< Back 2023 Report On Activities Dec 20, 2023 2023 was a busy year, find out what we got up to here. 2023 Report on Activities Advocacy Connect the Coast TraC is actively supporting advocacy efforts for the construction of a multi-use path (MUP) between Langdale and Sechelt. This initiative is now being led by the Connect the Coast Society (CTCS).Established in November 2022, CTCS is a registered charity that is solely focused on the MUP project. Two TraC board members also serve on the five-person CTCS board. Following the completion of a preliminary study a year ago, the Society’s focus in 2023 was on raising awareness of the initiative, building municipal support and seeking grant funding for the next phase of its work, specifically, the development of a detailed feasibility and planning study for the construction of a MUP on the highest priority segment. The District of Sechelt, the Sunshine Coast Regional District and the Town of Gibsons have all provided, or been asked to provide, letters of support for the MUP initiative. The Society has also engaged with the Shishalh and Squamish nations through their official channels. Statements of support and, in some cases, formal partnerships, are required for some grant applications. CTCS anticipates grant funding will play a vital role in moving the initiative forward. The Society has also received letters of support from various community organisations, including the Sunshine Coast Regional Economic Development Organization and Sunshine Coast Tourism, among others. The priority segment, described as sections 4 to 7 in the preliminary report, extends from North Fletcher Rd in Upper Gibsons to Highland Rd in Roberts Creek. A considerable amount of work is required to plan for MUP construction on this segment. This includes archaeological and environment assessments, development of conceptual and detailed engineering plans, and government and public consultation and engagement. The Society estimates the cost of planning - which will get us to a shovel-ready state for this first segment - to be approximately $1.5 million. To get this planning underway we are in the process of applying for a federal Green Municipal Fund grant, which could generate up to $175,000 in matching funds if we are able to raise another $175,000 from our municipal partners and other sources. The Society is also applying for a Rural Economic Diversification Infrastructure Program grant of up to $500,000. The Society is also seeking planning and financial support from the provincial government directly, and to that end has met with Minister Rob Fleming, from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, other members of his ministry, and with Jonathan Robinson, executive director of Healthy Living and Health Promotion in the Ministry of Health. TraC and the Society are grateful for the role MLA Nicholas Simon has played in helping us engage with the provincial government. The Society’s work is still primarily volunteer driven. In 2023 TraC was awarded a $22,000 grant from the federal Community Services Recovery Fund to build fundraising capacity and capability for the Connect the Coast initiative. These funds have been used to build a government relations program, which is essential to the initiative’s success and fundraising, and to develop a fundraising plan. In addition, private donors have contributed approximately $60,000 to support the initiative to date. In the year ahead, the Society will maintain its focus on stakeholder engagement, fundraising and getting next-phase planning underway. Town of Gibsons In 2022, TraC worked with staff at the Town of Gibsons to obtain a grant from the province to develop an Active Transportation Network Plan and in February of this year the Town of Gibsons was awarded a grant. The purpose of this process is to develop a comprehensive active transportation network that will enable residents and visitors to safely get around on foot or with wheels to various locations within the Town. TraC is an active member on the Advisory Committee along with other community organisations. District of Sechelt TraC continued to act as a District of Sechelt referral agency. This means that development plans that impact Active Transportation are forwarded to TraC to provide comments. This year we provided feedback on the following referrals: Subdivision Application 3320-2022-05 - DL 3259 Tuwanek Subdivision 3320-2022-13 - 5100 