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Active Transportation Plan

Sidney's draft Active Transportation Plan is ready for public review!

Review the plan here.

Take the survey here.

See a video presentation of the plan.

The draft plan is intended to serve as a roadmap to more people feeling supported and comfortable making active transportation, like walking, cycling, and travelling by motorized scooter, a part of their lifestyle. Driving will continue to be an important way of getting around town. The draft plan recognizes the importance of vehicles in Sidney and aims to create balanced streets with space for all transportation modes.

The draft plan was shaped by input received from a community survey in spring 2022, as well as meetings with stakeholders. It also reflects Sidney’s current infrastructure and policies such as the newly updated Official Community Plan and Climate Action Plan.

Public input received during the current feedback period will help Council and Town staff determine priority network routes. Your feedback will also help Council understand what level of investment community members are comfortable making in building active transportation infrastructure and whether some of the trade-offs involved in creating improved pedestrian and cycling routes are supported.

Share your perspective

From February 1st to March 17th, the Town will be collecting feedback on the draft Active Transportation Plan through an online survey. Community members can also pick up a printed version of the survey at Town Hall, if they prefer.

Correspondence can also be sent to Town Hall by mail or by emailing activetransportation@sidney.ca.

Come to an engagement event

Community members are invited to learn more about the draft Active Transportation Plan during the following engagement events:

Pop-Up Information Tents:

Corner of Beacon Ave and Fifth Street
Saturday February 11th, 2023
11am to 1pm

Corner of Henry Ave and Seventh Street
Wednesday, February 22nd, 2023
2:00pm to 3:30pm

Open House:

Mary Winspear Centre
Wednesday, February 22nd, 2023
4:30pm to 6:30pm

About the draft Active Transportation Plan

The draft Active Transportation Plan makes practical recommendations for the next 10 years, outlining a series of actions to support walking, cycling and accessibility in the community. These actions are prioritized to optimize Town resources, reflect community feedback, and address the areas in greatest need of improvement.

The plan also maps out pedestrian and cycling networks with a proposed route for a north-south cycling corridor. By establishing a broader network plan, we can ensure that each active transportation project moves us closer to our goal of having a safe and complete active transportation network that is connected and inviting.

Why does Active Transportation Matter?

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. Active transportation 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

Connections to updated Official Community Plan and Climate Action Plan

Development and implementation of an Active Transportation Plan is a key deliverable identified in the Town's Official Community Plan and the Town's Climate Action Plan, both of which were updated in 2022.

The draft Active Transportation Plan connects to several goals outlines in the Official Community 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 the importance of making active transportation infrastructure in Sidney more accessible and convenient.

Since on-road transportation currently accounts for approximately 40% of the Town's calculated GHG emissions, active transportation improvements are also an important way to lower emissions in the community.

Cost

A substantial investment would be required to realize the projects outlined in the draft Active Transportation Plan. The plan does not commit the Town to funding the plan but helps prioritize projects so future investments maximize benefits to community members and contribute toward a connected network of sidewalk and cycling routes in Sidney.

Future active transportation investments would be determined through the Town’s annual budgeting process. Funding could potentially be achieved through the Town’s capital planning process, external grants, and through land development using Development Cost Charges (DCC).

Timeline

This project is running from Spring 2022 – Spring 2023. After the second round of engagement concludes mid-March 2023, Council and Town staff will revise the plan and develop a final version.

Related reports 

• DRAFT Active Transportation Plan
• "What We Heard" Engagement Summary
• 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.

Get in touch

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