Summit Sessions

Summit Hosts:

Peter Ladner, BCCC

Sandra Phillips, movmi

Elder Ruth Adams, Tsawwassen First Nation

Keynote Speaker: The Honourable Rob Fleming, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure

Panelists: Brad Gerhart, MoTI; Angela Jarvis, City of Coquitlam; Cameron Noonan, City of Kelowna

Moderator: Reg Bawa, MoTI

Join MOTI's ADM Reg Bawa and municipal staff from micromobility pilot communities like Kelowna and Coquitlam for a discussion on key learnings from their pilot programs. This panel will cover essential topics such as rider education, device features, and effective parking setups to promote safe rider behavior and parking compliance. Gain actionable insights and network with urban transportation professionals. A must-attend for those involved in city planning and micromobility solutions!

Panelists: Ana Lukyanova, City of Powell River; Dr. Brett Petzer, Mobycon

Interviewer: Dr. George Liu, CityUX

George Liu, lecturer at University of Amsterdam and the Technical University in Munich, interviews planners from the Neterhlands and Powell River, BC to discuss what it takes to get to complete AAA cycling networks. While the Netherlands are known for best in the world cycling infrastructure, this wasn't always so. How did Delft get from car centric roads to AAA cycling infrastructure of today and what can communities in BC take from those early learnings? Ideal for urban planners, policymakers, and advocates looking to enhance cycling infrastructure in their regions. Join us to understand the steps necessary to develop world-class cycling networks.

Panelists: Mia Kohout, Mobi Bike Share; Jake Visser, Sam Schwartz; Laura Krull, Bay Area Metro

Moderator: Thomas Thivener, City of Coquitlam

Moderated by Thom Thivener, Transportation Planning Manager for the City of Coquitlam (who oversaw the launch of shared micromobility programs in Calgary and Coquitlam), this panel brings together local bikeshare leaders (Mobi) with leaders from Bay Wheels (CA) and Divvy, the bike share system owned by the City of Chicago.

Participants will walk away with an understanding of some of the successes and challenges for each of the programs, and data points that highlight user preferences, ride behaviour and parking patterns for each market.

Aaron Pete, Chawathil First Nation

Aaron Pete from the Chawathil First Nation will share how the Chawathil are envisioning a transformative valley rail trail that will unite Chawathil with Seabird Island Band, Skawahlook, Yale, and beyond, forging vital links from Metro Vancouver to Hope, BC. It is a bold vision and future where communities are interconnected, promoting cycling and active travel across breathtaking landscapes. Learn about the potential for cultural and recreational integration in rural settings and the broader impacts on community health and connectivity.

Panelists: Dr. Becca Mayers, TransLink; Craig Sobering, Metro Vancouver

Moderator: Navdeep Chhina, HUB Cycling

A conversation amongst peers, leaders from TransLink, BC Transit and Metro Vancouver come together to uncover how to join forces to bridge organizational "siloed".

Participants will walk away understanding ways in which we can build cycling connections both on the ground and across jurisdictions.

Paul Hillsdon, City of Surrey

In spring 2024, the City of Surrey launched a two-year electric bikeshare pilot program. Paul Hillsdon, transportation planner from the City of Surrey, will speak about how the City is integrating this pilot program with broader cycling projects, including infrastructure development, wayfinding, educational initiatives, outreach, and shared micromobility. Attendees will learn about the co-benefits of combining multiple cycling-related efforts and the potential impacts on urban mobility and sustainability.

Sandra Phillips, movmi

In this short but interactive session, we'll take stock of what has been discussed during Day 1 and look forward to Day 2.

Game Host: Peter Ladner, BCCC

Participants:

Mitchell Reardon, Happy Cities

Renate Sitch, TransLink

Robin Jenkinson, Island Pathway

Rose Gardner, HUB

Sam Starr, BC Emergency Health Services

Sebastiaan Messerschmidt, Dutch Consulate

Sponsored by TransLink

Get ready to dive into the world of Active Transportation in an exciting and unique way through our interactive Jeopardy Game! Participants can look forward to a dynamic and interactive experience, where everyone has the chance to contribute and learn in a fun, game-show format. Prepare to challenge your understanding, share insights, and connect with others in a spirited discussion that goes beyond the ordinary!

