The Mayor David Miller and the Budget Advisory Committee Chair Councillor David Soknacki have announced four public consultation meetings regarding the 2006 City of Toronto operating budget. This would be a good opportunity for cyclists to make the case for improving the funding for Toronto's cycling safety and education programs.

You are invited to discuss the 2006 budget. Click the image to get the full size document (PDF).

The TCC's proposal for $100,000 for a Sidewalk Cycling Counter Measure program did not get support from the Planning and Transportation Committee for inclusion in the 2006 budget.

The Planning and Transportation Committee's budget recommendations now go to the Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) and the Policy and Finance Committee. There is still time to try and convince the Mayor, David Miller, and the City Councillors to support the funding of the program in 2006. The four Budget consultation meetings will be the first opportunity to do that . The dates and locations of those meetings are as follows:

You can see more information on the meetings in the following press release: Toronto's 2006 City Budget is open for discussion

The next opportunity to have input to the budget process will be at the February 16th, 2006 joint meeting of the BAC and the Policy and Finance Committee (PF&C) to consider the entire 2006 operating budget. Residents can ask their councillors to support the safety and education goals of the Bike Plan by way of deputations, letters to the committee and letters and e-mails to the councillors who are the members of the committees. The members of the committees and their contact information is listed below. If you don't know who your councillor you can find them by entering your address at the following City of Toronto web page: Find your City Council Member

On February 16th Policy and FInance Committee and the BAC will meet to make their recommendations on the final budget. Those recommendations will go on to the full Council Budget Debate. Getting the budget changed at that point is much more difficult. Now is the best time to try to get this program approved.