Out of more than 40 cities across Canada, Windsor is ranked poorest for the size of its commuter population getting to work or school by foot, bus or bicycle.
Recently-released census data from Statistics Canada compared 41 cities — from Windsor to Toronto and Halifax and Edmonton — for its “share of commuters using sustainable transportation.”
About 23 per cent of commuters in Vancouver, Victoria and Montreal get where they need to go via transit, walking or cycling — topping the list from the 2021 census data.
But, with just six per cent of its commuters using sustainable transportation, Windsor sits at the very bottom of the list. RELATED STORIES
Longtime cycling and safety advocate Lori Newton said the numbers are “disappointing” but come as no surprise.
“People in this city should not be required to own a car to live here and that’s what we’ve created. If you don’t have a car in the City of Windsor, you’re a second-hand citizen here,” said Newton, adding political officials have not shown a strong enough commitment to active transportation.
As executive director for Bike Windsor Essex, Newton said she’s been keeping an eye on how other cities such as London and Hamilton are supporting active transportation users — adding while they “sometimes miss the mark,” it’s apparent they are making changes which are leaving Windsor “way behind.”Some of the work she’s seen includes building barriers to separate cyclists from traffic, painting bike boxes on roadways and extending bike lanes into intersections.“Because the lane drops […]
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