Great news from the Toronto Community Foundation. They've received $231,922 from a class action lawsuit and will be distributing it to transportation related groups in Toronto:

Toronto Community Foundation is distributing $231,922 to local initiatives as part of the latest settlement in a longstanding class action lawsuit involving price fixing by manufacturers of a rubber product known as EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) used in transportation and other areas.

"In Toronto's Vital Signs(R), the Foundation's annual report, we've identified transportation as one of the key issues impacting quality of life. Over the years we've witnessed trends and concerns involving commuting times, access to public transit, gridlock and traffic congestion. We've done our research and these grants will be distributed in order to maximize impact on the quality of life in Toronto."

Specifically, the Clean Air Partnership / Toronto Coalition for Active Transport and the Toronto Cyclists Union will be getting unspecified amounts:

• Clean Air Partnership - Toronto Coalition for Active Transport for a two-year project that includes research on bike lanes, on-street parking and the impact on commercial business, a comprehensive comparison study looking at how Toronto fares internationally against other cities implementing cycling and pedestrian-friendly policies, and laying the groundwork for N/S and E/W commuter cycling arteries.

• Toronto Cyclists Union - Toronto Cycling Handbook: a one-year project in partnership with CultureLink to research, write and edit a resource to encourage and support cycling among newcomers in Toronto.

This is great news, and will go along way towards getting more commuters out of cars and onto transit, bikes and their feet.

For a full list of organizations receiving money and more details, see the Canada Newswire Press Release.

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