1. Michelle St. Amour and Neluka Leanage
Toronto Centre for ActiveTransportation,
CleanAir Partnership |York University | February 28, 2012
Advocating for Active Urban Mobility

2. Presentation Overview
 TCAT Overview & Complete Streets
 Land Use & Big Box in Leslieville
 One Advocacy Case Study

3. Guiding Questions/Outline
 What do “Complete Streets” mean for you?
 How does urban development affect your mobility?
 How can you get involved?

4. Discussion
What is active transportation?
What is mode share?
What is urban mobility and why does it matter?

6. Mode Share forWorkTrips inWard 8
(York University)

7. Discussion
How did you get toYork University today?
How do you usually travel toYork?

8. TCAT Overview
 Formed in 2006 to give a unified voice for groups and
individuals working for a better cycling and pedestrian
environment inToronto.
 Came together around a simple idea:
Active transportation (cycling and walking) is the most
affordable, healthy and sustainable mode of transportation.
 Yet the City falls short in prioritizing walking and cycling
(active transportation) in its budget and city planning
processes.
 Tripled the number of member organizations in three years.

9. ActiveTransportation … Is there demand?
Photo byTObike from theTorontoist Flickr Pool.

10. The Potential is there for Change
In the GTHA:
 17 percent of trips are walkable (less than 2 kilometres).
 40 per cent are bikeable
(less than five kilometres).
 7 in 10 Canadians would
cycle to work if there
were bike lanes.
Source: Copenhagenize.com

11. ActiveTransportation on the rise in Canada
 Active transportation has been rising at a significant rate
amongst Canadians since 2000. Almost a quarter of Canadians
walk 6 or more hours per week (Canadian Journal of Public
Health, 2007).
 A national study found that 7 in 10 Canadians would cycle to
work if there were bike lanes (Go forGreen, 2004).

12. What are Complete Streets?
 Complete streets are safe,
comfortable, and
convenient for travel for
everyone, regardless of
age or ability – motorists,
pedestrians, bicyclists,
and public transit users.

13. Incomplete Streets:The Norm
Photo: PaulYoung

14. Complete Streets: the Exception
 Prior to revitalization in 1997,
cycling and walking mode share
was 70% yet 80% of the right-of-
way was devoted to cars.
 Traffic lanes reduced from four to
two.
 Space reallocated to bike lanes,
trees, wider sidewalks, sidewalk
bulbouts and new pedestrian
crossings.
 Speeding reduced.
 Traffic collisions decreased by
40%.
Photo courtesy of the City ofToronto (TransportCanada)

15. What is a Complete Streets Policy?
 A complete streets policy
ensures that transportation
agencies routinely design and
operate the entire right of way
to enable safe access for all
users.

16. Complete Streets Policies in the U.S.
16
US Jurisdictions with Policies: 125
Policies Adopted Since 2005: 100
Policies in 2009: 42
As of 01/15/10

17. Courtesy of Barbara McCann, Complete Streets Coalition

18. Waterloo adopted Complete Streets
Policy in 2011

19. Complete Streets Promotion inToronto
 InAugust 2009, before
any policies had been
adopted in Canada yet,
TCAT and theToronto
Cyclists Union began
working together to
bring Complete Streets
to Canada.
 Complete Streets was
an election issue in
Toronto in 2010.

20. Complete Streets in the City ofToronto
 St. George Street is
Toronto’s best example of
a complete street.
 The City ofToronto’s Public
Realm office is currently
working on a plan to
implement complete
streets more broadly
across the city.
Photo Credit: Elana Horowitz

21. Urban Development and Mobility
(land use transportation dynamic)
Leslieville,
Toronto
Leslie Street

22. Courtesy of Jamie Austin, Ontario Growth Secretariat

23. Courtesy of Jamie Austin, Ontario Growth Secretariat

24. Recent DevelopmentContext

25. February 17, 2011
Recent DevelopmentContext

26. Leslie Street south facing to Lakeshore Blvd. East
LeslieStreet
How would you create a complete street here?

27. How would streetcars
affect cyclists and pedestrians
at this intersection?
Discussion

28. OneAdvocacy Case Study
 BikeSauce

29. BikeSauce: Bicycle Resource Centre
What is it?
 A not-for-profit, all volunteer run, do-it yourself bicycle repair
facility and advocacy centre.

30. BikeSauce
 Location:
235 Broadview Avenue,Toronto
 Open:
Monday,Tuesday,Thursday - 5 pm – 9 pm
Saturday, Sunday 12 pm – 6 pm

31. What does BikeSauce Do?
 Help people learn how to fix their bike.

32. What does BikeSauce Do?
 Help people learn how to fix their bike.

33. What does BikeSauce Do?
 Refurbish and sell donated bikes.

34. What does BikeSauce Do?
 Offer a social space, coffee bar, library with freeWiFi.

35. What does BikeSauce Do?
 Develop and implement bicycle advocacy campaigns.

36. What does BikeSauce Do?
 Develop and implement bicycle advocacy campaigns.

37. How Can I Get Involved?
 Email:
info@bikesauce.org
 Join the:
 Facebook
 Twitter
 Listservs:
 groups.google.com/group/bicyclesauce

38. Guiding Questions/Outline
 What do “Complete Streets” mean for you?
 How does urban development affect your mobility?
 How can you get involved?

39. ThankYou
Subscribe toTCAT News at: http://torontocat.ca/main/user/register
Michelle St. Amour and Neluka Leanage
Toronto Centre for Active Transportation, Clean Air
Partnership
Te l e p h o n e : 4 1 6 . 3 9 2 . 0 2 9 0
E m a i l : n s m i t h l e a @ t o r o n t o c a t . c a
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