BC Budget Consultation — Time to Go Big on Biking

Have Your Say on Budget 2021 — Deadline June 26

How much and where should the province spend on active transportation — walking, cycling and rolling — going forward?

It's the question the BC government is asking this month about spending across the public realm as part of its 2021 Budget consultation process. Groups and individuals across BC have had the chance to make short presentations to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services as part of the process (held via video conference due to the province’s adjustment to physical distancing requirements).

The day for transportation and transit presentations was June 11, and representatives from the BC Cycling Coalition, Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition, HUB Cycling, Act Urgently!, Mayor's Council on Regional Transportation, Better Transit Alliance of Greater Victoria, and Island Transformations Organization made 5-min presentations on Budget 2021 Consultation (you can read the Hansard transcript here).

Now it's your turn. The public consultation period closes Friday, June 26th at 5:00pm — this is your chance to make a written, audio and video submission, and answer a government survey about how public money should be spent in 2021-22.

Perhaps you’ve had some thoughts about budgeting, and how we could be doing more — more money and resources to support more of the types of active transportation policies, on-street facilities, and public guidance that have comprised some of the very few silver linings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

More (and better) active transportation laws, policies, infrastructure and education programs are needed, and not just now. Not just for the recovery to come. It’s needed for 2030, for the climate crises to come, and for the society when want to be at that time.

So your thoughts and ideas for 2021 budget planning are more important than perhaps at any other point in your lifetime.

We’re asking you to set aside some time this week to write, speak, or visualize, and share your thoughts with the committee, with the Ministry of Finance, and especially with Carole James and John Horgan.

Now, this may not initially seem like the ideal way to spend an evening; you might like the idea of writing about cycling and walking, but provincial budget recommendations? Who has the time for, or interest in, figuring out how to express thoughts on transportation policy and financial analyses to politicians?

But that's not necessarily what the provincial government is looking for.

They want to know how you would spend public money in BC. What's important to you, what should be a priority for your community, what's fair, and what we should be spending on today, while we bear in mind tomorrow's uncertainty.

Tell them the things that matter to you, and they can connect the dots with what they've heard from advocacy organizations, like the BCCC. Tell them about:

  • How you adjusted to the once-in-a-lifetime events surrounding the pandemic; behaviour changes related to personal mobility and transportation didn't just happen because of Dr. Henry's encouragement, but because they just made sense.

  • Whether you’re facing financial stress, and if having more affordable travel options — not just walking and cycling, but including transit too — allowed you to reduce costs such as car payments, insurance premiums, fuel, parking, and maintenance.

  • If working from home, shopping locally, and using your community's streets for exercise and recreation inspired you to embrace compact living, and to ditch your car commute (a possibility proven to be possible in other urban communities across Canada).

  • Your interest in leaving the car at home, so you can shop and spend locally, as many British Columbians have done since the start of the most recent bike boom.

Last but not least, tell the province about how good cycling and walking make you feel…about your own physical and mental well-being, and that of the planet.

These were at the forefront of our presentation on June 11 — the health of individuals and communities, and our collective environmental goals. We believe these are the two most pressing concerns for people everywhere on planet Earth, and that active transportation’s supportive role in these regards continue to be understated and under-recognized.

Our presentation was informed by research, some of which is expressed in a PowerPoint show reproduced below, along with a corresponding script:

 
Budget 2021 Presentation
Good afternoon. As we’re in the midst of a major pivot year globally on so many fronts, I wanted to begin by reflecting on a particularly compelling big picture view of the past 30 years in this province, from the perspective of CleanBC –greenhouse

Good afternoon. As we’re in the midst of a major pivot year globally on so many fronts, I wanted to begin by reflecting on a particularly compelling big picture view of the past 30 years in this province, from the perspective of CleanBC –greenhouse gas and our commitment to lowering emissions over the next 10+ years

Since 1990 we’ve seen only a 14% total increase in GHG emissions, surprising mainly considering a 50% increase in population. While a 30-year average growth rate of half a percent is good, it needs to go down consistently for the next decade.

Since 1990 we’ve seen only a 14% total increase in GHG emissions, surprising mainly considering a 50% increase in population. While a 30-year average growth rate of half a percent is good, it needs to go down consistently for the next decade.

The one category consistently rising, pulling everything else up along with it, is transportation, in orange.

The one category consistently rising, pulling everything else up along with it, is transportation, in orange.

And within transportation, the problem is road transportation - 82% growth over 30 years.

And within transportation, the problem is road transportation - 82% growth over 30 years.

Road transportation has generated almost 8kt of GHG emissions on its own, zero-emission vehicles and renewable fuels will help bring about reductions, but over 10 & 20-year timeframes. If 10% of British Columbians were to replace much of their

Road transportation has generated almost 8kt of GHG emissions on its own, zero-emission vehicles and renewable fuels will help bring about reductions, but over 10 & 20-year timeframes. If 10% of British Columbians were to replace much of their driving with cycling, walking and transit, one-third of our 10-year transport-related CO2 reductions goals could be met in one year. And the pandemic has demonstrated that collective behaviour change is possible, and can have almost immediately measurable atmospheric effects.

