in the APBP series on bicycle parking. It takes place at the EcoCentre (3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave) and will be followed by group discussion of local applications. * Institutional and Campus Bicycle Parking Programs** Wed, April 10, 2013 | 2:00-3:00 pm CDT* Please note that RSVPs are appreciated this time. Thanks & hope to see you then! cheers, Beth (204) 925-3772 * * * * * * * Institutional and Campus Bicycle Parking Programs This webinar looks at how major employment centers and institutions such as hospitals, college campuses and office/industrial centers can meet employee transportation needs both independently and in conjunction with public and transit parking programs. Techniques such as bike rooms and sheds will be examined, as will the impact of proposed bike share facilities on existing bicycle parking capacity. The session includes examples from the University of Washington and Microsoft. Who should attend? Municipal staff, transit agency staff, managers of educational, corporate and healthcare campuses, and members of Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committees, as well as elected officials and staff of bicycle advocacy organizations. Both the experienced agency manager and those new to developing bicycle parking solutions will benefit. *For information on the entire Bicycle Parking Webinar series, please see: * http://greenactioncentre.ca/event/apbp-bicycle-parking-webinar-series/

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Fwd: [livable-communities] The Big Move: Pay-per-kilometre system could be the way of the future
by Mike Tutthill 04 Apr '13

04 Apr '13

*The Big Move: Pay-per-kilometre system could be the way of the future* A GPS-based driving fee of about $0.03 per kilometre could yield $1.9 billion for less-crowded roads. But would the public buy it? http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/transportation/2013/04/03/the_big_move_payp… [photo missing] Bern Grush, an expert on road-use metering, takes in the view of an uncharacteristically uncrowded Don Valley Parkway from the Gerrard St. bridge. *By:* Tim Alamenciak < http://www.thestar.com/authors.alamenciak_tim.html> News reporter, Published on Wed Apr 03 2013 *Explore This Story * 1 Photo 154 Comments Officials in Oregon saw the problem coming years ago: Fuel-efficient cars and electric vehicles would spell disaster for a state reliant on gas taxes to pay for road repairs. So they asked some drivers to pony up at the pump in a different way. In 2007, they launched a pilot project involving 300 motorists, who had GPS devices installed in their vehicles to record miles driven. Whenever they filled up, the drivers would pay an additional fee of about one cent per mile travelled, based on the device’s information. A system like this appeared on the short-list of ideas released Tuesday to help fund Metrolinx’s plan for beefed-up transit and reduced congestion. The transportation agency is considering a charge of 3 cents per kilometre, which could generate up to $1.9 billion in revenue per year, according to a report prepared for the agency by AECOM and KPMG < http://www.bigmove.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/RPT-2013-03-12-Revenue-Too…> . Some experts say charging by kilometre travelled is a good idea because it asks people who use the roads most to pay the most — and encourages transit use, too. But its combination of increased monitoring with a new fee is politically unpalatable. “In the long term — we’re talking about (decades) from now — this would absolutely be the right tool for charging users for what they’re getting,” said Benjamin Dachis, an analyst with the C.D. Howe Institute, a policy think-tank. The challenge, “first and foremost, is public acceptance of it.” How exactly the system would work is unclear, as the agency is still in the early process of figuring it out, said John Howe, vice-president of investment strategy and project evaluation at Metrolinx. “We assume a variable rate system based on factors such as time of day, level of real-time congestion, route selected and type of vehicle. This would require a GPS-based vehicle tracking and charging system,” he said. It’s an idea Bern Grush has long advocated < http://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2010/09/04/payasyoudrive_meter_poised…> . Grush is the mind behind Skymeter, a company once devoted to metering road usage, but now in receivership. You might chalk that up to the politics of the concept. “I’ve been at this for 10 years and there have been so many reports,” said Grush. “There’s been a huge inability of almost any government anywhere to actually make progress in this area.” The technology worked, but proposing to put it into practice was a political hornets’ nest. Now he focuses on using the technology to help administer parking costs <http://paybysky.com/> — something he says is less politically volatile. Grush, who said he holds patents for these GPS devices, noted there is a potential for them to violate privacy, but that can be prevented by design. “The device itself doesn’t report anything to anyone unless it’s been set up to do that,” he said. It’s possible to design a GPS device that would calculate distance and location, then submit only a dollar figure to the billing authority. In the Oregon pilot, more people accepted the system if they were given options for metering, said James Whitty, a state manager involved in both pilots. The original program made drivers install a government-issued GPS device. The second pilot featured a tiered system with three payment options: Drivers pay a single per-kilometre rate and have their odometer checked periodically. Drivers install a GPS device and pay a variable rate depending on where they were driving. Drivers pay a single flat-rate fee, designed to lighten the load for heavy users. The pilot showed the tiered system was preferred, but Whitty is still cautious when asked about the potential for implementing the idea more broadly. It’s still being piloted in Oregon and hasn’t been put into legislation. “The momentum is increasing, is what I see,” he said. “Once people understand that the public has to be comfortable with this and they have to provide mechanisms that the public accepts, then you’ve got a better chance of passing legislation.” Some countries charge fees to heavy vehicles per kilometre travelled, but nowhere has a blanket provision been applied to passenger vehicles, Whitty said. A per-kilometre fee is just one in Metrolinx’s short-list of 11 “revenue tools” that could help generate $2 billion a year in funding for the Big Move transportation plan. It got little attention from civic leaders, most of whom reacted positively to the short-list in general but focused on the unsuitability of another proposal: higher property taxes. Toronto Mayor Rob Ford responded to Tuesday’s announcement with a retching noise and suggested casinos are the answer to the need for transit funding. Metrolinx’s final investment strategy is slated to be released June 1. == *More from TheStar.com: * A peek at Metrolinx’s short list of ‘revenue tools’ for expanded transit < http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/04/02/the_big_move_a_sneak_peek_at_met…> Supporters must speak up for Metrolinx plan: James < http://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2013/04/02/supporters_must_speak_up_f…> --- Smart Growth BC is the administrator of the livable communities listserv. However, any opinions expressed on this listserv remain the responsibility of the poster and do not necessarily reflect Smart Growth BC’s position or policies. You are currently subscribed to livable-communities as: mtutthill(a)healthincommon.ca. To unsubscribe click here: http://lists.smartgrowth.bc.ca/u?id=554958.26bbcf3642f503bd9b1cf7ba5b0f3f89… or send a blank email to leave-1491312-554958.26bbcf3642f503bd9b1cf7ba5b0f3f89(a)lists.smartgrowth.bc.ca To view any messages that have been sent on this list, please visit the livable-communities listserv archive online at: http://lists.smartgrowth.bc.ca/read/ -- Mike Tutthill Planning & Evaluation Facilitator HEALTH in COMMON 200 - 141 Bannatyne Avenue Winnipeg, MB R3B 0R3 tel: 204.946.1888 1.800.731.1792 fax: 204.284.2404 email: mtutthill(a)healthincommon.ca web: www.healthincommon.ca +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ *Health in Common on Facebook*< http://www.facebook.com/pages/Health-in-Common/120069149875> ü Please consider the environment before printing this email.

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