ISL at AT Summit in Victoria

Retrofitting Suburbia: Coquitlam’s Path to Award-Winning Complete Streets

Theatre

Time: 10:00 am – 11:30 am

How does a growing suburban city build an active transportation network that works for people of all ages and abilities? In this session, Scott MacDonald of ISL and Payvand Razaghizad of the City of Coquitlam explore Coquitlam’s journey, starting with early projects where engagement challenges reshaped the City’s approach to project delivery. They’ll cover the Core Micromobility Network and Project Implementation Process that helped secure Council support, along with the design guidelines and phases behind the Guildford Way Transportation Improvement Project. In 2026, the Institute of Transportation Engineers recognized Guildford Way as North America’s top Complete Street, and the project delivered a 99.4 per cent reduction in critical and high-risk conflicts. A screening of “Don’t Give Up at the Intersection” brings the session to a close, offering a closer look at how the corridor was redesigned.

Engagement Improves Accessibility: Inclusive Design for a Floating Island Bus Stop in New Westminster

Oak Bay Room

Time: 12:30 pm – 1:45 pm

A floating island bus stop places the bus boarding area on a platform, with the bike lane running between it and the sidewalk. In this session, Grant Ngieng of ISL, Lacey Hirtle of the City of New Westminster and Tommy Leung of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) share how people with lived experience shaped the design of one of these stops next to a major aquatic centre in New Westminster. Working with CNIB, the Rick Hansen Foundation and orientation and mobility specialists, the project team identified real-world barriers and changed the design in response. The session covers the engagement approach, the feedback received and the design changes that followed, along with recommendations for future floating island bus stop projects.

Why We Build It: Telling Victoria’s Active Transportation Story

Theatre

Time: 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Reallocating road space or restricting vehicle turns can be controversial, and these changes are sometimes framed as a “war on the car.” The goal behind them is a safer, more equitable transportation network that works for more people. In this session, Roy Symons of ISL, Tim Hewett of the City of Victoria and urbanist and YouTube creator Nic Laporte share how they’re using storytelling to explain why these investments matter. Nic will screen his original short film on Victoria’s cycling infrastructure and premiere a follow-up film on what that infrastructure has made possible, from broader community benefits to the city’s emerging cargo-bike culture. Opening remarks from all three panelists and time for questions and discussion round out the session.