Day #323 Incentives

I've been talking these last few days of involving the Canadian government in the promotion of cycling as a way to reduce CO2 emissions.
It may not seem feasible unless you look at the many aspects of it, and I've mentioned quite a few in this blog.
Here is another:
Creating a program similar to Britain’s “Cycle to Work” initiative. In this program the employer purchases a bike and related accessories for an employee who wishes to commute to work by bicycle. The employer then claims the taxes back from the government, and sells the bike to the employee at the tax-free price over an extended period of time with small deductions from the employee’s pay-cheque.
Or better yet, REMOVE THE TAXES ON BICYLES.
However, in lieu of waiting for that to happen, the government can also offer tax incentives to employers which set up bike lockers and showers for employees who wish to cycle to work.
They could also offer incentives to all businesses and towns/cities that set up safe bike racks for people/cyclists to park their bicycles while they are about their business or leisure in that area.
Remember how they asked politicians to spend a day in a wheelchair, before they had all the friendly incentives for the handicapped?
Well, why not have them spend a day as a cyclist!
Can you not imagine the progress we would then have.
Actually, Jack Layton would be allowed to stay home that day, because he already is bicycle active.
We will get there, hopefully sooner than later.
Karen