Active Transportation Plan

The Town of Sidney has launched its Active Transportation Network Plan process!

The plan will provide guidance to develop a safe, accessible, sustainable, equitable, and efficient active transportation network by outlining strategies, and recommending infrastructure, policies, and programs to help enable active transportation as preferred modes of transportation throughout the community.

Active transportation has many advantages: it's good for your health and the environment, it is more affordable than driving a vehicle, and it can be a social experience that helps people in the community connect. It can take many forms and is continually evolving as new technologies emerge. It includes:

• Walking (including people walking dogs, people jogging, and people using mobility devices such as wheelchairs, walkers, and strollers)
• Cycling (including the use of pedal assist e-bikes, bicycle trailers, etc.)
• Rolling (skateboarding, in-line skating)
• Other emerging modes as technology changes and advances

The purpose of the Town of Sidney’s Active Transportation Plan is to ensure safe and accessible transportation options are available for all community members regardless of age and ability, to improve safety and reduce GHG emissions within our community. This work will guide the development of the Town’s active transportation network over the next 10 to 20 years.

The goal is to create a practical plan that reflects the Town’s available resources, best practices, and community priorities.

Thank you for getting involved

To ensure the Plan reflects the community’s priorities, we conducted a survey from May 3 to June 13. The survey explored how community members currently move around and what improvements would encourage more active transportation. Thank you for all those who took the time to help us understand how the region's active transportation network could improve. 

There will be more engagement opportunities to come. Check out the timeline below:

Timeline

This project is running from from March 2022 – January 2023. The first round of engagement will occur throughout May to mid-June 2022, with the second round occurring in November and December 2022.

Background

The Active Transportation Network Plan will directly work towards goals as outlined in the Town’s Draft Official Community Plan and recent update to the Climate Action Plan, including: 

• A regionally connected, vibrant downtown;
• Connected, accessible and livable neighborhoods that meet the needs of the whole community;
• A diverse and balanced community supporting a thriving local economy; and 
• A healthy resilient community that takes action to address climate change.

The updated Climate Action Plan also identifies improving accessibility and convenience of active transportation infrastructure on our streets and sidewalks. It includes eight actions related to transportation and mobility, including the need to develop this Active Transportation Plan.

Related Reports:

• Working Paper - Active Transportation in Sidney
• Capital Regional District, Regional Pedestrian and Cycling Master Plan
  
• North Saanich Active Transportation Plan
• Central Saanich Active Transportation Plan

We will update this project page with supporting documents as we move through the process. Please check back for updates. You can expect to see:

• “What We Heard” Engagement Summary (Summer, 2022)
• DRAFT Active Transportation Network Plan (Fall, 2022)

Get in Touch

If you have questions or concerns, please contact the Town of Sidney at 250-656-1184 or activetransportation@sidney.ca