Community Leaders to Municipal Candidates: “Time to Build a Toronto that Moves”

For Immediate Release
June 3, 2014

Toronto: For the first time, active transportation and public transit community leaders have come together and identified 12 actions they want candidates for City Council to take to build a Toronto that moves.

“Everyone knows moving around Toronto is tough. But crowded transit, bike lanes, sidewalks and roads don’t have to be our future,” said Franz Hartmann, Executive Director of the Toronto Environmental Alliance. “We’ve identified 12 actions we want those running for City Council to commit to and help us build a Toronto that moves.”

The 12 actions are in a new report called “Building a Toronto that Moves” developed by the Toronto Centre for Active Transportation (TCAT), the Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA), Cycle Toronto, Walk Toronto and Canada Walks. There are four actions for improving cycling, four actions for improving walking and four actions for improving public transit.

“Not only will these actions get Toronto moving again, they will make it easier, safer and healthier to get around the city,” said Jared Kolb, Executive Director of Cycle Toronto. “We want a Toronto where car drivers, cyclists, pedestrians and TTC riders can get to where they are going quickly, conveniently and safely. The actions in this report show us how to make this happen.”

Key actions include improving the safety of walking routes, building more bike lanes and improving TTC service above any increases in ridership.

“People need choices about how to move around the city,” said Dylan Reid, co-founder of Walk Toronto. “Torontonians need to be able to switch comfortably between walking, cycling, and taking public transit, as well as driving, in all seasons and in every part of the city. By committing to these 12 actions, city politicians can start to make this vision a reality.”

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For more information, contact:     

Franz Hartmann: cell: 416-606-8881
Jared Kolb; cell: 416-644-7188
Dylan Reid; cell: 647-770-3133