Cycling and the 2018 Budget
by Jamie Stuckless, Executive Director, Share the Road Cycling Coalition
The provincial government released its 2018 budget today and Share the Road was at Queen’s Park to capture what this new budget means for cycling in Ontario. Below are some of the highlights. You can also read the full budget document online.
Cycling and climate change
In 2017–18, Ontario’s auctions of GHG emission allowances generated $2.4 billion in proceeds. To date, over $90 million of these proceeds have been invested in supporting commuter cycling through the Ontario Municipal Commuter Cycling Program. Cycling has it’s own sub-section on p.128 to highlight this record investment.
Looking forward, we can expect to see up to $140 million more invested in cycling in the coming years, including a portion of the estimated $2 billion in auction proceeds expected for 2018–19.
A specific figure for cycling infrastructure in 2018–19 is not stated in the budget — cycling is grouped together into the same budget category as transit and freight modernization, which together will see a total potential investment of (approximately) $600 million (p. 117).
Cycling and future growth
The bulk of Ontario’s cycling investments are currently being made through the Climate Change Action Plan, however, opportunities to make cycling safer can be found throughout the budget.
With a projected population of 18.2 million people by 2041, this budget highlights the importance of working together to meet future mobility needs and increase the choices we have for moving goods and people. It also emphasizes the need to build transportation infrastructure that is “adaptable to new modes” and that “supports a shift away from carbon-reliant travel” (p. 131).
As the province looks to develop transportation plans such as the 2051 Greater Golden Horseshoe Transportation Plan and the Northern Ontario Transportation Strategy and Action Plan, Share the Road sees a crucial opportunity for cycling to be integrated into these plans. As advocates and community builders, we need to be ready to participate in these planning processes and ensure that cycling is planned for as a safe, convenient, affordable, healthy and green mode of transportation into the future.
Investments in cycling infrastructure were also mentioned as part of the redevelopment of the Milton GO station, which will include bicycle storage (p. 121) and as part of a future multi-use trail in the Cataraqui River bridge project in Kingston (p. 127).
Moving forward
Together we have come a long way advocating for cycling. In addition to being highlighted in the 2018 Ontario Budget, bike lanes were mentioned in last weeks’ throne speech!
The Climate Change Action Plan funding represents a record investment in cycling and 118 communities have received funding to date. As we look towards the future, we still have work to do to see cycling investments being made as a routine part of building a transportation network that works to move everyone quickly and efficiently. Share the Road will continue to advocate for the province to make sustained and predictable investments in cycling, both in partnership with municipalities and on provincial roads.
We also expect to see the province articulate more specifics on how they will work to encourage cycling as part of #CycleON Action Plan 2.0. Last month, a draft version of Action Plan 2.0 was released for public comment through the Environmental Registry and included important initiatives like updating OTM Book 18 (underway), the development of a comprehensive provincial approach to cycling education (underway) and developing a long-term implementation plan for the construction of the province-wide cycling network.
Stay tuned, as we expect a final version of Action Plan 2.0 to be released in the near future.
