Canada\u2019s cycling community is facing a critical moment. $500 million in active transportation funding\u2014meant for everything from protected bike lanes to multi-use trails\u2014is still awaiting approval, and the 2026 construction season is rapidly approaching. Samuel Benoit of Velo Canada Bikes warns that delays could cost Canadians more than just infrastructure: they could mean lost opportunities for safety, climate action, and healthier communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Canada, the construction window is narrow,\u201d Benoit explained, during an interview with Momentum. \u201cMunicipalities plan their infrastructure seasons years in advance. If Minister Robertson\u2019s office doesn\u2019t approve these applications immediately, cities can\u2019t put these projects out to tender. By the time the paperwork is finished, the 2026 season will already be booked. This isn\u2019t just a delay\u2014it\u2019s a lost year for road safety and climate action.\u201d<\/p>\n
The backlog is significant, maybe Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is too busy setting the groundwork for more fossil fuel projects instead of worrying about the future.<\/p>\n
The most recent intake for the Active Transportation Fund (ATF) received 758 applications from communities nationwide, covering a diverse range of projects: protected bike lane networks, pedestrian bridges, multi-use trails, and safe sidewalks in both urban and rural areas, including Indigenous communities. These projects are already \u201cshovel-ready,\u201d meaning technical reviews are complete and all that\u2019s needed is a ministerial signature to begin construction.<\/p>\n
Without federal approval, Benoit warns, municipalities are forced into difficult choices.<\/p>\n
\u201cProjects die on the vine,\u201d he said. \u201cMany rely on federal cost-sharing. If the funding is delayed, cities must either cancel projects entirely or strip away key safety features. That means infrastructure that\u2019s less usable for children and seniors.\u201d<\/p>\n
The ATF is part of the broader Canada Public Transit Fund (CPTF), a roughly $3-billion-per-year federal program. As a \u201ctargeted stream\u201d within the CPTF, active transportation funding is not guaranteed, which is why sustained advocacy is crucial. \u201cMost cities face tight local budgets and can\u2019t fund complete networks alone. Federal support allows them to move from patchwork lanes to connected systems,\u201d Benoit explained.<\/p>\n
He cites examples of projects ready to move forward: the West Central Multi-Use Corridor in Saskatoon, designed to close a critical gap between Avenue Q and Avenue W, has been stalled in the federal review process since early 2025. \u201cThis is just one of hundreds of projects waiting for a green light,\u201d Benoit said.<\/p>\n
The benefits go beyond cyclists. Safe active transportation infrastructure can reduce car traffic, improve transit efficiency, and bolster public health. Physical inactivity costs Canada\u2019s healthcare system $3.9 billion annually, yet even modest increases in activity could save nearly $1 billion per year in healthcare and productivity costs, according to the 2025 ParticipACTION Report Card.<\/p>\n
Benoit also emphasized that federal involvement isn\u2019t just about funding; it\u2019s about long-term planning.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need predictability,\u201d he said. \u201cA mayor planning for 2026 should know exactly how much support they have for 2030. Reliable, annual transfers allow communities to build complete networks that make Canada truly livable.\u201d<\/p>\n
For cyclists and advocates, the message is clear: contacting your MP isn\u2019t just politics\u2014it\u2019s about keeping Canadian streets safe, connected, and accessible. Benoit concluded, \u201cThe Active Transportation Fund was won through grassroots advocacy before, and we\u2019re building on that effort now to protect these victories. It\u2019s time to ensure Canadian communities don\u2019t lose another year for active transportation.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Canada\u2019s cycling community is facing a critical moment. $500 million in active transportation funding\u2014meant for everything from protected…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":534490,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[445],"tags":[49,48,635,82],"class_list":["post-534489","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cycling","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-cycling","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/534489","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=534489"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/534489\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/534490"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=534489"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=534489"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=534489"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}