The Bike Plan Budget is stuck at the same level as last week. On Monday February 18th the Budget Advisory Committee and the Policy and Finance Committee met and it appears no changes were made to the cycling related budget items. At least 3 people made deputations in favour of funding the Toronto Bike Plan. Two were members of the TCC. Crawford Murphy is the Representative of the Toronto Catholic District School Board and Ron Hart from the North York Cycling and Pedestrian Committee. As well Sara Sarah Climenhaga the Executive Director or the Black Creek Regional Transportation Management Association restated her support for the Toronto Bike Plan. As it stands now this is the status of the Bike Plan related budget items.

The budget now goes from the Policy and Finance Committee to the the full City Council. From March 4th to 8th there will be a debate on the full 2002 Budget. There will still be opportunities to add to the amount approved so far. Councillor Councillor Olivia Chow(Trinity-Spadina Ward 20) will be introducing motions to change the cycling budget items to receive the full amounts requested.

There has been support from Councillors through the budget process. Councillors on the Works Committee and on the Economic Development and Parks committee voted to fully fund the Bike Plan. We hope the Councillors who voted for the Bike Plan at the Standing Committee level will support it at the Council Budget Debate. When the Bike Plan was approved in July it was approved by a vote of 25 to 2. Now it is time to call on all of those Councillors who supported the Bike Plan in principle to support it in practice.

This will be our last opportunity to influence the Budget for 2002. Call, write or e-mail your local Councillor. Ask them to support the Bike Plan at the full Council budget debate next week. Also call, write or e-mail the Mayor, Mel Lastman. He voted to support the Bike Plan in July 2002 when it was approved, ask him to support it again.

If you want to find who is your Councillor and their phone numbers, fax numbers and e-mail address go to this page and type in your street address.

You can click here to get the phone and fax numbers for the Mayor.Mayor Mel Lastman Click here to e-mail Mayor Lastman:
mayor_lastman@city.toronto.on.ca

I hear reports that many people have been sending e-mails and calling Councillors. If you have contacted a Councillor or the Mayor let us know. Send an e-mail to tcc-rep@tbn.ca and tell us which Councillor you contacted and what their response was. If you are sending an e-mail this week to the Mayor or your Councillor cc your e-mail to tcc-rep@tbn.ca. We would like to gauge the support that the bike plan is getting as we head into the budget debate. If you have been planning to send in your e-mail but haven't gotten around to it, do it now. This will be your last chance till 2003.

Martin Koob
tcc-rep@tbn.ca