Panelists: Tony Valente, North Vancouver; Emma Dal Santo, Whistler Resort; Laura Krull, Bay Area Metro

Moderator: Trish Rorison, MOTI

Explore diverse funding strategies for accelerating Active Transportation (AT) with experts Tony Valente and Emma Dal Santo, moderated by Trish Rorison. This session delves into provincial (BCAT), municipal, and alternative funding options like gas taxes and reallocating parking revenues. Panelists will discuss funding opportunities, potential limitations and challenges, key levers for obtaining buy-in, and crucial metrics for success. Ideal for policymakers, urban planners, and AT advocates seeking practical insights into funding and promoting sustainable transportation projects.

Moreno Zanotto, ChatRLab; Helena Lin, ChatRLab; Karen Laberee, ChatrLab; Meghan Winters, ChatrLab

Engage in an intimate and insightful session with SFU's CHATR Lab team as they delve into critical aspects of AT, including cycling in rural areas, bike parking at transit facilities, and enhancing walkability. This session is designed to mirror a casual coffee shop discussion, inviting the audience to join small, interactive group conversations. It's an opportunity to share perspectives, challenges, and innovative ideas in a relaxed setting. Participants will leave inspired, with a deeper understanding of the necessity for AT initiatives to be inclusive, integrated, and co-created with local communities. Ideal for community planners, transportation professionals, and AT advocates looking to foster meaningful community engagement in their projects.

Presenters: Roy Symons & Scott MacDonald, ISL Engineering

Sponsored by ISL Engineering

Explore the innovative approaches to AT design that the Dutch have mastered, and consider how these can be adapted in the Canadian context to enhance safety and adoption. This lunchtime keynote will not only highlight successful implementations but also discuss potential strategies to push the boundaries of AT further. Attendees will leave inspired to advocate for bold, transformative changes in their own communities.

Panelists:

Farinaz Rikhtehgaran, BEST (Multimodal, Newcomers); Lorraine Smith, HUB (Everyone Rides Grade 4-5); Jennifer Reid, Cycling without Age (Seniors)

Moderator:

Isobel Duxfield

Controversial in the tittle, this workshop is focused on the theme of connections - connecting us with new and diverse ideas and connecting one another within the room. This workshop will inspire with four diverse presentations: exploring multimodal journeys for newcomers to Metro Vancouver, recounting a solo female cyclist’s journey from Calgary through rural BC, highlighting cycling education programs for young students, and introducing a program that gets seniors to "feel the wind in their hair", even if they can no longer bike anymore. Through an interactive, playful quiz, the audience will build connections that are the foundation for inclusive and equitable AT infrastructure development in BC. This session is perfect for advocates, planners, and community members eager to engage with fresh perspectives in cycling.

Jaimy Fischer, University of Toronto

Jaimy Fischer is a Michif/Métis and settler transportation researcher whose PhD focused on geospatial data and analysis for advancing transportation equity. She will share the work done by Mobilizing Justice and in particular the Transportation Equity Dashboard - a free web mapping application that helps users identify sustainable transportation inequity in Canadian cities. In this session, Fischer will demonstrate how the dashboard works and discuss its implications for policy and planning. Attendees will gain valuable insights into using data-driven tools to promote equity in urban transportation planning. This presentation is essential for urban planners, policymakers, and researchers committed to fostering equitable transportation systems.

Panelists: Mariee Devereux, TransLink; Tracy Wilkins, City of Vancouver; Maya Goldstein, BCCC; Chantal Kirouac, SCY; Ildi Kovacs, SCY

Moderator: Lucy Maloney, Active Transport Advocate

When kids walk, roll, bike or take transit to and from school, they make important connections with friends, stay active and healthy and map out their neighbourhoods. Join a panel of Metro Vancouver’s Active School Travel leaders as they highlight programs that have encouraged kids from across the region to walk, bike, roll and play to and from school. The panelists share experiences developing a regional walking school bus initiative, overseeing more than a dozen School Streets and Play Streets initiatives and instituting a grassroots bike bus. Find out what it takes to get these programs off the ground, the ins and outs of running these programs day-to-day, and what they’ve learned along the way.

