Letter MOTI re Cycling & Pedestrian Safety on Pender

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Preserving Island communities, culture and environment 
        Bowen  Denman  Hornby  Gabriola  Galiano  Gambier  Lasqueti  Mayne  North Pender  Salt Spring  Saturna  South Pender  Thetis 
 
 
North Pender Island Local Trust Committee 
200-1627 Fort Street 
Victoria, BC V8R 1H8 
Telephone:  250.405.5151 
 
Email: NorthPenderIslandLocalTrustCommittee 
           @islandstrust.bc.ca 
Web:  www.islandstrust.bc.ca      
 
 
January 21, 2020         File No. 5595-30 
 
The Honourable Claire Trevena 
Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure 
PO Box 9850 Stn. Prov. Govt. 
Victoria, BC V8W 9T5 
 
Re: Supporting Cycling and Pedestrian Safety on Pender Island 
 
Dear Minister Trevena, 
 
I am writing on behalf of the North Pender Island Local Trust Committee (LTC) to ask the Ministry of 
Transportation and Infrastructure to help support cyclist and pedestrian safety on North Pender Island. 
Currently, cycling and walking on the roads on North Pender Island is not safe. Road shoulders are small 
and non-existent in some areas. In a 2012 survey, the majority of 300 respondents identified that they 
would walk and cycle more if they felt safe on the road. No substantial road improvements have been 
made since then. Recently, North Pender Island residents have identified to LTC members that the lack of 
feeling safe on the road is the main reason they are hesitant to ride their bikes and e-bikes.  
 
We believe that given the Province’s responsibility for road safety, commitment to climate mitigation and 
promotion of the Islands Trust Area as a tourist destination, it has a responsibility to both residents and 
visitors to ensure that active transportation options are safe options for moving around on the islands in 
the Islands Trust Area. North Pender Island is featured prominently in Destination BC promotions which 
identifies North Pender Island as an ideal place to hike and bike. As such, improving safety for cyclists and 
pedestrians on North Pender should be a priority for the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure as 
well as the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.  
 
North Pender has a clearly laid out cycling and pedestrian route in its Official Community Plan. The North 
Pender Island “Magic-Ferry Bicycle-Walking Route”, connects the BC Ferry dock at Otter Bay with 
commercial areas and our largest populated area (Magic Lake). This trail parallels the Capital Regional 
District’s proposed route for North Pender in their Gulf Island Regional Trails Plan. The vision identified in 
North Pender Island’ s OCP and the CRD’s Gulf Island Regional Trails Plan would be to have a network of 
pedestrian and bicycle paths separate from vehicular traffic.  
 
We understand that realizing this vision will require collaboration across levels of government. We will be 
encouraging the CRD to consider prioritizing North Pender’s interests as they work to achieve their Gulf 
Island Regional Trails vision. The North Pender LTC wants the Province to u

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