Chapman Road Rezoning application 3360-2022-06 - Lot 5 Tower Road 5981 Shoal Way Rezoning Application - 3360-2022-02 We also contributed to the update of the District of Sechelt Transportation Master Plan through document review and participation in a workshop. The Mason Road phase of the federal-provincial jointly funded Active Transportation Infrastructure Improvement Project in West Sechelt is almost complete. This phase connects the Sunshine Coast Highway and Reeves Road with a multi-use path separated from automobile traffic. The next phase of the project will improve infrastructure on Reeves Road to the Crowston Connector and Kinnikinnick Park. MOTI Outside our engagement with Connect the Coast and the VCH Active Travel for Kids Committee TraC did not have any other engagement with MOTI. SCRD TraC and Connect the Coast worked with the SCRD and requested support for the Connect the Coast preliminary design, plans to move forward with our feasibility and started the process of requesting financial support for our Green Municipal Fund grant. Bike Counter This past year TraC finally received funding to purchase a bike counter from Vancouver Coastal Health and the BC Cycling Coalition. In October, volunteers learned how to set-up the counter and piloted it in front of Roberts Creek Elementary. SD46 has since asked to have it placed in front of Gibsons Elementary. The next stop will be in front of Elphinstone Secondary/Hwy #101 to collect bi-ennial data for the next version of TraC’s Active Transportation Progress Report. Going forward, the counter is available to be placed anywhere on the coast. Active Transportation Progress Report The next version of TraC’s AT Progress Report (formerly known as the AT Report Card ) is almost complete and will be released by the end of the year. Other Advocacy In 2023, we attended MP Patrick Weiler’s pre-budget consultation. We also held private meetings with newly elected local government representatives to discuss active transportation issues. Events Active Advocacy Nights This year we significantly ramped up our Active Advocacy Nights with events like highway road sweeping in Sechelt, Selma Park, Davis Bay, Roberts Creek and Gibsons, plus levelling out a slightly challenging corner on Helen’s Way in Gibsons. TraC sincerely thanks all volunteers who come out to these fun and important evenings for a bit of cycle love, sweat and beers. TraC’s active advocacy nights inspired the design and fabrication of a prototype bike lane sweeper pulled by bike. This sweeper enables efficient removal of debris - such as scattered rocks, nails, glass, etc. - with an electrically powered brush that lifts debris into bins at the back of the sweeper. The sweeper can be pulled by any bike (but e-bikes help on hills) with the use of a standard bike trailer connection. It was built at Lal Bikes in Wilson Creek in collaboration with Pierre Lermant from California, who had the original idea for such a sweeper. The sweeper was thoroughly tested, with the learning from this testing going into the design of a next prototype sweeper. The long term goal is to explore whether these bike lane sweepers could be commercially built in quantity for use everywhere where bike lane sweeping is needed. Slow Food Cycle Over 300 cyclists participated in the first annual Sunshine Coast Slow Food Cycle July 30 in Upper Gibsons. Presented by TraC with generous support from sponsors, including the Founding Sponsor, the Sunshine Coast Credit Union, the event enabled cyclists to visit up to 14 participating venues on a self-guided route. Event highlights included food samples from roadside farm stands, build-your-own pizza with ingredients you gather yourself, tours of larger-scale farming operations and having a chance to converse directly with informed food producers and farmers. Also, we heard overwhelming support for how events like this that support cyclists gathering together in a safe way greatly increased their appreciation and respect for the community we have on the coast. We received very positive feedback from participating vendors and participants. One participant’s quote is worth mentioning. They said, “It was amazing to see all the cyclists attending, stop at farms I had never been to and talk to the farmers, and simply the community of it.