Provincial Election 2011
Manitoban’s need
FOCUSED LEADERSHIP on Active Transportation
(Active transportation refers to any form of human powered transportation.)
Is Active Transportation a key issue in the upcoming election ? ABSOLUTELY!
Study after study after study show Manitoban’s need to become more active. Physical inactivity causes increased health care costs. In Manitoba, healthcare is the TOP budget expenditure with over $5.4 billion projected for 2011 / 2012. Properly planned and built active transportation infrastructure – walking and cycling routes – enable Manitoban safe transportation opportunities.
Can you safely walk or bike to the stores near you?
Can your kids safely walk or bike to school and local activities?
The average Canadian makes over 2,000 journeys of less than three kilometres by car every year.
What if it just half of those trips were human powered trips – on foot or bike – as it may have been only a generation or two ago? How would our communities look? Would we have…
- Fewer cars on our roads?
- Less need to fund road and bridge construction?
- Lower health costs for chronic diseases?
- Safer and quieter communities?
- Friendlier neighbourhoods?
- Less pollution and dependency on oil?
When candidates come knocking on your door, tell them walking and cycling is important to YOU! Tell candidates YOU need:
- better trail and cycling connectivity
- safer walking and cycling routes
- FOCUSED LEADERSHIP on active transportation!
The Winnipeg Trails Association, Bike to the Future, and hundred of Manitoban’s have provided input to the provincial government to produce a report, Greater Strides: Taking Action on Active Transportation.
This report provides detailed recommendations – a blueprint – that if acted on – will have a positive impact on the lives of all Manitoban’s.
When candidates come knocking on your door, tell them the most important active transportation actions the provincial government needs to commit to are:
- Establish a Provincial Active Transportation Policy:
- A written policy on active transportation clearly state’s Manitoba’s commitment to walking and cycling.
- The policy provides direction, guidance and sets the foundation to integrate active transportation in strategic funding decisions throughout the province.
- See recommendations #1 & #13
- See a couple examples of what we are facing related to large investments of public funding because we have no policy:
- Establish a Director of Transportation with staff responsible for improving active transportation:
- There are over 3000 staff in government developing motorized vehicle transportation routes and infrastructure, but there is not one staff person solely responsible for improving walking and cycling.
See recommendation #2
- There are over 3000 staff in government developing motorized vehicle transportation routes and infrastructure, but there is not one staff person solely responsible for improving walking and cycling.
- Maintain public input through a Provincial Active Transportation Advisory Board:
- Bringing together representatives from community organizations and provincial departments to share learning opportunities and valuable information
- An advisory board assists in ensuring the integration of transportation planning and programs throughout the Province.
- The City of Winnipeg has made significant progress in the development of active transportation due in large part to the guidance of its Active Transportation Advisory Committee.
See recommendation #24
- Develop routes so CHILDREN can SAFELY walk and bike to school.
- Virtually every school division in Manitoba has a transportation planner focused on bussing children to school and yet there is not one staff person dedicated to ensuring children can safely walk or bike to school
- Is 31% of Manitoba children are overweight or obese, higher than the national average
See recommendation #21
- Educate ALL road users on how to safely share & use the roadway system.
- Fund the development of walking, trails and cycling routes
