active TRANSPORTATION
biking • walking • skateboarding • scooters • rollerblading
54%
of Penticton’s emissions are created by personal vehicles. All these transportation methods reduce GHG emissions and air pollution, promoting a healthier and happier community! 1 (City of Penticton, 2021)
INITIATIVES
BIKE RACKS
The Blue Skies Transportation Fund offers free bike racks for businesses and residential buildings in Penticton.
BIKE LANES
There are about 50km of bike lanes/ trails in Penticton.
ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION Benefits:
• Reduced GHG emissions/air pollution
- The ecological footprint of a cyclist is 1/10th of a commuting driver 2 (Transport Canada, 2011)
• Improving active transportation infrastructure has positive impacts on local businesses 2 (Transport Canada, 2011)
• Active transportation can help reduce the risk of developing chronic health problems 3 (University of Alberta, 2017)
• Fewer cars on the road reduces traffic and congestion
BIKE VALET
Every Summer, there is a free bike valet ran weekly by the City of Penticton. It happens at the Saturday Penticton Farmer’s Market from May until early September, 8:00am-1:30pm.
The bike valet is also offered at special events like Canada Day and Peach Fest. They accept active transport vehicles like bikes, scooters and skateboards! Keep an eye out for updates on the City of Penticton’s website and social media.
ZERO EMISSION VEHICLE Benefits:
• Reduced GHG emissions/air pollution
• Lower fuel and maintenance costs
PERSONAL vehicles
• electric vehicles
• anti-idling
• carpooling
ELECTRIC VEHICLES
In BC, drivers who charge their EV at home pay the equivalent of $0.25 per litre (in comparison to gasoline).4
(Canada’s National Observer, 2024)
ANTI-IDLING
Penticton City Council directed staff to action an educational campaign on anti-idling.
Carbon monoxide in car exhaust can cause abrasions in the lungs and aggravate asthma. Children and the elderly are especially at risk. Transportation fuels such as gasoline and diesel are the largest expenditure on energy in the community at
68MILLION
per year 1
(City of Penticton, 2021)
CARPOOLING
Sharing cars can save money, and fewer vehicles on the road reduces traffic.
public TRANSPORTATION
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Benefits:
• Reduces traffic congestion (by reducing vehicles on the road)
• More cost effective than owning a vehicle
- Even the cheapest model of car costs around $8,500/year.5 (Global News, 2017)
LOW CARBON FLEET PROGRAM
BC Transit’s Low Carbon Fleet Program aims to replace over 1,200 buses with electric buses by 2040.6
(BC Transit, 2019)
FREE U24 PASS
Youth aged 24 and under can register for a free U24 pass to receive free transit in Penticton. For more information, please visit www.penticton.ca/transit or scan the QR code:
Sources
1. City of Penticton. (2021). Penticton Community Climate Action Plan. https://www.penticton.ca/sites/ default/files/docs/our-community/ environment/2021%20Community%20 Climate%20Action%20Plan.pdf
2. Transport Canada. (2011). Active Transportation in Canada a resource and planning guide. https://publications.gc.ca/ collections/collection_2011/tc/T22-2012011-eng.pdf
3. Center for Active Living. (2017). Benefits of Active Transportation [Infographic]. University of Alberta. https://www. ualberta.ca/en/kinesiology-sportrecreation/media-library/research/centresand-units/centre-for-active-living/2017active-transportation-factsheet-rev.pdf
4. Saxifrage, B. (2024, July 31). Save a buck a litre? Canadian EV drivers do just that every day | Canada’s National Observer: Climate News. Canada’s National Observer. https://www.nationalobserver. com/2024/07/31/analysis/save-gasolineelectricity-litre-canadian-ev-driverscharging#:~:text=As%20the%20 chart%20also%20shows,%3A%20 ~%240.09%2FkWh
5. Alini, E. (2017, November 9). Own a car? You won’t believe how much that’s costing you every year. Global News. https://globalnews.ca/news/3832649/ car-ownership-costs-public-transitcanada/
6. BC Transit. (2019). Carbon Neutral Action Report. https://www.bctransit.com/ wp-content/uploads/430/552/2909_ BCT_CarbonNeutralActionReport2019Final-Version.pdf