Want to improve your commute and have a chance to win a pizza?

Natalie Bandringa, Capital Regional District, with input by CPO1 Al Darragh, Base Chief — CFB Esquimalt is working to improve the quality of life for Defence Team members and promote adopting more sustainable commuting practices.

To help us achieve this, we have partnered with the Capital Regional District (CRD) to pilot a Sustainable Commute Planning initiative. The goal is to encourage more CFB Esquimalt Defence Team members to choose sustainable modes of transportation (walk, bike, bus, carpool) for their daily commute more often by reducing barriers in accessibility, safety, convenience, and comfort. CFB Esquimalt (all locations) and Seaspan (Esquimalt Graving Dock and Colwood Warehouse locations) are participating in this pilot.

CFB Esquimalt is the third largest employer in the capital region. It employs approximately 6,500 people, comprised of 4,500 military members and 2,000 civilians. Whether you currently drive, bike, bus or carpool and are looking to improve your commute or have concerns about traffic safety, active transportation, or accessibility concerns on your route or at your worksite, we hope that your participation in this pilot will start these conversations and work toward improvements.

As the first step to better understanding current commute habits to and from CFB Esquimalt Base and Reserve Units, the CRD will conduct an online baseline survey between May 15 and May 31, 2023. Chief Petty Officer First Class (CPO1) Al Darragh, Base Chief, has sent an email with a link to the survey: https://surveys.crd.bc.ca/surveys/cfb-esquimalt-commute. The CRD manages all information collected and will only share disaggregated and summarized data with CFB Esquimalt and other partners such as local government planners and engineers and BC Transit.

The survey seeks to gather information such as where you are commuting to and from, your primary current and preferred mode(s) of commuting, and what factors affect your mode choice. You will also have the opportunity to identify locations where you have concerns or ideas to improve road, trail, or worksite infrastructure to encourage sustainable commuting or other ways to make it easier. The survey offers an option to identify yourself for follow-up conversations should you wish to do so.

At the end of the survey, you will have the opportunity to enter a contest to win one (1) of 25 gift cards (valued at $50) from select local pizzerias!

Please complete the survey. It should take about 15-20 minutes of your time.