Oak Bay’s Complete Streets Policy, endorsed by Council in 2012, states that “To develop Oak Bay's pedestrian, cycling, and public transit network, the decisions of the Municipality regarding transportation priorities and infrastructure improvements and spending will be guided by the transportation and mobility priorities of the Complete Streets hierarchy, as follows:

1. Walking
2. Cycling
3. Public Transit
4. High Occupancy Vehicles (HOVs) and movement of goods
5. Single Occupant Vehicles (SOVs)”

There are many factors that go into identifying routes for cycling including ensuring that accessibility to the route would work for those of all ages and abilities, where people who need higher levels of infrastructure will be – think about things like sidewalks on the routes to elementary schools or accessible curb returns near seniors residences.

We're also looking at how these routes would integrate with accessing Transit and how people will get to and from a bus stop. We look at where people are going to use these routes and how they connect to use generators like recreation facilities, shopping, schools and to other municipalities and how the routes would work together to not just make one route but how a network increases accessibility as well.

When prioritizing streets for construction we are looking at what needs to be done in terms of underground infrastructure, what the existing conditions are (parking, archeology zones, etc.) and how complex the project is. When possible, we work to integrate projects together to address aging underground infrastructure with the direction to address transportation infrastructure changes.

Existing cycling use is one piece of information we look at when considering routes as part of the network however, we are also ensuring routes are accessible for all users, connect residents to their destinations, and how the routes integrate with Transit. We are working to ensure routes are safe and convenient for pedestrians and cyclists to be able to have the choice to travel by low and no carbon transportation options.

Oak Bay Businesses are an important part of the community here in Oak Bay. They have been encouraged to complete the survey. As we begin conceptual designs where their businesses are located they will also be encouraged to participate in shaping active transportation

BC Transit is ultimately the decision maker on where transit routes go and where they terminate. We are in regular contact with BC Transit and this comment will be shared with them for their consideration.

Yes. All schools with catchments in Oak Bay have routes identified for connection to them directly or via routes in neighbouring municipalities. We have shared the questionnaire with all schools that have catchments in Oak Bay to share with their school communities.

Yes – incident data from ICBC and Police is incorporated into our planning to see where intersections and roadways have the highest rates of incidents. We also use the data when reviewing intersections along our cycling routes to see if there are ongoing issues that can be addressed through engineering changes.

Current cyclist use is only one piece of the information we consider when identifying routes. So is accessibility, presence of vulnerable users, access to transit, and connectivity to schools, commercial zones, recreation and routes in other municipalities.

We began updating our data collection in the spring and will be continuing to collect vehicle speed and volume data as we begin conceptual design for each project. Bicycle data collection is a part of it but is not the only information we are looking at. We are currently focusing data collection on the proposed routes but we do regularly collect data on roads throughout Oak Bay.

ATS does have dedicated funding which was approved in 2024. We are working on developing our implementation plan for how and how much of the budget Council would like us to spend on what kind of projects.

For cycling we do currently have a 5-year implementation plan. We are working to complete this engagement to keep on schedule for the 5-year plan for cycling implementation.

E-bikes and E-scooters are an emerging technology that makes active transportation more accessible to more users. With that comes some challenges. E-bikes and E-scooter are regulated by the Province and the enforcement of regulations is done by local Police Agencies. We are planning to have discussions with the Oak Bay Police about how we can support their enforcement efforts.

In terms of inclusion in the strategy, E-bikes and E-scooters are methods of active transportation and are included under bikes and rolling options.

Multi-use pathways are one type of possible active transportation facility and are great for those that are using multiple forms of active transportation. When considering these kinds of facilities, we look at potential use rates which help to inform us how wide this pathway needs to be. The higher volume of users, often the greater the required width of pathway. If the risk of conflict is high, then we look at alternative facility types.

Safety statistics in BC on multi-use pathways is limited as these collisions are not reported to ICBC, however, there are ongoing discussions about how we can be more informed about incidents involving cyclists and pedestrians at a regional level. Available information from other regions has generally shown low risk with these kinds of facilities however. Before installing this kind of facility we will be looking at potential risks and reducing those by ensuring good visibility and width for separation between users.

The completed Pedestrian and Sidewalk Master Plan is available on our website.

Council directed that the engagement process be led by Staff. Council’s role as decision maker is to review all the inputs that they have requested, including community feedback, technical advice from Staff, statistics, etc., and use these inputs to make a decision

We are planning to bring the updated plans before Council in early 2026.

Previous experience and engagement is being taken into account and will help us inform decisions on how we plan to move forward. This engagement is part of that plan alongside the phase 2 engagement on route specific design.

Phase 2 engagement will be a rolling engagement for route specific designs. For example we engage on the first route in early 2026 and work on design and subsequently start construction late 2026, while we start engagement for the second route in mid 2026 etc.

The current community engagement will be reflected in the updated Active Transportation Strategy and will help to inform us on how we proceed in the capital planning process. This feedback, as well as feedback from other engagements, will help us to shape the communities priorities in relation to active transportation moving forward.

The three projects identified as quick-wins will begin construction this year. McNeill Avenue starts in September and Henderson and Haultain-Estevan projects are being posted for the construction tender in the next couple of weeks.

There are various forms of cycling upgrades as described above. McNeill has multiple types of cycling facilities along the route. As we continue to design and build infrastructure we will consider the best options based on the BC Active Transportation Design Guide, the Transportation Association of Canada Standards, and the National Association of City Transportation Officials Guides.

Beach Dr is identified in the Active Transportation Strategy but was not identified as a priority in the 2023 recommendations due to the complexity and significant cost. We could build 6 or 7 or the other segments for the cost that we could implement Beach Dr. The focus is on commuter routes that connect people to and from destinations and less on the recreational routes.

Beach Drive will remain on the list to be completed once the commuter routes have been completed.

Currie Rd is one of two options for connections between McNeill Avenue and Beach Drive. We’d like to hear your feedback on which of these options would be preferred or if there is an alternative option to consider.

The traffic volume count from 2023 on St Ann’s Street had motor vehicle volumes that exceeded the criteria for a neighbourhood bikeway. With both the Fire and Police Stations being located on St. Ann’s St the likelihood of being able to slow or reduce vehicle volumes through traffic calming or diversions is limited. The route also connects school age children to Willows Elementary School and Monterey Middle School which increases the likelihood of vulnerable users on the roadway therefore it was recommended to consider protected bicycle lanes along this segment of road.

While this is what was recommended that does not mean it is what we will be installing. When the Central Oak Bay Corridor begins phase 2 engagement, we will be collecting new traffic data to help inform possible design options for the public engagement.

Richardson St is a great example of a Level 3 Neighbourhood Bikeway which consists of traffic diversions as a method to reduce vehicle volumes. These kinds of treatments will be considered for Neighbourhood Bikeways.

Cook Street in Saanich between Maplewood and Quadra is no longer considered a AAA facility. This is because as cycling has become a more viable option for user, the Transportation Association of Canada has updated guidelines. There are several reported concerns with the Cook St facilities including motor vehicles driving into and parking on the lanes.

The BC Active Transportation Design Guide and the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) both have design components and guidelines specifically for intersections and crossings. For all new designs we follow the standards and guidelines for improvements for safe intersection design.

Every improvement looks a bit different but with every project we are looking to see what improvements can be included for all vulnerable users (accessible curb drops, crosswalks etc.). Descriptions and examples with photos are provided on this page.