Advocates say
benefits include stronger local economies, lower infrastructure maintenance
costs, healthier residents and safer streets for all road users.
30 of Guelph’s 42 candidates for
municipal office have signed the Active Communities Pledge, providing voters in
every ward with options to support candidates that will support walking and
cycling if elected. In the wake of recent opinion polls that show growing
support for measures to promote cycling, this Ontario-wide campaign is asking
candidates in the upcoming October 27th municipal election
to back policies that support cycling and other forms of active transportation.
“Cycling
and other forms of active transportation such as walking bring multiple
benefits to communities like Guelph.
They reduce traffic congestion and cut pollution, boost local retail spend,
draw in new tourist dollars, promote a healthy lifestyle for adults and
children, and help build a friendlier, more cohesive community,” said Justin
Jones, Manager of the Bicycle Friendly Communities Program with the Share the
Road Cycling Coalition
“This campaign is about increasing
public awareness, building voter support and encouraging local politicians to
make a commitment to bike friendly policies that will benefit our entire community.
Given the strong steps that Guelph has taken in recent years, moving from
Bronze to Silver in the Bicycle Friendly Communities ranking in 2014, I’m not
surprised to see such broad support for the Active Communities Pledge in
Guelph. No community in Ontario has a higher percentage of candidates that have
signed the pledge, which is indicative of how the conversation about active
transportation is changing in Guelph.”
The
Active Communities Pledge campaign
invites all municipal candidates to:
- Promote active
transportation, including cycling and walking, in their community;
- Support the
construction of new projects that serve to make walking and cycling easier
and more accessible to all residents, regardless of age or ability;
- Support their
community in applying for a Bicycle
Friendly Community designation from Share the Road or, if the
community is already recognized as a BFC, work towards achieving the next
award level by the end of this upcoming term;
- Work to ensure that their
community supports and contributes to the implementation of the Ontario
Cycling Strategy #CycleOn
by developing programs, projects and policies that enhance safety, drive
tourism, provide economic spinoffs and promote overall health in the
community;
- Support the
development of a Complete Streets
Policy in their community to ensure that all roads serve all road
users in a safe, effective manner;
- Ensure that their
community has a dedicated funding source for active transportation
projects to ensure consistent, continuous improvement in the conditions
for cyclists and pedestrians.
Cycling
and active transportation advocates in Guelph emphasize that the Active Communities Pledge is about
boosting awareness of the issues, not pressuring politicians.
“There
are so many candidates that already understand the benefits of building a bike
friendly community. Our campaign is about giving those supportive politicians
an opportunity to make their bike-friendly views known to voters” said Yvette
Tendick, Chair of the Guelph Coalition for Active Transportation (GCAT)
From the Guelph Mercury: (Saturday Oct. 11, 2014)
"Among the local candidates who have signed
the pledge are Bob Bell, Dan Gibson, Karolyne Pickett, Maria Pezzano and
Terry O'Connor in Ward 1; and Chris Keleher Sr., James Gordon and
Martin Collier in Ward 2.
In Ward 3, Bob Moore, Craig Chamberlain,
June Hofland, Maggie Laidlaw and Phil Allt have signed on, as have Greg
Roffey, Laurie Garbutt, Mike Salisbury, Rob Dunn-Dufault and Scott
Tracey in Ward 4.
Alex Green, Bob Senechal, Cathy Downer,
Leanne Piper, Scott Butler support the pledge in Ward 5. Keith Poore in Ward 6..(Todd Denis have
signed on in Ward 6 as well.)
Mayoral candidates Andrew Donovan, Jason
Blokhuis and Karen Farbridge have signed on, as well as Upper Grand
District School Board trustee candidate Aaron Blair."
The
Share the Road Coalition, which is
sponsoring the province-wide Active
Communities Pledge Campaign, released a province-wide poll (2014) showing
that:
- 68 per cent of the
Ontario Residents said that the provincial government should invest in
infrastructure for cyclists to encourage more people to ride their bikes
more often. The survey also indicated that:
- 70 per cent of
Ontarians agree that better infrastructure would get more people riding
their bikes
- 66 per cent of
Ontarians agree that getting more people on bikes benefits everyone, not
just cyclists
- 89 per cent Of
Ontarians support programs that are focused on getting more children to
walk and bike to school
Please support candidates who support active transportation.
