BC government sets aside $100 million for walking and cycling infrastructure

E-bike on Vancouver's Mobi public bike share. (David Niddrie/Mobi)

The provincial government is significantly increasing its capital budget towards improving and expanding active transportation infrastructure.

BC finance minister Katrine Conroy announced today the 2023 provincial budget has set aside $100 million for active transportation projects over the next three fiscal years, including $10 million in 2023/2024, $40 million in 2024/2025, and $50 million in 2025/2026.

You might also like:

This will go towards improving sidewalks and pathways for pedestrians, installing bike lanes, building multi-use paths in parks for both pedestrians and cyclists, and other related active transportation infrastructure.

“New investments will help improve connections between various active transportation networks along provincial corridors, as well as improve connections to public transit. This will improve access and convenience to help people connect to communities, schools, work and other services using active transportation,” reads the budget document.

The funding for active transportation projects over the next three fiscal years represents a significant increase from the previous two fiscal years, when the provincial government spent $48 million. The provincial government typically provides grant funding to help support active transportation projects spearheaded by municipal governments, which may also provide some funding of their own to leverage provincial funding.

For example, the province’s 2022/2023 grants supported 59 active transportation infrastructure projects and 15 network plans across BC, including $1 million to Mobi bike share for its future expansion of its e-bikes within the City of Vancouver and the brand new service area expansion of e-bikes within the University of British Columbia’s Vancouver campus.

You might also like: