On Bike to Work Day, Friday, June 22, the province announced its three-year action plan on active transportation (AT). It was also a chance to introduce Vicky Reany as the province’s new point person.

The plan draws heavily from the recommendations put forward by Manitoba’s Active Transportation Advisory Group in its report “Greater Strides: Taking Action on Active Transportation“.

Key elements include (full press release):

• Developing and adopting a provincial AT policy including design guidelines for AT-related infrastructure
• Expanding access to AT resources through an online portal that includes an inventory of AT routes across the province
• Setting up an Interdepartment Ministers’ Steering Committee
• Working with MPI to continue raising awareness of safety issues affecting cyclists, pedestrians, children and seniors
• Providing new funding and technical support to help municipalities integrate AT planning, design and implementation with land-use and transportation planning
• Investing strategically in AT, such as constructing a new AT overpass at the north Perimeter Highway to extend the popular North East Pioneers Greenway and continuing work to complete the Borders to Beaches section of the Trans Canada Trail

Given the progress on AT achieved by the City of Winnipeg after developing an AT policy and coordinator position in Public Works Department in 2007, this announcement bodes well for the future of AT in municipalities throughout the rest of the province. Notably, the City’s Active Transportation Advisory Committee played a pivotal role in those achievements, though the committee’s now been on hiatus since February 2012. At this time, there has been no formal indication whether the province will continue with the previous advisory group or form a new one.