Paths for People is celebrating 10 years of advocacy, growth and impact in making Edmonton a friendlier place to walk, roll and cycle, and we hope you’ll join in on the celebration.

Help us forge a strong path forward – For a limited time your donation will be matched, amplifying the impact of your contribution

We’ve done big things over the last 10 years and our city has seen positive, impactful change, which is the kind of progress we hope to keep pushing for, but we can’t do it alone. As a volunteer-run organization, we rely on fundraising, grant funding and people power to create our advocacy campaigns and community events. There is strength in numbers and your support will help to ensure we remain a strong advocate for active transportation in Edmonton and that our members’ voices are heard. 

$10 for 10 years – Even a donation of just $10 goes a long way in supporting our work, and every dollar will be matched 50% by the Government of Alberta!

Save the date – Public event on July 17, 2025: Ask Me Anything, Urbanism Edition featuring special guest Ray Delahanty, content creator and youtuber behind CityNerd

The event, Ask Me Anything, Urbanism Edition, will feature an “ask me anything” format with four distinguished panelists, including Ray Delahanty, also known as CityNerd, a well-known content creator and YouTuber. Ray’s presence will be a major draw, attracting urban enthusiasts and fans from Edmonton and across the province. Joining Ray on the panel will be representatives from three local organizations: Edmonton Transit Riders (public transit), Grow Together Edmonton (housing), and Bike Edmonton (biking). During the evening, we will delve into the incredible work already being done in Edmonton, while discussing the challenges and opportunities in building a vibrant, sustainable, and inclusive multi-modal city that’s affordable.

Reflecting on the past and present – 10 years of advocacy

Formed in 2015, Paths for People is a non-profit organization made up of enthusiastic and strategic community-builders working to make Edmonton a friendlier place to walk, roll and cycle. 

“I am very pleased with the progression of Paths for People as an organization over the past 10 years,” says the group’s founding co-chair, Conrad Nobert. “The fact that it has continued to make a difference and remains very much an active stakeholder with the city is a testament to the hard work of Edmontonians who care about walking, biking and wheeling infrastructure in their communities. I’m not surprised that Paths for People has continued to be relevant, as there is a strong demand for active transportation infrastructure in central Edmonton, as well as a can-do community spirit that inspires Edmontonians to step up and make positive change.”

Paths for People outreach initiatives such as its city-wide Missing Links campaigns in 2019 and 2024 generated hundreds of public responses and identified gaps in sidewalk and bike network connections and pinch points within the active transportation network. The work resulted in the City allocating more than $17 million to complete missing sidewalk links from 2021 to 2026.

Results from the 2024 Missing Links campaign, along with 6 case studies that Paths for People has prioritized, will be unveiled at our Open Streets event on June 7, 2025. 

“As a valued member of the active transportation community, Paths for People has been a long-time partner in helping make Edmonton’s streets and paths safer and more livable,” says Sohi. “They have provided valuable feedback on the prioritization and planning of the Active Transportation Network Expansion Program and extensive collaboration in support of Vision Zero, the City’s goal of zero traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries.”

“Paths for People’s commitment has supported the evolution of how Edmonton moves, providing safe and direct options for those who walk, cycle and roll. I want to thank Paths for People for their insights, dedication and continued care for all Edmontonians,” Sohi adds.

Dive Into Our History

Looking forward – The road to active transportation options is gaining momentum

From an external perspective:

As Edmonton continues to expand its active transportation network, opposition in some parts of the city has been generating media attention, however Paths for People is energized by the strong showing of support from the community and advocacy partners as part of our recent campaign Stand for Safe Streets and Municipal Autonomy, which has surpassed 1200 supporters. We are also hopeful due to the City’s commitment to move Edmonton forward, so everyone has safe and viable alternative options to driving year-round – especially important for children and teens, those with medical conditions who can’t drive or those who can’t afford it.

“As Edmonton’s population grows from one to two million people, the way we move around our city is changing,” says Mayor Amarjeet Sohi. “Active Transportation options improve access for Edmontonians, reduce vehicle trips and traffic congestion for people who drive, and support healthy minds and bodies.”

From an internal perspective:

For the fifth year in a row, Paths for People has operated without an Executive Director and continues to be almost entirely volunteer-run. While we are working to address it, our capacity as an organization will remain a concern in the years ahead, particularly as the demands on our organisation outpace our ability to deliver work, combined with a lack of ongoing revenue streams. With this in mind, we will continue to be focused on:

• building our volunteer program to expand our board’s capacity;
• investing in our team through improved onboarding and training programs; and
• developing strategic policies and planning that will help use foster a sustainable and strong organizational structure.

From an advocacy perspective:

We will continue to focus on the city’s work on the Active Transportation Network Expansion project (the city’s $100 million investment in active transportation), which is going into its last two years of design and construction. We look forward to ongoing conversations with the city and communities as the project progresses. Stay tuned for events and other engagement opportunities as they are rolled out.

On another note, we will continue to engage on the Complete Streets Standard Review project with the City of Edmonton, affirming our support of this new policy as it sets the direction for wider sidewalks, better active transportation infrastructure, and slower vehicle speeds across the city

As fall 2025 approaches, we will be focused on the Municipal Election, which will include work to influence candidate platforms, create candidate scorecards, and promote the importance of voting, along with other initiatives.

As part of our election efforts and general advocacy, we are pleased to announcement that In September we are hosting a special guest, Anna Zivarts, for a 3 day visit to Edmonton. Anna is a disability and transportation advocate from Seattle, who is the author of When Driving Is Not an Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency, which describes her own experiences and challenges as a nondriver and explores how to make transportation more inclusive. Through this visit we hope to highlight the experiences and challenges that nondrivers face, which is over a third of our population, and bring awareness to the solutions that can help everyone, regardless of their needs and abilities, to participate fully in our society. Stay tuned for more information to come on this exciting initiative!

With all that said, let’s raise a glass to a great 10 years and cheers to many more impactful years ahead!

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