“ We are happy to announce we will be putting this event on again on July 28, 2024 (tentative) in collaboration with the One Straw Society and other community members. Town of Gibsons E-Bike Ride In June, TraC invited Town of Gibsons councillors, staff, and other community representatives from SD46 and Vancouver Coastal Health on a guided e-bike tour of Gibsons. The 1.5 hour tour demonstrated some of the current safety challenges of cycling in our community, but also showcased the joys of e-biking and how it is making cycling much easier for all in Gibsons. Following the tour, one grinning councillor said they had not been on a bike since 1976, and subsequently purchased their own e-bike two days later! GoByBike Weeks TraC hosted Celebration Stations in Gibsons and Sechelt during GoByBike Weeks in May and a fun wrap-up party at The Gumboot for all volunteers and riders. Earth Day In April, TraC hosted their annual booth at the Robert Creek Earth Day festival. There was a bike valet, bike tune-ups, and lots of discussion on the potential for more active transportation on the coast. The Engine Inside Movie Screening In November, TraC hosted a successful screening of the cycling movie, “The Engine Inside” at the Heritage Playhouse. The event was a partnership between Trac and Shoreline Law and coordinated by TraC member, Tim Howard. Tickets (135) sold quickly. Schools and Youth VCH Active Travel for Kids Committee TraC continues to collaborate with this group of organisations to explore ways to encourage more active travel for kids on the Sunshine Coast. Attendees include: Vancouver Coastal Health, SD46, District of Sechelt, SCRD, Town of Gibsons, and SCRD Transit. A new coordinator, Sally McBride, has taken over from Lianne Carley. They have recently identified five areas of concern that they plan to focus their advocacy efforts on. Many thanks to Jody Schick who continues to support these efforts with his suggestions and research on appropriate AT infrastructure goals. SD46 Active School Travel Support TraC has also supported SD46 and their Active Travel Coordinator, Johan Strohman, with their own AT activities. Over the past year we have: Attended strategy planning meetings. Participated in an SD46 meeting with ICBC to discuss ways to make active school travel safer for kids on the Coast. Attended additional site visits with ICBC and Town of Gibsons. Helped with four ICBC Road Safety Blitzes held at schools across the coast. Donated prize money for Active Travel Weeks. Placed the bike counter in front of Gibsons Elementary. SD46 continues to work seriously in the area of active school travel. NDVR Video In 2018, TraC received a grant from Vancouver Coastal Health to purchase ten bikes for the NDVR program in Sechelt. NDVR is a Sunshine Coast Alternative School (SCAS) program for at-risk youth in grades 5-7. For five years now, students in NDVR have learned how to ride bikes safely and have worked on their skills on local mountain biking trails. Local filmmaker and TraC member Greg Compton wanted to highlight some of TraC’s achievements and chose to feature the success of the NDVR program. The video includes SCAS outdoor education teacher Tom Harder who shows how he teaches students to ride bikes confidently on pavement and local trails, building life-long skills. The video has been shared by SCAS teachers, by SD46 and is currently on the TraC website. Free Transit for Youth Feasibility Study In the fall, TraC actively assisted a consultant hired by the SCRD to conduct a feasibility study on free transit for youth on the Sunshine Coast. These results will be presented to the SCRD board in November. Other Activities Other activities that TraC has been up to in 2023 include: Hosted a table at the Greenline Electric Ferries Open House. Hosted a table at the Banff Mountain Film Fest. Organisation Membership TraC’s membership increased by 68% in 2023 to 222 members. There are also 1,100 subscribers on our mailing list. Thirty-one percent of our subscribers are “highly engaged and often open and click” our email newsletters. The majority of members (60%) are on an annual subscription plan that renews automatically via PayPal. New Website & Logo In early 2023, TraC received a new logo courtesy of member Pamela Lee. In September we created a new website with more functionality for events. Thank You! TraC would like to thank all our directors, volunteers, and members who worked hard this year to make all these activities happen. If you would like to become one of our amazing volunteers please contact us . Previous Next

