BikingToronto is a TCAT supporter. Here's the latest from TCAT:

1. Sustainable Transportation Initiatives – City report endorsed by City Council

Earlier this month, a joint report from Transportation Servicesand Transportation Planning was released, and was approved the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee. You can read the report at http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/... backgroundfile-7193.pdf.

The initiatives are ‘quick wins’ for improving walking, cycling and transit over the next two years or so. Some of the projects relate to existing plans, such as the Bike Plan, forthcoming Walking Strategy, and Transit City Plan. However, many are completely new proposals from the City, such as an East-West bike route along Bloor and Danforth.

The report went to City Council for approval on October 23^rd. Though TCAT is not currently aware of the exact amendments council made to the recommendations in the report, it was approved. On CBC’s Metro Morning today, Director of Transportation Planning, Rod McPhail, noted that Council added two more intersections to the ‘pedestrian scramble’ pilot projects. In addition to Yonge & Bay and Yonge & Bloor, the City will also test this concept at Yonge & Dundas and Bay & Dundas. You can hear the interview with McPhail at http://cbc.ca/metromorning/... PDSOCT24.ram

In advance of Council’s debate yesterday, TCAT submitted a letter to Council supporting the initiatives, while commenting on some omissions that would improve the report. If you would like to see a copy of this letter, please e-mail info@torontocat.ca.

At its meeting on October 22^nd, City Council approved two new revenue tools – the Land Transfer Tax and the Personal Vehicle Ownership Tax. While these new funds will flow to a variety of City budget items and help to make up the current budget shortfall, last week biketoronto.ca alerted TCAT to the fact that a portion of the vehicle tax is supposed to go to active transportation. From the Mayor’s Fair Tax Plan web site:

“A Personal Vehicle Registration Fee would cost car drivers an additional $60 a year and motorcycle riders $30 a year. It would raise about $60 million a year, to be directed to road repairs, public transit, cycling and pedestrian improvements and othertransportation projects.”

Though the specific allocation for cycling and pedestrian improvements is not stated, TCAT will monitor the upcoming 2008 capital budget process and hold the Mayor and Council to this commitment.

The 2008 Capital Budget will be released next Monday, October 29^th at the committee’s meeting from 12:30 – 1:30 pm in Committee Room

2. Since this is the first time members of the public will be able to see the submissions various City departments made to the Budget Committee, this is an important day for TCAT and those who are working for a greater investment in cycling and pedestrian infrastructure. The public will have approximately two weeks to review the capital budget, and the committee will hear comments from councillors and the public on Tuesday, November 13^th.

TCAT will be preparing a submission to the Budget Committee and will share our recommendations with our supporters in the coming weeks.