Executive summary
In 2018 the City of Burlington’s application to the Ontario Municipal Commuter Cycling (OMCC) Program was approved. This program provides funding for capital projects that support new or expanded commuter cycling infrastructure. The City has used the funding to complete improvements to the Francis Road Bikeway. The City’s funding allocation was $640,000. In June 2021, the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) informed us that the program deadline had been extended to December 31, 2021. The City applied for the extension which allowed for final components of the project completion to be assigned to the program funding.
Climate implications
Burlington City Council declared a Climate Emergency in April 2019 in response to the concerns about the impact that a changing climate is having on the city and communities around the globe. On April 20, 2020, Council approved a Climate Action Plan which provides a framework to reduce the use of fossil fuels, which are identified as the main contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change impacts. Burlington’s Climate Action Plan identified that the transportation sector was responsible for 44 per cent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2017. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recognizes that shifting modes from private cars to more transit, walking, and cycling trips is a main mitigation option for reducing GHG emissions, but in order for sustainable modes to be utilized, safe and efficient infrastructure is required. The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) report calculated that a 14 per cent increase in cycling mode share globally would result in an 11 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions. By switching short trips that are easily cyclable distances, from car to cycling trips, CO2 emissions can be significantly reduced. Seven program areas with greatest impact to reduce fossil fuels are highlighted in the Climate Action Plan; one of which is the Integrated Mobility Plan. The Cycling Plan is one component of the forthcoming Integrated Mobility Plan and presents foundational work that will be included in the multi-modal plan.