< Back Car Free on Cowrie is Saturday, September 7th May 11, 2024 Cowrie Street in Sechelt will be turned into a car-free zone with live music, food vendors, community booths, bike polo, free e-bike test rides, Pedal & Polish show, and more! Don't miss it! Previous Next

< Back Burger & Beer Night for Cyclists! Nov 6, 2024 Are you going to the Burger & Beer event for cyclists on Nov 6th at Persephone Brewing? TraC member, Christine Chandler, is organising a pub night for cyclists on Nov 6th at Persephone Brewing from 5 - 8 pm. Come geek out with all your cycling buds and take a shot at the somewhat challenging cycling quiz that TraC has prepared for the event! All proceeds will go towards the 50 Women fundraiser for Sunshine Coast Community Services Society's new housing project for women. Previous Next

Donate TraC is a provincially-registered nonprofit society and gratefully accepts any donations for our work. Note we do not have charitable status and are therefore not authorised to issue tax receipts. Please send an e-transfer to info@transportationchoices.ca indicating “Donation” in the note or send online via the button below. Donate

< Back "Wheelie Good Adventures" Cycle Touring Presentation Series Mar 19, 2026 Are you curious about cycle touring? Or looking for inspiration on new destinations? Join us as we travel Canada and the world by bike! Mar 18th Continuing South to Colombia Martin Prestage In 1996, Martin Prestage ‘almost’ completed an around the world bicycle tour, heading south but finishing in Costa Rica. Twenty-four years later in 2020, he continued his journey with a circuitous tour of Western Cuba, a short hop through Panama, and a sail through the San Blas Islands to Cartagena, where he embarked on a fantastic and hilly ride through northern Columbia. Join us to learn more about his most recent escapade to maybe, one day, reach Tierra del Fuego! Apr 8th A Tale of Two Trails Kylie Hutchinson & Mike Wilson In 2024 and 2025, Michael Wilson and Kylie Hutchinson embarked on two very different cycling journeys: 1200 kilometres on the Cascades Palouse Rail Trail across Washington State to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and a 1400 km loop from south of Ottawa to Montreal and back with stops on the Great Lakes Trail, Le P’tit Tren du Nord, and the Quebec Eastern Townships. Join us for the highlights of both adventures and get inspired for your next cycling trip! May 13th Independent Cycle Touring in Comfort - Spain and other destinations Stephen Forgacs & Pamela Lee Stephen and Pamela love cycle touring, but are no longer so keen on pitching a tent at every stop. Nor do they want to lug bulky bike boxes around on longer international trips that included just a week of cycling. As they discovered, it's easy to cycle tour independently and still have a shower and comfortable bed at every destination without breaking the bank. Hear their tips on cycle touring made easy, fun, comfortable and relatively affordable. Previous Next

< Back October 5th is the next Active Advocacy Event! Sep 11, 2023 For our next Active Advocacy event, we will be cleaning up The Great Wall of Sechelt! Join us! TraC’s Fall return to Active Advocacy starts Thursday, October 5th at the Great Wall of Sechelt . Meet at 6pm at the corner of Highway 101 and Shorncliffe Beach Access road (opposite the Law Courts) and we’ll head up to the separated bike path that runs parallel to the highway and at the foot of the Great Wall. It’s currently overrun with blackberry brambles and weeds and is impossible to ride on. Arm yourself with good gloves and some pruners and help TraC clear the way! Previous Next

Past Newsletters Stay on top of TraC activities with our regular newsletter. October 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 March 2025 February 2025 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024

Become a member TraC is a member-based organization. The more members we have, the stronger our voice and influence. For only $10 per year, you can help support our vision for more sustainable transportation initiatives on the Sunshine Coast. Members get the benefit of joining a unique group of enthusiastic individuals working together to improve walking, cycling, and transit options in our community through education, advocacy, and fun member events. Help keep TraC spinning and become a member today! INSTRUCTIONS: Choose your membership option below. Or you can pay via e-transfer . If you're not sure if you're already a member or not, contact us and we'll let you know! Annual Subscription Price $10.00 One-year membership Price $10.00

Are you curious about e-bikes? Are you thinking of buying an e-bike? E-bikes have become very popular on the Sunshine Coast and for good reason! They’re one of the funnest ways to get to work, school, run errands, or simply for recreation. And need we mention getting up School Road??? There’s a myriad of types out there, so how do you choose? Watch this webinar recording sponsored by the Clean BC Go Electric Emotive program and hosted by HUB Cycling where we cover considerations for choosing an ebike, battery charging, maintenance tips, and bust a few myths along the way. Special thanks to the Clean BC Go Electric Emotive program for their support in making this happen.

Sunshine Coast Car Free Day (Car Free on Cowrie) happens September 7th, 2024 in Sechelt. Join us for the Sunshine Coast's Car Free Day Get ready to embrace the freedom of the open road—without the cars! Join us for Car Free on Cowrie, an exhilarating celebration of community and fun! On September 7th, 2024, Cowrie Street will transform into a car-free haven, inviting locals and visitors alike to explore vibrant Cowrie Street in a whole new way. This is more than just a fun day out—it’s a chance to appreciate our shared environment and to strengthen our community bonds. So, leave the car behind, grab your bike, put on your walking shoes, and come celebrate with us! Event Details Date Time Location Who's it for What Cost September 7th, 2024 (Saturday) 12pm-5pm Cowrie Street in Sechelt Everyone! There'll be fun for all ages. This is a family-friendly event. Car Free on Cowrie is a community-based, volunteer-run event on the Sunshine Coast, BC, which closes a busy street to car traffic and sets up a day-long community festival to promote active transportation and public spaces. It is similar to other Car Free Days held around the world. Highlights of Car Free on Cowrie include: live music by The Hook Pedal & Polish bike show beer garden bike valet (easy bike parking) free bike tune-ups food trucks bike polo crokinole and pickleball kids activities lots more Attendance is free! Food and drinks will be sold by vendors. Event Sponsors The Sunshine Coast Slow Food Cycle is brought to you by TraC, a local member-based active transportation group. TraC’s mission is to support healthy communities and reduce the Sunshine Coast’s carbon footprint by promoting more active and sustainable transportation alternatives to private vehicles, including cycling, walking, and transit. If you care about making it easier for all Sunshine Coast residents to get to where they’re going without always having to use a car, please consider becoming a member! Join TraC

