WHEREAS the Municipality of East Ferris has been involved in the regional effort led by Discovery Routes to develop safe cycling infrastructure while establishing the region as a cycling tourism destination;
AND WHEREAS Discovery Routes has developed a series of self-guided cycling routes around the Voyageur Cycling Route and the Trans Canada Trail that are attracting more and more cyclists north and to Highway 94 and other rural roads in East Ferris, including the Red Toque Tour Bike Ride, Spirit of the Bay Cycling Route, and Corbeil-Callander Cycling Loop;
AND WHEREAS these cycling routes and itineraries are promoted with tourism partners Tourism North Bay, Northeastern Ontario Tourism, Destination Nord Ontario, and Destination Ontario through various media;
AND WHEREAS Discovery Routes reports that Highway 94 is a favourite with cyclists as it provides looping opportunities around Lake Nipissing, Trout Lake, Lake Nosbonsing and their surrounding communities;
AND WHEREAS the Municipality of East Ferris has been an active and supportive partner as demonstrated by the following list of actions.
Investments:
- paving of shoulders on Lake Nosbonsing Road and parts of Village Road
- paving of shoulders on MacPherson Drive and parts of Centennial Crescent
- maintenance of outdoor bicycle repair stations at several parks
- installation and maintenance of bicycle route signs, racks, and benches
Actions:
- attracting the Ontario Cycling Championships to East Ferris for its annual races, which draws hundreds of competitive cyclists
- hosting the Voyageur 200, a charity gravel road race
- hosting the 2023 Ontario Cycling Tour, which included pedaling along Highway 94
- supporting the annual Fat Bike Ride for Jack events, hosted by the North Bay Mountain Bike Association on its local trails
Advocacy:
- developing an Active Transportation Master Plan
- participating in consultations in 2013 on the feasibility of a long-distance cycling route through northern Ontario
AND WHEREAS ensuring safe infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists in East Ferris is a priority for the Municipality of East Ferris, as outlined in its Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan;
AND WHEREAS this priority has led to the development of the Municipality's Active Transportation Plan, which sets goals and objectives, proposes the development of active transportation facilities over a 20-year period, recommends amendments to related municipal plans and policies and establishes an annual reserve for active transportation;
AND WHEREAS since 2022, the Municipality of East Ferris has widened 15 kilometers of road shoulders, including Lake Nosbonsing Road, parts of Village Road, MacPherson Drive and parts of Centennial Crescent;
AND WHEREAS the reclassification of Highway 94 from a secondary to a primary cycle route would provide opportunities for the MTO to invest in widening the highway’s shoulders in keeping with the direction taken by the Municipality of East Ferris;
AND WHEREAS it would enable cyclists to safely connect to the Trans Canada Trail by travelling to the Municipality of Callander’s Main Street or via the section of Highway 94 that already has widened shoulders and that extends south from Lansdowne Street, in Callander, to the junction with Highway 654;
AND WHEREAS both sections of Callander’s Main Street and Highway 654 form part of the Trans Canada Trail;
AND WHEREAS connecting cyclists travelling through East Ferris heading to the City of North Bay is much safer via Highway 94 versus Highway 17;
BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED that Council for the Municipality of East Ferris is requesting the Ministry of Transportation reclassify Highway 94 from a secondary to a primary cycling route;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution be forwarded to Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation; Herb Villneff, Director - North Operations, Ministry of Transportation; Vic Fedeli, MPP Nipissing; and the Municipality of Callander.