Abstract Manager

The BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure recognizes that small municipalities and rural areas have tremendous potential to increase active transportation mode share but also face unique challenges: constrained municipal budgets, few alternate routes between communities/destinations, fewer community resources for active transportation training and encouragement. To help encourage active transportation, the Ministry has developed programs aimed at overcoming these barriers to help accelerate the adoption of active transportation in small and rural communities. 

In this presentation, we will discuss two funding programs that are helping small municipalities and rural areas build out their active transportation networks. The first is the $20 million BC Active Transportation Infrastructure Fund (BCAT) that has been designed to support small and rural communities. The second fund is the $85 million AT Capital Projects Fund, aimed to support municipalities and First Nation communities to connect their active transportation network on Ministry’s rights-of-way.

Since 2019, BCAT has awarded $49.9M in grants to 184 active transportation projects across the province. BCAT aims to assist small and rural communities. 71% of approved projects have been awarded to small and rural communities, including 39 Indigenous projects.  There is a special rolling intake for Indigenous communities.  The $85 million dollar as part of Ministry’s active transportation capital projects will be allocated in a 3-year roll out period. AT projects assessment and evaluation are currently underway for future funding allocation and project announcements.  This presentation will include a number of case studies to showcase the infrastructure projects that are planned or have been build with these two funds.