Slow Food Cycle on the Sunshine Coast, BC features a slow cycle around Upper Gibsons and Elphinestone to local farms, farmstands, with food and entertainment from local artisans and performers. Family-friendly and e-bikes welcome. Sunshine Coast Slow Food Cycle 2024 Register Already registered? No check-in required! Head to your first venue stop anytime after 11am. Not yet registered? Persephone or Sunshine Coast Credit Union (Gibsons) We'll get you setup and on your way in no time. Join us for TraC’s 2nd annual Sunshine Coast Slow Food Cycle Grab your favourite people-powered wheels and get ready for a great day of exploring our local farms and enjoying the bounty our local food producers and artisans have to offer! Last year’s event was a huge success and this year we’re excited to announce more vendors offering a wider range of locally grown produce and artisanal prepared food and refreshments. Bring a backpack or panniers because you’ll want to stock up on delicious offerings that you can enjoy as a picnic at one of the stops along the way or bring home for future meals. Event Details Date Time Location Who's it for What Cost July 28th, 2024 Ride 11am-4pm, afterparty @ Persephone 4pm-7pm At participating farms and other venues located in Upper Gibsons from Lower Road stretching to Chamberlain Road, just past Persephone on North Road. TraC members and anyone else who wants to join in on the fun! This is a family-friendly event for all ages and abilities and e-bikes are welcome. 16 participating venues invite you to come explore their locally grown and prepared foods and other artisanal goods on the Coast. The route contains ~20km of easy riding with less than 100m elevation. Highlights include: Scavenger hunt Farm animal visits Food truck Fresh produce (some organic) Two cideries, one distillery, beer farm Food samples Garden maze Artisanal goods, etc. $15 (TraC members) $20 (not-yet TraC members) Kids 18 and under ride free SPOTS LIMITED - REGISTER SOON Last year's event sold out and we expect this year's to do the same. Book your spot now to make sure you don't miss out! Register Same-day sign-up available at Persephone starting at 11am PARKING Parking is available for event participants at the Sunshine Coast Credit Union in Gibsons (985 Gibsons Way, Gibsons, BC V0N 1V8). If no space is available, please find other public parking. Please do not park at Persephone. We will have traffic managing the area and will have to direct you elsewhere. IMPORTANT Registration is required and can be done online, at Persephone Brewing (1053 Stewart Rd., Gibsons, BC) or the Sunshine Coast Credit Union (Gibsons location at 985 Gibsons Way) between 11am and 1:30pm Participants will be sharing the road with cars – this is not a closed course. Rules of the road apply and helmets required. Two managed road crossings will be available for spots to keep cyclists safe when crossing busy roads. We highly encourage everybody to use these supervised crossings and watch out for each other on the roads. Digital/PDF map will be available and will be emailed to participants before the event. After the Ride Join us from 4-7 at Persephone for music, drinks, chats with friends and some well-deserved helmet hair Monty Montego & the Rocksteady Crew PERSEPHONE GARDEN STAGE 2:30-4:30 Brothers in Farms PERSEPHONE GARDEN STAGE 5-7 Highlights from 2023 Why join the Slow Food Cycle? Because it’s super fun! And because it helps you feel like you’re part of a wider cycling community while supporting our local farms and food producers. The purpose of the Sunshine Coast Slow Food Cycle is to support local food and beverage producers and increase awareness of agricultural enterprises here on the coast while promoting the use of bicycles as a healthy and sustainable form of transportation. Founding Sponsor Second-Gear Sponsor Third-Gear Sponsors Frequently Asked Questions Can I walk or ride my scooter or other form of sustainable micromobility? Yes, although you may find it takes a long time to cover any of the available routes by foot! But so long as your mode of transportation is “single person sized” and electric or human-powered, we welcome your participation. What kind of food will be available at participating venues? Food offerings will differ from farm to farm depending on what is grown at each location, but you can expect to find fresh, locally grown fruits, vegetables, and mushrooms as well as some prepared foods (at the Shortcut food truck, for example) – and an incredible