On Thursday March 6th, 2008 the City of Toronto's budget committee will meet to wrap up the 2008 operating budget. This is the budget that pays for the staff that run the programs and services that the city offers. Among those services are cycling related programs and services. For several years cycling activists have been trying to get increases in these areas without success. There have been success with the 2008 capital budget for cycling projects with an increase in the Transportation services budget from $3.0 million to $5.5 million for cycling infrastructure. It is now the cycling safety, education and promotion programs that need a boost.

The Toronto Coalition for Active Transportation (TCAT) presented a list of recommendations for the 2008 operating budget in February 2008. Two that specifically related to cycling programs were the following:

• Doubling the current funding dedicated to cycling promotion, safety and education staff and programs - like Bike Month and Kids CAN-Bike Camps - from $164,000 to $328,000 in the City Planning operating budget.
• Funding a full-time trails and pathways planner to coordinate the planning, consultation, construction and maintenance of bikeway network infrastructure projects in Toronto's parks - approximately $80,000 in the Parks, Forestry and Recreation operating budget.

You can see the full letter for TCAT here TCAT 2008 Operating Budget Letter. There is an opportunity for the Councillors to add these funds at Budget Committee meeting this Thursday. You can add your voice to TCAT's in urging the Councillors to ensure these parts of the Toronto Bike Plan are fully funded by e-mailing the Councillors on the committee. Their e-mail addresses are listed below. Click on the link to the Budget Committee to get links to their web pages for other contact information.

This will not be the last opportunity to make changes to the 2008 Operating budget. Once the Budget Committee finalizes the budget on Thursday it will be forwarded to the Executive Committee for its approval on March 25th and then on to City Council for final approval on March 31st. As the budget goes through the various stages of approval it will get harder and harder to change it. This Thursday is the best opportunity to make these improvements to the bike related operating budgets. Now is the best opportunity for you to encourage the Councillors to do so.