TORONTO, Ontario (BRAIN)—The Bicycle Trade Association of Canada (BTAC) has awarded grants to four recipients, totaling $17,000.
Awarded twice a year and available to cycling focused community groups, BTAC's Grant Program will support projects that put more people on bikes. An important selection criterion is whether the project will make measurable improvements to the overall cycling landscape in Canada. Since its grants program was launched BTAC has given out $72,000 to projects six provinces.
Summer 2009 Grants were awarded to:
Ecology Action Centre ‐ Making Tracks Program (NS)- $5,000 towards Making Tracks Program, an initiative of Active and Safe Routes to School. This unique program delivers active transportation safety training on four modes, walking, cycling, in‐line skating and skateboarding using a train‐the‐trainer model where older youth teach youth. Transitioning from a pilot project launched in April 2008 to a full provincial program available in all Nova Scotia communities. The Canadian Active & Safe Routes to School Partnership is working to foster programs in every province and territory in Canada.
Share the Road Cycling Coalition – Ontario Bike Summit (ON)
A $5,000 grant will help launch the 1st annual Ontario Bike Summit planned for September 20 to 22, 2009 the Ontario Bike Summit will gather together bicycling stakeholders from across the province with a view to building capacity, sharing best practices and building a bicycling public policy framework for the province of Ontario. These objectives will help us begin the task of enhancing infrastructure and broader support programs to encourage bicycling in Ontario and thus increase mode share.
CultureLink Settlement Services‐ From Back Home to Our New Home (ON)
Awarded $5,000 in grant funds, this partnership between CultureLink Settlement Services and The Toronto
Cyclist Union is a campaign that encourages newcomers in the Greater Toronto Area to retain cycling habits upon their settlement in Canada. Reaching out to multi‐ethnic communities who benefit from cycling as a legitimate and viable mode of transportation.
Rip’n North Bike Club –Rip’n North Bike Skills Park (BC)
Awarded $2,000 to further the development of a bike skills park and trail system, this is an outstanding grassroots efforts put in by this rural BC community to address the current gap in recreational infrastructure and sporting activities in their community. In less that a year the people of Vanderhoof BC have raised over $150,000 through cash, in‐kind donations and community effort to make this park a reality.
