No specific statements or platform concerning cycling and active transportation appear on the candidate’s website or social media (accessed 2 Oct 2018).
From Vote Winnipeg 2018 (Winnipeg Free Press) accessed 2 Oct 2018:
Q: “What is your position on reopening Portage and Main to pedestrians?” “I am against reopening Portage and Main to pedestrians at this time. With my background as a Paramedic, safety is always a top priority for me and I believe opening Portage and Main provides a safety risk. The high volume of traffic through that intersection would be adversely affected and the daily commute time for thousands of Winnipegers would increase. In addition to that, the millions of dollars that would be spent on this project could be spent in so many other ways that are really needed within our city and could bring direct improvement to the lives of many in our communities.”
Q: “What should Winnipeg’s plan be for the future of public and active transit?” “Our current transit system isn’t keeping up with how the city is growing and developing. If we are to increase ridership, we need more effective and accessible transit. I believe increasing the reach of feeder routes so all Winnipegers have access to transit, as well as increasing the frequency of main routes is how we need to grow our transit system. There is a need to reassess the existing routes and their ridership, so buses are neither empty or so full that they have to pass by bus stops without stopping. We need to put the enormously expensive bus rapid transit plan on hold, and take just a small portion of the money it takes to build one rapid transit corridor and invest it into making our current system efficient and effective for the most Winnipegers possible before we consider a rapid transit system in the future. Safety also needs to be forefront in the future of our public transit, and having a plan to protect the riders and operators of our buses is paramount.”
From Winnipeg Votes 2018 (CBC) accessed 18 Oct 2018:
Q: “Will you work with other wards/municipalities to help improve active transportation links across the city?” “That’s something my team has looked at — some people have been talking [about] if we need more bike lanes out of Transcona going downtown. Those are always good options. I’m not opposed to things like that as long as it’s fiscally responsible and good for safety for both drivers and cyclists.”
Q: “What can be done to improve transit service in the area?” “We have to look at where we are spending our money. A lot of people are talking about rapid transit, and if this is a good thing or not. I understand we need to get people going places faster, and we need to get that done now. Buses for a lot of people are, if not an option, a necessity.… We also have to look at why ridership is down. Just from what I’ve been [hearing] people just don’t feel safe, or they’re going be waiting, [It’s] just not a great service.”
The candidate did not complete the 2018 all-candidate environmental survey: A coalition of Winnipeg Environmental Organizations compiled questions for an all-candidate (Mayoral and Councilor) survey with questions relating to the environment, including AT.
Email: ShaneGeschiere2018@gmail.com