July 30, 2020 - The COVID-19 pandemic has created massive efforts and initiatives in cities around the world to create pop-up bicycle routes and cycleways to assist residents, health workers, and commuters coming back to work with safer mobility options. Thousands of kilometres are underway, while streets are being closed to cars, as the prospect of sweeping urban change is underway.
Amsterdam and Copenhagen are leading cities in this regard as Holland and Sweden are renowned for giving city streets back to the people. Recent annoucements by Ireland, Germany and Britain pledging billions of funding are clear testimony to the momentum for more liveable and sustainable cities.
Is Canada next to adopt a national cycling strategy? Less vehicle traffic on roads has resulted in cleaner air, less congestion and Canadian Geographic took a look at how a number of Canadian cities are adapting here.
BC NDP MP, Gord Johns, who represents the central Vancouver Island riding of Courtenay-Alberni, has twice tried to get Parliament to adopt a national plan to, as he describes it, “put bums on bikes.”
Despite receiving support from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, along with such major cities as Toronto, Ottawa and Victoria, he failed to get support for the cycling strategy on his first attempt four years ago.
Read the full article in The Tyee here.
