New Government, New Opportunities

With the new NDP-Green Alliance in the Provincial Legislature, now is the time to encourage our new leadership to support healthy, active, cost-effective and sustainable transportation.

Action

Whart can you do to support?

Let your MLA know that it's time for fair investment in cycling, a review of the outdated Motor Vehicle Act and a BC Active Transportation Strategy.
Take 2 minutes to send an email to our leaders to let them know that you want a safe passing law and other Motor Vehicle Act Reforms.
Take 2 minutes to send an email to our leaders to let them know you want increased investment and a BC Active Transportation Strategy.

1) It's time for fair investment in cycling

Cycling is the fastest growing mode of transportation and more than 40% of British Columbians want to use this mode more but are hesitant due to the lack of safe cycling facilities. We encourage the Province to provide adequate funding for cycling. Increased funding from the Province of BC, municipalities, and the federal government, as well as increased funding for TransLink, would allow municipalities to provide complete cycling networks within 10 years, rather than plans that extend beyond our lifetimes, and may not even be available to our grandchildren. Currently, the Provincial Government dedicates approximately 0.25% of the transportation budget to cycling. This is inequitable and inadequate. Not only is there an existing cycling mode share of 2.1% (over 8 times more than the current funding level), but multiple levels of government share goals for cycling rates that are significantly higher. Investments must be made up front to create connected networks to allow for safe and convenient cycling. Increased investment in cycling will come at a much more affordable cost than motor vehicle and public transit infrastructure, but it still demands its fair share of funding to complete the networks that allow people to get around on bicycle. We support the BCCC’s call for accelerated provincial investment in walking and cycling, totalling $100 million per year over 10 years.

2) It's time to develop a BC Active Transportation Strategy

A comprehensive BC Active Transportation Strategy is needed in BC and should include mode share & GHG reduction targets, infrastructure funding, improved standards, increased maintenance, education, promotion, motor vehicle speed control and improvements to the Motor Vehicle Act, as a key component of a complete multi-modal transportation system for people of all ages and abilities.

3) It's time to review the Outdated Motor Vehicle Act

BC’s Motor Vehicle Act (the “MVA” or the “Act”), as its name suggests, was written with motorists in mind and passed in 1957, with surprisingly few changes since. Rules for people on bikes were largely confined to a section titled “Bicycles and Play-vehicles.” Changes to the Act are required if BC is to meet its “Vision Zero” road safety targets. Decades’ worth of evidence has shown that cyclists and other vulnerable road users are not adequately protected by the nearly 60-year-old Act. The transportation environment has evolved since 1957 and cycling in particular has become an established and growing form of transportation, with significant and compounding environmental, economic and public health benefits. Cycling is the fastest growing mode of transportation in Metro Vancouver and a quarter of BC residents now cycle weekly or daily. With reform either recently completed or pending in Canada’s two most populous provinces—Ontario and Quebec—British Columbia has an opportunity to capitalize on this momentum. To achieve the safest roads in North America, BC will need to align its laws with recommended cycling practices and promote behaviours that reduce collisions, injury and death.

Modernizing our Motor Vehicle Act will help BC reach the targets of the Provincial Government’s Road Safety Strategy and Vision Zero. It will reduce collisions, injuries and death and help control ICBC premiums. The legislation, reframed as the Road Safety Act, would protect all road users, including our most vulnerable: those walking and cycling. The BC Road Safety Law Reform group represents over 50,000 British Columbians who want to better protect vulnerable road users and provide safe options for transportation. We have compiled a detailed list of recommendations to modernize the Motor Vehicle Act, which can be found in full at bikehub.ca/mva.

Take Action Now

Let your MLA know that it's time for fair investment in cycling, a review of the outdated Motor Vehicle Act and a BC Active Transportation Strategy.
Take 2 minutes to send an email to our leaders to let them know that you want a safe passing law and other Motor Vehicle Act Reforms.
Take 2 minutes to send an email to our leaders to let them know you want increased investment and a BC Active Transportation Strategy.