The health impacts of carbon-based transportation - these numbers come from the BC Injury Research & Prevention Unit, BC Medical Journal and ICBC. There’s overlap here, we’re looking at different years, and we’re not even accounting for the ind

The health impacts of carbon-based transportation - these numbers come from the BC Injury Research & Prevention Unit, BC Medical Journal and ICBC. There’s overlap here, we’re looking at different years, and we’re not even accounting for the indirect negative health outcomes like chronic disease - but this adds to the sense of scale that we’re working with.

Lastly, the up-front material costs of motor vehicle transportation, again per capita. A similar cost scale to what we see in environment and health.

Lastly, the up-front material costs of motor vehicle transportation, again per capita. A similar cost scale to what we see in environment and health.

So it’s startling to see what is believed to be the cost of all investments in active transportation to British Columbians. A fraction of a percent of what is spent on the whole of transport.

So it’s startling to see what is believed to be the cost of all investments in active transportation to British Columbians. A fraction of a percent of what is spent on the whole of transport.

But we know all the benefits of more cycling and walking, especially in place of motor vehicle trips. I recommend reading Todd Litman’s “Evaluating Active Transport Benefits and Costs” for a deeper dive into these topics. As he reminds us, 10-20% o

But we know all the benefits of more cycling and walking, especially in place of motor vehicle trips. I recommend reading Todd Litman’s “Evaluating Active Transport Benefits and Costs” for a deeper dive into these topics. As he reminds us, 10-20% of local trips are made entirely by active modes (which include transit). Cities like Vancouver have demonstrated AT can grow to over 50% of mode share. All British Columbians can make the shift. We’ve proven it already.

We know government is doing a lot, particularly the ministries here in blue– “the usual suspects” related to cycling and walking advocacy– but also in tourism, small business and economic development, skills and training development, Indigenous rel

We know government is doing a lot, particularly the ministries here in blue– “the usual suspects” related to cycling and walking advocacy– but also in tourism, small business and economic development, skills and training development, Indigenous relations, parks, BC Ferries, and Translink.

What we’d like to see is globally competitive per capita investment in active transportation. Comparable examples of such spending exist worldwide. We’d like to see the Active Transportation branch of MoTI have broad control over a much larger b

What we’d like to see is globally competitive per capita investment in active transportation. Comparable examples of such spending exist worldwide.

We’d like to see the Active Transportation branch of MoTI have broad control over a much larger budget, and authority to establish a cross-ministry Centre of Excellence to help raise the bar for active transportation expertise across the province. Call it Mobility BC.

Lastly, work with outside groups more. Use our collective skills and experience to make mobility work across BC.

Invest more, but also show us the money. As Sam Sullivan once said, “budgets are the sincerest form of rhetoric.” Show British Columbians your level of sincerity – how much is being spent, and where.

Invest more, but also show us the money. As Sam Sullivan once said, “budgets are the sincerest form of rhetoric.” Show British Columbians your level of sincerity – how much is being spent, and where.

The return on investment is not measured in per capita spending. It’s two other types of measures. First, we believe an additional 6mt of GHG reductions is possible thru “Get to work on getting rid of gridlock’ – the Move Commute Connect goal that’

The return on investment is not measured in per capita spending. It’s two other types of measures. First, we believe an additional 6mt of GHG reductions is possible thru “Get to work on getting rid of gridlock’ – the Move Commute Connect goal that’s about increasing active transportation. It needs a firm goal, and we think with the right investment, it’s possible.

Two, that injuries and deaths go down – by half, by two-thirds, to zero. This, combined with emissions reductions, would mean we’re meeting all our other goals related to safety, equity, and accessibility.

Two, that injuries and deaths go down – by half, by two-thirds, to zero. This, combined with emissions reductions, would mean we’re meeting all our other goals related to safety, equity, and accessibility.

Lastly, and beyond the numbers, we’re also supportive of he symbolic power of delivering on big moves in this area. The community impact and almost instant uptake of the smallest, most intimate cycling infrastructure project – a few blocks of calme

Lastly, and beyond the numbers, we’re also supportive of he symbolic power of delivering on big moves in this area. The community impact and almost instant uptake of the smallest, most intimate cycling infrastructure project – a few blocks of calmed roads, or bike lane or even new signals and crossings at an intersection – is very real. So think of the effect –national, global even – of using funds typically seen as a rounding error to make big moves that not only move people, they can help reshape this province – these are just a few such efforts that our organizations believe are worthy of attention, and investment.

On behalf of all British Columbians, and particularly the groups in our coalition working to advance active transportation and equitable mobility options, we thank you for your time and consideration.

On behalf of all British Columbians, and particularly the groups in our coalition working to advance active transportation and equitable mobility options, we thank you for your time and consideration.

 

So please: submit your thoughts to the province. Connect your personal experiences with active transportation — stories, anecdotes, and visions for the future — with a request for the government to do their part.

We want the Province of BC to recognize the enormous value of active transportation, and invest the equivalent of $40 per person, per year, in walking, cycling and rolling.

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