Item - 2014.HL31.2

The Board of Health:

1.         Requested the Medical Officer of Health to continue to collaborate with the General Manager, Transportation Services and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning on key initiatives intended to improve road safety and encourage walking and cycling, including:

a.         the development of Complete Street Guidelines for the City of Toronto; and

b.         the review of transportation policies in the Official Plan.

2.         Requested the Medical Officer of Health to collaborate with the Executive Director, Social Development Finance and Administration to encourage consideration of active transportation as an investment priority through the Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy 2020.

3.         Requested the Medical Officer of Health, in collaboration with the General Manager, Transportation Services, to explore ways to coordinate community input to indentify and implement local safety priorities and evaluate the resulting safety-traffic interventions.

4.         Encouraged the provincial government elect to reintroduce Bill 173, Highway Traffic Amendment Act (Keeping Ontario's Roads Safe Act) tabled on March 17, 2014.

5.         Forwarded the report (May 8, 2014) from the Medical Officer of Health to:

a.         The Ontario Ministers of Health and Long-Term Care and Transportation;

b.         Metrolinx;

c.         The Canadian Diabetes Association, the Canadian Public Health Association, the Ontario Public Health Association, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Ontario Medical Association, the Ontario Public Health Association, the Toronto Cancer Prevention Coalition - Occupational and Environmental Health Working Group, the Urban Public Health Network;

d.         The Canadian Institute of Planners, the Canadian Urban Institute, the Ontario Professional Planners Institute;

e.         8-80 Cities, Civic Action, Clean Air Partnership, Cycle Toronto, the Toronto Cycling Think and Do Tank and Toronto Centre for Active Transportation; and

f.          The Dean of the University of Toronto, Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, and the Dean of York University, Faculty of Physical Education.

In June 2013, an update to the Board of Health (BOH) was provided on the development of four Active Transportation Demonstration Projects to explore the feasibility, sustainability and potential impact of implementing recommendations made in the Road to Health report. Toronto Public Health (TPH) in collaboration with community partners engaged four neighbourhoods – Black Creek, Annex, North York and Cliffside – in the identification of community needs and preferences for pedestrian and cycling infrastructure changes and potential barriers to their implementation. This report outlines the findings from these four demonstration projects and highlights opportunities to further support active transportation in Toronto.

While the four neighbourhoods had unique sociodemographic characteristics, built forms and patterns of walking and cycling, several common themes emerged. Recurring community-identified safety concerns and constraints to active transportation included: real and perceived risks related to traffic speed and volumes, limitations in street design and accessibility, and limited network connections. Common challenges to making changes in support of active transportation included: competing interests and priorities, funding and implementing community-identified improvements, and engaging communities in active transportation decision-making. Overall, the findings from community engagement are well-supported by existing health evidence and practice-based examples from other jurisdictions.

Ongoing City of Toronto and provincial policies and plans provide key windows for expanding active transportation infrastructure and improving safety and accessibility for all street users in the city. The Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy could further support the City and communities through investments in locally-driven active transportation initiatives. Moving forward, TPH will continue to work with local partners to ensure that community-identified suggestions for local active transportation improvements are considered, and will continue to collaborate with other City divisions and stakeholders on key policies and plans to advance active transportation in Toronto.