Panelists: Jamie Rose, City of Nanaimo; RobynHolme, Comox Valley Regional District; Corey Burger, Former Capital Bike

Moderator: Leanne Buhler, Evolve E-Bike and E-Scooter Share, BCAA

Expanding the adoption of active transportation is a priority for many communities on Vancouver Island. We will bring together representatives from the City of Nanaimo, Courtenay, Comox and the CVRD to discuss some of the initiatives they are undertaking to increase active transportation in their communities. The discussion will centre on how bike share could unlock additional funding and acceptance of active transportation infrastructure, a look back on how previous projects have been accepted in the community and their outlook on the future for their communities.

Panelists:

Adam Krupper, MoTI; Carrie Miller, MoTI; Johanna Bleecker, MoTI; Brian Patterson, Urban Systems; Jonathan Borch, Urban Systems; Beth Hurford, Urban Systems

During the AT Summit in 2019, MOTI launched its Active Transportation Design Guide. What has changed since then and what should be updated in the Design Guide? This workshop will allow the audience to discuss different AT topics that have shown significant growth and change in the past few years. Feedback will be recorded by the table facilitator and reported back to the group for additional discussion. This session is a must if you want to influence the update to MOTI's AT Design Guide.

Todd Litman, Victoria Transport Policy Institute

Conventional transportation planning is biased in several ways that tend to overvalue motorized travel and undervalue the benefits of walking and bicycling, resulting in underinvestment in active mode infrastructure. Todd Litman from the Victoria Transport Policy Institute will share the many benefits of improving and increasing active travel, and creating more compact, multimodal communities where people can drive less and rely more on non-auto modes.

20 person max

Mike Anderson, City of New Westminster

Embark on a dynamic exploration of New Westminster's commitment to AT. This session begins indoors with an overview of the city's process to develop its Active Transportation Network Plan (ATNP). Participants will then take to the streets on a guided cycling tour of downtown New Westminster, featuring the Agnes Greenway—the city's first all-ages-and-abilities route. The tour will delve into the development of the Greenway, its key features, and the upcoming routes planned along the corridor. Learn about how the unique blend of city investment, provincial (Pattullo Bridge) investment, and developer contributions are driving the ATNP forward.

Note: Ebikes will be provided for this tour. As spots are limited, participants must pre-register for the excursion 10 days before the event.

20 person max.

Co-hosted by HUB Cycling, SCY, New West Secondary Enviro Club

This session is a continuation of the session "Walk, Bike, Roll" in the morning. Excursion participants will get to see a Play Street in Action at an Elementary School as well as the award winning New Westminster Secondary School (NWSS) Cycling Connector project.

Note: Ebikes will be provided for this excursion. As spots are limited, you will have to pre-register for this excursion 10 days before the event.

Sandra Phillips, movmi

Peter Ladner, BCCC

Elder Ruth Adams, Tsawwassen First Nation

Mayor Patrick Johnstone, New Westminster

Mayor Patrick Johnstone is an avid support of AT and will share what New Westminster has been doing and what we all can do to move AT forward

Anna Zivarts; Cecelia Black; Tanisha Sepulveda; Amara Schemerhorn, Disability Rights Washington

One third of people living in our communities are nondrivers, and yet our mobility needs are largely discounted in policy and planning decisions about land use, zoning and transportation. What would it take to change this? Disability advocates Anna Zivarts, Cecelia Black, Tanisha Sepúlveda and Amara Schemerhorn lead this workshop on how to use the Week Without Driving challenge to build consensus among elected leaders, planning and transit agency staff, and community advocates around what it would take to build more accessible and inclusive communities.

Panelists: Trish Rorison, Clean Transportation & Programs Branch; Cheryl Sillitoe, Integrated Transportation Planning Branch; John Merkley, Transit Branch; Garbiel Lord, SCR Planning & Major Projects

Moderator: Erin O'Melinn, TransLink

Each of the session panellist will provide a short input presentation - highlighting the different perspectives - on how the ministry is working to advance integrated transportation and land use planning, with a focus on AT planning. This is then followed by discussion and a Q&A moderated by Erin O'Melinn, TransLink.

The session will inform participants on the ministry's commitment towards integrated multi-modal transportation, aligning transportation and land use planning towards a reduction in vehicle travel as well as the different legislative levers, programs and funding to support to support complete communities in BC.

