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HRM Votes: Mayoral Candidate Pam Lovelace’s Position on CNIB Call for Moratorium On New Bike Lanes

Oct 5, 2024 | Politics, Transportation

By Andrew Macdonald

In this edition of The Macdonald Notebook, we ask the three front runners campaigning to become HRM Mayor for their position on a call from CNIB to see Halifax City Hall place a moratorium on new bike lane construction.

Last weekend, in an old-fashioned news scoop, we reported that the CNIB has asked for a moratorium on bike lanes in HRM, citing safety issues for visually impaired folks, who have to navigate bike lanes around Halifax Regional Municipality.

In this edition of The Macdonald Notebook, we asked  mayoral contenders Andy Fillmore, Pam Lovelace and Waye Mason for their thoughts on this call by CNIB to stop building more bike lanes until better designs can be implemented.

Elsewhere on this website, we have responses from Fillmore and Mason. Candidates were given the opportunity to send written replies or do live interviews on the topic.

Pam Lovelace responded to the question by doing a phone interview with The Macdonald Notebook.

TOPIC: CNIB (Canadian Institute for the Blind) is calling for an immediate moratorium on new and more construction of bike lanes – until safety factors with those with visual disabilities are addressed in the design of new bike lanes.

Notebook: Do you support CNIB’s demand for a moratorium on new and more construction of bike lanes?

Coun. Pam Lovelace: “I do agree that we have a problem. I am not sure fiscally we could put on a moratorium, because we have contracts, obviously with our (bike lane) funders, the federal and provincial government who pay well over 90 per cent of the cost of these bike lanes.”

Notebook: The total cost of the bike lane program is $25M with the bulk of funds from governments in Ottawa and Halifax.

Lovelace: “While I agree that our accessibility and inclusion strategy lacks details for those who are visually impaired, I strongly advise our (government) funders, in particular, to work with HRM for a much better program that acknowledges the need for all individuals, whether they are visually impaired, or have disabilities that require wheelchair supports or walkers, etc.

“The mobility of our constituents or residents is restricted around our city streets, whether it because of construction of bike lanes or sidewalk installations and building construction. The municipality has a responsibility to provide safe spaces at all times.

“When CNIB comes out with a statement requesting a moratorium (on bike lane construction), the municipality must take that seriously and go to our (funding) partners with the federal and provincial governments and actually put a solution in place, to ensure that we are not impeding and causing harm, especially to those who are vulnerable.

Notebook: CNIB says it has lobbied HRM staffers at Public Works for the last four years without success to see better bike lane designs.

Lovelace: “Again, this goes back to the municipality accepting funds from the federal government for federal government priorities, and not necessary priorities that meet the needs of our constituents in HRM.

“This is part of the problem; to be fiscally prudent and responsible we must ensure that the contracts already out there (for bike lane construction) are acknowledged and fulfilled. But that being said, I am in agreement we need to do a review of where these priority bike lanes need to go. But, more importantly, the process of building bike lanes that do not impede or create hazard to vulnerable road users, including those who are visually impaired.”

Halifax councillor and mayoral candidate Pam Lovelace said during a debate Wednesday that she worries the region’s population growth will continue to outpace its housing supply if industry is not given the opportunity to catch up. The Notebook

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