“As mayor, I will make Ottawa one of the best cities in the world for cycling,” McKenney said in a press release. McKenney said the project would be financed through a $250 million green bond to build multi-use bike lanes and trails. “We’re going to do that by building 25 years of bike infrastructure over four years, using green bonds to bring in money that we would otherwise spend on bike infrastructure in the future, for a neutral way to cover this transformative investment in the city’s quality of life,” he said. McKenney. According to the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University, a green bond is a financial debt instrument used to borrow money or raise funds for legally documented green projects. McKenney claims the move will save on escalating future construction costs and also save wear and tear on roads as more people use bikes instead of cars. “We need protected bike lanes that make more people feel safe and comfortable cycling around this city. Bicycles are good for our health and our environment. They give people the option to get out of their cars to help them explore a whole new side of our city,” they said. The City of Ottawa has more than 1,000 kilometers of multi-use bike lanes and paths, including bike lanes that are maintained during the winter months. The city has been expanding its active transport infrastructure since the merger. Information provided by the City of Ottawa shows that the total length of active transportation infrastructure has more than doubled in the past 19 years. “Since 2003, the total length of facilities that accommodate cycling and other modes of active transportation has been steadily increasing in Ottawa. These facilities include bike lanes, bike paths, paved shoulders, multi-use paths, as well as National Capital Commission multi-use paths within the city. Many of these facilities, including multi-use paths and bike/pedestrian bridges, are also shared with pedestrians,” Active Transportation Planning Program Director Zlatko Krstulic said in a statement to CTV News Ottawa. “At the end of 2003, these facilities reached 455 kilometers and are expected to reach a total of 1,065 kilometers by the end of this year.” Other mayoral candidates were quick to criticize the plan. “Be wary of any politician who says the taxpayers won’t be on the hook for something,” said Bob Chiarelli. “Green bonds are just code for borrowing more money. The city is broken.” Mark Sutcliffe said Ottawa needs more cycling infrastructure, but believes McKenney’s plan lacks balance. “I think it’s a plan for downtown Ottawa, not all of Ottawa, and I think it’s a plan that prioritizes bikes over cars. I think we need a balanced plan going forward… It’s also an incredibly expensive plan,” he said. . At least one other candidate has promised to build cycling infrastructure. Bernard Couchman’s website includes a promise to connect the city east to west with bike lanes. This is the second major platform announcement from McKenney this week, after pledging to freeze transit fares and make OC Transpo free for riders 17 and under if elected. McKenney is among 14 candidates running for mayor in the October 24 election, along with Brandon Bay, Bob Chiarelli, Bernard Couchman, Graham MacDonald, Catherine McKenney, Ade Olumide, Param Singh, Mark Sutcliffe, Mike Maguire, Celine Debasivage . , Nour Kadri, Zed Chebib and Jacob Solomon. –With files from CTV’s Jeremie Charron.