Panelists: Thom Tischik, Visit Penticton; Annie Wise, Sunshine Coast Tourism; Debbie Reid, ACE (Advancing Cycling for Everyone)-Burnaby

Moderator: David Bell, Urban Systems

We all know that cycling is good for us and that it benefits the environment. But if you want to make the case for something, it helps to have numbers to back you up, especially in policy circles. This is why this panel of local business and tourism representatives shares insights and evidence about the economic benefits of improved cycling infrastructure on business performance and resilience.

Panelists:

Elder Ruth Adams, Tsawwassen First Nation

Jessica Adams, Tsawwassen First Nation

Austin Harry, Squamish Nation

Moderator:

Richard Campbell, Trails BC

sməq̓ʷaʔ xeł, Great Blue Heron Way, is the vision of Sc̓əwaθn Məsteyəxʷ (Tsawwassen First Nation) Elder xwasteniya (Ruth Adams) for reconnecting First Nations and other communities near the Stó꞉lō (Fraser River) and Salish Sea with a network of walking, cycling and rolling paths. sməq̓ʷaʔ xeł will reconnect people with each other as well as the land and the water.

Elder xwasteniya, the Trails BC team and other First Nations will present on sməq̓ʷaʔ xeł followed by questions and answers.

Opening Speaker: Kevin Quinn, TransLink

Interviewer: Erin O’Melinn, TransLink

Interviewee/Director: Uytae Lee, About Here

Why Did Kids Stop Walking to School?

In much of the developed world, fewer and fewer children are walking or cycling to school. We investigate the root causes behind this trend and what it might take to reverse it.

About Here - The Hidden Potential of Cycling in the Suburbs

Cycling discourse is often focused on urban areas, but studies suggest that suburban neighbourhoods have tremendous untapped potential for cycling. We look into why cycling struggles to take root in these communities and showcase several examples that prove cycling can be a viable option in suburban neighbourhoods.

Mike Koski, BCCC

Panelists: Julia Balsilie, TransLink; Natalie Corbo, TransLink; Ryan Jenkins, Canderel

Moderator: Sandra Phillips, movmi

British Columbia's population is poised to reach 7.9 million by 2046, representing a notable 44% increase from 5.5 million in 2023. Such a substantial influx of people is expected to strain existing road infrastructure, potentially leading to an escalation in vehicle kilometers traveled and greenhouse gas emissions if left unaddressed. To mitigate these challenges, this session will delve into three distinct approaches to embracing a multimodal transportation strategy. By fostering seamless interchange between various modes of transportation, the aim is to reduce reliance on personal cars while promoting sustainability and efficient mobility solutions for the growing population.

Panelists: Jim Fraser, City of Calgary; Thomas Thivener, City of Coquitlam; Cedric Eveleigh, Bike Lane Sweeper

Moderator: Patrica Dehnel, BCCC

Keeping people walking and biking moving year round in Canada requires more than good gear and all ages and abilities infrastructure. It also requires man power, specialized equipment, and protocols for keeping protected bike lanes, sidewalks, paths, bus stops clear of debris (e.g. snow, ice, leaves) year round.

If you want practical and pragmatic approaches to these problems, join Calgary's Jim Fraser, maintenance foreman and year round bike commuter, Thomas Thivener, former Cycling Coordinator for the City of Calgary, and Sunshine Coast local entrepreneur Cedric Everleigh - innovator of the first bike lane sweeper that can attach to an ebike.

Johanna Bleecker, MoTI; Alexis Thibeault, HUB Cycling; Glenys Verhulst, District of Saanich; Amir Hassanpour, University of British Columbia; Alex Bigazzi, University of British Columbia

E-bikes have the potential to expand use of active transportation by reducing barriers related to time, distance, and exertion, especially if we also address equity. Join this sesison to hear from Saanich, BC, an innovator in providing local, income-tiered rebates for e-bike purchases since in 2021. The approach was adopted at the Provincial scale by MoTI in 2023, accompanied by a thorough research program led by UBC.

