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The Ontario government should create a $20 million Ontario Bicycling Investment Fund with the extra money that will be collected through the new HST. This is one of the recommendations found in the Green Paper (pdf) released by the Share the Road Cycling Coalition last Friday.

Currently bicycles and bike safety equipment are PST exempt, but this will change with the new HST when the province starts collecting it in July.

Ontario is falling behind other jurisdictions when it comes to cycling policy. Both BC and Quebec have policies and funding to encourage cycling. Even the US has a federal fund to allow municipalities to invest in cycling infrastructure. We need to incorporate cycling into provincial transportation policy: says Eleanor McMahon, founder and CEO of Share the Road Cycling Coalition.

The bike fund would represent a fraction of the investment by the Quebec government into La Route Verte ($200 million), which brings in $38 million in government revenue through tourist dollars spent.

Abandoned bike near Dovercourt.

Humans, it seems, all love to watch a fight. And our media is only too happy to oblige; this time it's a rematch for Jarvis Street.

In Virginia, R-Braddock District Transportation Supervisor John Cook says "I don't believe a bicycle is a transportation device. I think it's a recreation device. The big problem is people don't want to ride their bike in the rain or get sweaty before work." (Washington Examiner, Feb 21 2010) I think that it is good to know what kinds of attitudes we are up against.

A great event plus $1200 was raised for Charlie's Freewheels. Kudos to the organizers and volunteers and the after party hosts Bike Pirates.

800 Bloor Street West, NW corner of Bloor and Crawford

The Bike Clinic

Drop by and visit in his much bigger space.

Rocco Rossi came out swinging today in his anti-bike rant: "(Rossi) promises to ban future bike lanes from all arterial roads plus review those which already have been built on major roads." (Globe)

"Jarvis has to be stopped." he told reporters.

So, we're talking Bloor and Jarvis, etc. Nice.

On January 8, George Smitherman made a similar statement:

"And on the so-called "war on the car", Smitherman said while he supported cycling, he didn't want to see Toronto's continued implementation of the Bike Plan impact on other forms of transportation.

"What I've noticed is that there are quite a few divisions around here," he said.

"This notion of the conflict between the car and the bike - I think the obligation we have is to understand that the inefficiency associated with gridlock is a serious climate challenge. I'm interested to be a leader of a city that makes it easier to use bikes. At the same time, it's my obligation to try and build a greater consensus around an integrated transit plan, without fostering the idea that one form of transportation is being played off against the other."
Two wheels good. Four wheels bad. Got it?
Update: http://www.scribd.com/doc/27506106/Mayoral-race-Where-they...

There was a lot of trash talk about the supposed 'War on the Car' this year. There will be more next year I am sure. Last time I checked it was you and me and dare I say even those who drive
who suffer the effects of car culture, or shall we say, high-carbon consumer capitalism. So get ready for the next stage when car drivers fight back against bike lanes. You know it's coming.

Over the years, I have seen many of these notices on utility poles. There are a timely reminder of how important witnesses are. Hopefully, someone who read this post can help.