Kaslo’s Active Transportation Network Plan (ATNP) was officially approved at council's May 27 meeting.
Council went into a Committee of the Whole to discuss the final plan, and Tim Shah from Watt Consulting Group offered a presentation.
“The ATNP works to establish a vision and roadmap for managing how people walk, bike, and roll around the community,” said Shah. “The ATNP’s overarching vision is to create a connected, accessible, and sustainable active transportation network to be used by residents and visitors of all ages and abilities for commuting and recreation."
The plan outlines priority areas based on feedback of what’s most important to the community. Priorities include street and off-street improvements to create a more complete and safe network for both motorized and non-motorized vehicle users – extending sidewalks, connecting recreational trail systems, upgrading crosswalks, creating multi-use pathways, and designating corridors for bicycle users.
“The consultant was sensitive to Kaslo’s unique character as a rural, remote community with relatively low traffic volumes and some challenging terrain,” said Ian Dunlop, the Village’s manager of strategic initiatives, in his staff report. “So, we don’t see suggestions like a network of bike lanes… Rather, we see ways of sharing road space, introducing traffic calming, and reducing speed in some areas so that road users, be they in a car, on a bike, or walking, are treated more equally within that space.”
The Village retained Watt Consulting to develop the plan for $32,335, funded through provincial grants. Work began in May 2024 and followed a three-phase approach: research and technical reviews, key audience and public engagement, and plan development. Watt Consulting also recently completed a separate review of the Village’s road signs and pavement markings, with financial assistance from ICBC. Findings from this review were included in the ATNP.
Dunlop said some of the recommended improvements will need further study and detailed designs before they can be implemented.
“But this is the goal of the ATNP,” he wrote. “The plan is not meant to prescriptively solve transportation problems. It is a framework to help prioritize transportation improvements, guide strategic planning and capital investment, and help unlock future grant opportunities.”
The plan can be viewed online at kaslo.ca/p/bylaws-reports.
Asset renewal deficit
Chief administrative officer Robert Baker said he wanted to clear up some misunderstandings about the Village’s finances, namely the $800,000 asset renewal deficit that was discussed during budget season.
“On average, that’s how much additional money [the Village] would need to renew our assets ... and maintain our existing service levels,” he said.
It’s not a budget deficit: it’s an asset renewal deficit. In fact, Baker said, legislation doesn’t allow a municipality to operate with a budget deficit.
“We have to balance the budget every year and that’s what Kaslo has every year: a balanced budget, not budget deficit.”
Though council set aside funds in the budget for asset renewal, ideally the Village would have $800,000 more to ensure infrastructure is maintained and improved. This amount can change from year to year, said Baker, but on average it’s good to have $800,000 set aside.
Baker said Kaslo doesn’t have any debt, which is fairly rare for a municipality and means that the Village could use debt financing to remedy the asset renewal deficit.
He also clarified that the deficit is no fault of previous councils or staff; rather, it is thanks to their past work that this council has all the information it needs to make informed decisions about the Village’s assets.
