Funding announced for active transportation projects in three B.C. communities

From: Infrastructure Canada

News release

Vancouver, British Columbia, November 15, 2023 — Active transportation projects will provide healthy and affordable transportation options for three communities in British Columbia, thanks to the combined investment of $869,950 from the Government of Canada, the City of Vancouver, and Powell River Community Forest. Announced by Minister Kamal Khera, these projects will improve residents’ quality of life by planning and building active travel networks that will help build more sustainable communities.

Vancouver will receive funding to evaluate the feasibility of reallocating road space on Granville Street and Cambie Street to better serve all transportation modes and of creating active travel connections to South Granville and City-Hall Broadway subway stations. The study will look at designing safer and improved pedestrian connections to and from the stations, access to future stations, and connections to bus routes.  

Investments in Abbotsford will support feasibility and design studies for the Mómeqwem multi-use pathway and McLennan Creek active transportation crossing, a priority project identified in the Matsqui First Nation’s Active Transportation Plan. Studies will investigate building an off-street, multi-use pathway to connect residential homes on Flora Lane to the community centre and the Trans Canada Trail. The study will also examine the existing McLennan Creek active transportation crossing to bring it up to modern safety and design standards.

Funding will also construct a new 1.6 km multi-use path in Powell River connecting the community’s only high school, Brooks Secondary, and the entire historic Townsite neighborhood to the Westview neighborhood and its amenities.

This investment is part of Canada’s National Active Transportation Strategy, which aims to create and improve pathways, bike lanes, and pedestrian bridges all over the country. It’s a big step towards healthier living and creating tight-knit communities, making a better-connected Canada for us all.

Quotes

“Strategic investments in active transportation foster inclusive and sustainable communities. Working in tandem with our partners, we’re creating safe avenues to connect all British Columbians to schools, jobs, and important amenities, and to reduce reliance on cars.”

The Honourable Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

“Today’s funding announcement will help us explore how to best connect people to the future Broadway-City Hall and South Granville SkyTrain stations. Quality infrastructure for people to safely cycle and walk to subway stations is vital for our growing city. We want to thank the Federal Government for helping move this important active transportation initiative forward.”

His Worship Ken Sim, Mayor of Vancouver 

Quick facts

  • The Government of Canada is investing $549,950 in these project through the Active Transportation Fund (ATF). The City of Vancouver is contributing $20,000 and Powell River Community Forest is contributing $300,000.

  • Federal funding for Powell River is conditional on fulfilling all requirements related to consultation with Indigenous groups.

  • Active transportation refers to the movement of people or goods powered by human activity, and includes walking, cycling and the use of human-powered or hybrid mobility aids such as wheelchairs, scooters, e-bikes, rollerblades, snowshoes, cross-country skis, and more.

  • The Active Transportation Fund is providing $400 million over five years, starting in 2021, to make travel by active transportation easier, safer, more convenient and more enjoyable, in support of Canada’s National Active Transportation Strategy. 

  • Canada’s National Active Transportation Strategy is the country’s first coast-to-coast-to-coast strategic approach for promoting active transportation and its benefits. The strategy’s aim is to make data-driven and evidence-based investments to build new and expanded active transportation networks and to create safe environments for more equitable, healthy, active and sustainable travel options to thrive.

  • The Active Transportation Fund complements Canada’s strengthened climate plan: A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy. The plan commits the federal government to providing permanent federal funding for public transit in support of making clean and affordable transportation options available in every community.

  • Active transportation infrastructure provides many tangible benefits, creating good middle-class jobs, growing the economy, promoting healthier lifestyles, advancing equity amongst vulnerable Canadians, cutting air and noise pollution, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Investing in safer active transportation infrastructure is key to ensuring people of all ages and abilities can access jobs and services and connect with their communities. 

  • The Government of Canada is investing $14.9 billion over eight years in reliable, fast, affordable, and clean public transit. This funding includes $3 billion per year in long-term, predictable federal public transit funding which will be available to support transit solutions beginning in 2026-27.

  • Since 2015, the Government of Canada has announced an unprecedented investment of over $30 billion in thousands of transit projects in communities from coast to coast to coast.

Associated links

Contacts

For more information (media only), please contact:

Micaal Ahmed
Communications Manager
Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
343-598-3920
micaal.ahmed@infc.gc.ca

Media Relations
Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251
Toll free: 1-877-250-7154
Email: media-medias@infc.gc.ca
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn
Web: Infrastructure Canada

Page details

Date modified: