The approximately $4.4-million project that will see some some major changes and upgrades to Canada Avenue by both the City of Duncan and the Municipality of North Cowichan that was scheduled to begin this year will likely be deferred until 2026.
Duncan CAO Peter de Verteuil told council in a report at a meeting in December that the city and North Cowichan will be requesting a deferral from the Federal Active Transportation Fund, which had agreed to supply a $1.9-million grant towards the project, but with a deadline to use the grant by March 31, 2026.
De Verteuil said Duncan and North Cowichan need more time in order to accumulate additional capital funds to complete the project, so it’s unlikely they will meet the deadline to use the grant, so the municipalities are looking for an extension to the deadline from the FATF.
“Designs (for the project) are now at 60 per cent and will be continuing to progress forward in cooperation with North Cowichan,” he said.
The Canada Avenue “Complete Streets Project” between Beverly Street and Sherman Road, which has been in the planning stages for years, is primarily an active transportation initiative that also includes utility upgrades and streetscape improvements along 835 metres of the central thoroughfare. Improvements to active transportation infrastructure along the Canada Avenue corridor has consistently been identified as a priority by both Duncan and North Cowichan.
The new active transportation facilities along Canada Avenue is planned to provide continuous connections between Sherman Road’s existing pedestrian network, which is within the Municipality of North Cowichan, and Beverly Street, with a direct connection to the existing Friendship Trail into downtown Duncan.