selection of cheeses at the Fromagerie De Baie! If we’re coming from the ferry, can we get a ride up the steep hill leading to upper Gibsons? Yes, we will be offering rides up the hill to people who pre-book and pay $5 in advance to reserve their ride. We’ll send out more info about this in future emails to registered participants. If you have any questions about this, please email heather.anderson@transportationchoices.ca . Where do I park? Parking is available at the Sunshine Coast Credit Union in Gibsons (985 Gibsons Way, Gibsons). There is no other designated parking. Please do not park on shoulders or other roadways that will interfere with cyclists. There is NO parking available at Persephone. Can I drive my car instead? Can I ride my e-bike? Yes, absolutely! We welcome e-bike users to participate. As with any situation where e-bikes and non e-bikes are riding together, we ask that all participants remain conscientious of their speeds and passing distances for the well-being of all road users. This is an event to promote active transportation so we would ask you not to drive as part of this event for safety reasons. There will be hundreds of cyclists on the roads where vendors are located that day and it would be better to keep cars separated from all those bikes as much as possible. We ask motorists to watch out for the hundreds of cyclists on the roads in upper Gibsons during the event and exercise patience and caution when they encounter cyclists. Do I have to register to participate? Yes, registration is required. As part of our efforts to keep everybody safe, we require all participants to read and sign our rider waiver to ensure you have all of the necessary information needed to participate in the event. What kind of safety measures will be in place to protect cyclists? We will have two managed crossings to help cyclists cross high-traffic areas. These crossings will be when crossing Highway 101 at the Roberts Creek turnoff (Hwy 101 at Highland Road) as well as at the intersection near Persephone (Hwy 101 at North Road/Stewart Rd). We will also have volunteer cyclists patrolling the routes to help people find where they’re going and ensure that cyclists all follow the rules of the road. As well, safety and info contact numbers will be supplied to all participants and the local authorities will be alerted to our event. Is this event safe for young children? This is a family-friendly activity and we encourage you to bring your children if they are experienced bike users or are being transported in a bike trailer or child seat on an adult bike. Most of the venues are on country roads, with some accessible only by riding through the town of Gibsons or for a short ride on the 101 highway just outside of town. Just be aware that ⚠️ participating cyclists will be sharing the roads with cars ⚠️, so only bring your kids if you’re comfortable with having them on bikes with larger vehicles driving past. Design & graphics by The Sunshine Coast Slow Food Cycle is brought to you by TraC, a local member-based active transportation group. TraC’s mission is to support healthy communities and reduce the Sunshine Coast’s carbon footprint by promoting more active and sustainable transportation alternatives to private vehicles, including cycling, walking, and transit. If you care about making it easier for all Sunshine Coast residents to get to where they’re going without always having to use a car, please consider becoming a member! Join TraC

< Back Join us at Car Free on Cowrie Aug 22, 2024 Join us on Cowrie Street in Sechelt for a day of family-friendly fun! We’re transforming the street into a car-free paradise to celebrate the local businesses and offer fun activities everyone can enjoy, including live music from local band The Hook, food vendors, a beer garden featuring tasty beverages from Batch 44 and Brickers Cider, bike polo, free bike tuneups, bike decorating, and more. Don't miss our unique "Pedal 'n Polish" (like a Show 'n Shine but with bikes)! Join us on Cowrie Street in Sechelt for a day of family-friendly fun! We’re transforming the street into a car-free paradise to celebrate the local businesses and offer fun activities everyone can enjoy, including live music from local band The Hook , food vendors, a beer garden featuring tasty beverages from Batch 44 and Brickers Cider , bike polo, free bike tuneups, bike decorating, and more. Don't miss our unique "Pedal 'n Polish" (like a Show 'n Shine but with bikes)! Previous Next