This session will feature speakers from Saanich, BC, MoTI, and UBC who were instrumental in the development, execution, and evaluation of these incentive programs. Attendees will learn about the evidence for e-bike incentives attracting new riders and displacing auto use, and strategies for implementing cost-effective and equitable e-bike incentives at local and provincial scales.

Co-presented by:

Dr. Ben Beck, Monash University and

Megan Oakey, BCCDC

Facilitated by:

Neil Arason, Island Health; Dr. Michael Schwandt, VCH; Tobin Copley, BCCDC/Fraser Health; Shianne Bains, BCCDC/Interior Health

Join Dr. Ben Beck, an Australia-based international leader in biking and road safety, in this interactive workshop that focuses on the complexities of travel mode decision-making. This session will delve into the psychological and environmental factors that influence people's transportation mode. During the interactive workshop, the audience will identify a combination of possible interventions that will lead to a shift towards more sustainable travel options like walking and biking.

Presenters:

Amir Hassanpour, UBC; Moreno Zanotto, SFU

Micromobility is experiencing a rapid evolution, with e-bikes and e-scooters becoming increasingly popular. Travellers generally feel comfortable sharing paths with these devices, but concerns arise when speeds increase, impacting overall comfort. How do we balance the positive impacts micromobility can have on our communities with the safety concerns, especially of pedestrians? Researchers from SFU will unravel these different threads and leave you with a clear idea for the future of urban mobility, where both micromobility devices and pedestrian comfort and safety are prioritized.

Panelists: Kristen Dixon, City of Penticton; Thom Tischik, Visit Penticton

In Penticton, the best things in life are possible because they’re free from the constraints and dependence on fuel. The "Fuel Free... Almost" campaign promotes cycling, walking and paddling to explore, discover and indulge. Visit Penticton's Thom Thischik and Penticton's Kirsten Dixon share their learnings in this fuel free fireside chat.

Mohamad Khalil, UBC Okanagan

Joining us from UBC Okanagan, Mr. Khalil will provide a short presentation on how AT infrastructure investment decisions could be evaluated through a fresh approach to travel demand model, incorporating policy factors such as the bike index to forecast choice outcomes.

Panelists: Megan Oakey, BCCDC; Lilian Quintero, City of Vancouver; Megan Squires, District of Saanich; Steve Hutchison, City of Victoria

Let's talk about speed in our residential neighbourhoods because research shows that the probability of a pedestrian surviving being struck by a vehicle moving at 30 km/h is about 90 per cent. After a short theoretical input presentation, this workshop will collect concerns as well as potential enablers and solutions from the audience.

Panelists: Annie Wise, Sunshine Coast Tourism; Ana Lukyanova, Powell River

Moderator: Gavin Davidson, GJD Planning + Design

Is building a 156km AAA route in rural communities of BC a pipe dream? We think not! Gavin Davidson will bring together local and regional leaders that have been working on such a cycling highway from Langdale to Lund on BC's Sunshine Coast. This panel discussion will focus on cooperation and coordination between local organizations, groups, indigenous nations, the province and federal government has and will continue to help to propel this initiative. You will walk away inspired and encouraged to have your local NGOs take on a more active role in realizing active transportation infrastructure projects.

Led by The Walkers’ Caucus

20 person max.

Join Walkers' Caucus, a local pedestrian advocacy group, for a stroll around downtown New Westminster as we highlight some of the features that allow walking to be a real option as a form of transportation. We will also point out some barriers frequently encountered by those on foot that make walking less than pleasant. Our route will include examples of multi-modal connections, street furniture, urban design, and traffic flow.

20 person max.

Led by Disability Rights for Washington

This session is a continuation of the session "The Week without Driving Challenge" in the morning. Excursion participants will get to see how people that are visually impaired or in wheel chairs are experiencing sidewalk infrastructure.

Note: This is a walking workshop. As spots are limited, you will have to pre-register for this excursion 10 days before the event.

Led by: Urban Systems, TransLink and MoTI

20 person max.

This excursion will give participants a chance to apply BC’s new Design Guide for Bus Stops Adjacent to Cycling Infrastructure.

Led by Urban Systems, TransLink, and MoTI, participants will visit two island platform bus stops: one constrained, the other, full build. Participants will learn how the Guide’s recommendations were developed, best practices for island platform design, and additional design considerations for vulnerable road users.