Thanks to Ald. Lori Baldwin-Sands for passing along the current Share the Road Cycling Coalition newsletter.

It’s timely in that it outlines The Active Communities Pledge – an initiative to increase the visibility of active transportation issues in the upcoming municipal elections.

Here is a relevant excerpt:

“With just under month before the October 25th municipal election we ask that you do what you can to engage your colleagues – and your candidates – where you live in the discussion about how to ensure that cycling is a part of the vibrant debates which are taking place in communities across Ontario.

Your first step should be to ask your local candidates to sign the Active Community Pledge on our website – all the information you need to get going follows this message. The Pledge is already up and running here

The newsletter continues …

The Active Community Pledge

The Active Communities Pledge is an initiative to increase the visibility of active transportation issues in the upcoming municipal elections. We’d like your help in promoting this campaign in your community as part of our efforts to build support for cycling in communities across Ontario and provide candidates with an opportunity to join a movement that is gathering momentum in our province – the desire to build Bicycle Friendly Communities as part of an overall livable communities agenda.

The Pledge asks political candidates in the October 25 Ontario municipal elections, to: promote active transportation in their community, advocate for the 3 ft/one metre passing law (Bill 174), and support their municipality becoming a Bike Friendly Community by applying to the Bicycle Friendly Community program. The full Pledge text – and other information about the campaign – is available here

You can support the Active Communities Pledge campaign in the following ways:

If you’re a candidate – go to our website and take the pledge!
If you’re not, forward this message to active transportation advocates in your community – members of your club, your local retailer (have them display information in their store!) and members of the local bicycle advisory committee if you have one.
Contact your local candidates for municipal council and mayor. Ask them to take the pledge and let you know when they’ve done so. We will also keep track of the list of who takes the pledge and provide updates. Deadlines are always helpful: ask candidates to take the pledge by October 18th so that you can publicize results that week as voters consider their choices in the days before Election Day during the final communications blitz.

Promote the campaign in your community –

Through active transportation and community events (why not invite candidates to join you on a community ride?)
By contacting the media, letting them know that you have been in touch with candidates to take the pledge.
Finally you can publicize the list of Bike Friendly Candidates in your community.