Cycle 16 – BC NDP – West Coast Climate Action Network

 

Let me start by saying I have always enjoyed the recreational aspect of riding a bicycle, as kids they were often the only means to get anywhere relatively quickly. Its also a wonderful notion to have a dedicated bike trail like they have in Europe, right here in the Bulkley Valley. The bike paths in Europe are made and paid for by the multi millions of people living there, we do not have that luxury, as I said its a great recreational sport, but not something you would want to bankroll from public deficits. I want to be clear here, we do not oppose building recreational trails for cyclists, its a great idea, what we oppose is using deficit spending to pay for it. That is not on the heads of the members, its on the heads of those who organized it.

The devil in the details.

The entire project was created as part of the NDP environmentalists agenda, one where you borrow money from a generation of children not yet born, to pay for the “sacred cow” of the “climate change” fanatics.

If we had not spent the last decade killing all of our resource industry as part of the climate action fanatics fantasyland, also part of the BC NDP agenda, we might just have been able to get industry to pay for the entire project as often today many industries do as a gift back to the communities they work out of.

The project costs are still not all accounted for and we are already in at a cost of $11.27 million dollars, all taxpayers money, all borrowed dollars, all added to deficit spending by governments. Its not a gift from Taylor Bachrack or Nathan Cullen, they borrowed other people money to give it to us. Hidden from us this was never about recreational sports, it was about the environmentalists agenda.

I hope everyone understands unless we get more resource development, the only option to actually pay for this luxury, is in increasing taxes, and that was exactly what Eby had in mind. “Under the 2026-27 British Columbia provincial budget introduced by Premier David Eby’s New Democrat government, taxes were increased by a total of $4 billion in new tax revenue over three years” Then we have the Town of Smithers under Glades Atrill doing the same thing, increasing our taxes, its a collaborative socialist effort.

Who would have guessed that the bike trail from Smithers to Telkwa was a tax funded dream of an aging environmentalist. It does not end there, we found a well crafted paper trail, the pieces are starting to come together, Linking former and retiring NDP Mayors of Smithers, to former MP Nathan Cullen, Taylor Bachrach and to Taylor’s personal friend, Tony Harris who helped coin the project alongside his wife Janet Harris. All of this is connected to the NDP push to replace gas and oil with bicycles. The Eco-Fanatics dream about saving the planet.

“A 2022 CICK/Canada Info report states explicitly that in 2000 Tony Harris and several biking friends envisioned a commuter trail between Smithers and Telkwa, and that Harris founded the not-for-profit society Cycle 16″ One of those friends was Taylor Bachrach

NDP cycling policy: The B.C. government introduced an interim cycling policy. In the legislature in 2000, NDP Transportation Minister Harry Lali explicitly said the province had been working with municipalities and non-profits on cycling improvements since that 1992 policy.1995–2000 — substantial provincial spending: By May 2000, the NDP government reported that the program had invested almost $11 million and created more than 500 lane-km of cycling routes in 52 B.C. communities.

 

 

Putting together the pieces of this hidden agenda.  Let’s start at the beginning, where it all started.

 

 

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Taylor Bachrach.

It all began with a man who came up north and was at the time already embedded deep inside the Sierra Club of BC, he initially moved to Telkwa, then ran for Mayor of Smithers. His name is Taylor Bachrach you can read more about him here. Keep in mind Smithers already had bike racks throughout the downtown core, this was a project to replace them all. The 2012 Annual Report, signed by Mayor Taylor Bachrach, says Council had empowered a seven-person Bike-Friendly Community Task Force to find ways to promote and facilitate bicycle transportation in Smithers.

The cost was cleverly hidden from taxpayers, among 26 capital improvement projects costing Smithers residents $2.47 million during 2013 – Quote from Taylor in 2013 – “On a broader scale, the plan will also further the Town’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by replacing carbon dioxide (CO2) generating transportation with active transportation options and decreasing dependency on fossil fuels vehicles” This was in reference to making bike lanes in Smithers.

 

There is a March 2012 Interior News article concerning Smithers’ greenhouse-gas reduction strategy and potential bike-lane projects. Bachrach was quoted discussing the possibility of combining bike-lane work with road paving and Gas Tax funding, arguing that the projects could advance both transportation and emissions goals.

 

Town of Smithers’ 2013 Annual Report. It says that during 2013, the Town implemented recommendations of its Bicycle Task Force, specifically including:

installation of bike racks throughout the downtown core; and
bicycle-route line painting on Third Avenue.

The report describes these as municipal capital improvements completed by the Town.

Bachrach’s connection

Taylor Bachrach was mayor of Smithers from 2011 through 2018. The timing is significant: the downtown rack program was implemented during his mayoralty.

There is also unusually direct contemporary evidence connecting Bachrach personally with the racks. A cycling publication describing Smithers in 2016 referred to him as “Mayor Bike Rack”, stating that he was a strong cycling advocate and was known for installing bike racks throughout town.

Town of Smithers 2013 Annual Report. It states that in 2013 the Town completed 26 capital improvement projects totalling $2.47 million, and specifically identifies:

implementation of Bicycle Task Force recommendations, including installation of bike racks throughout the downtown core and bike-route line painting on Third Avenue.

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Smithers Town Council — December 2011 to December 2014 – Councillors with a direct NDP connection. As we now can clearly see we are dealing with a loaded dice in favor of the BC NDP agenda, that also coincides with the “green wash agenda”

 

Councillor Charlie Northrup – Confirmed / documented connections

 

Bulkley Valley Community Foundation (BVCF) — BVCF lists Charles Northrup of Smithers among its directors. The foundation is a broad community foundation, not specifically an environmental organization, so this is an environmental-adjacent institutional connection rather than proof that Northrup was an environmental activist.
Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition (SWCC) — A 2026 article specifically identifies Charlie Northrup in connection with the Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia and says funding was being directed through SWCC. However, that article is an advocacy/activist website and makes numerous allegations without providing the underlying documentary evidence. I would not yet treat this as proof that Northrup was a SWCC director, employee or member.
Environmental issues he was involved with
Smithers environmental/emissions policy: While on Smithers council, Northrup participated in discussions about the Town’s emissions-reduction strategy. In 2012 he said that if the community was making environmental investments, residents needed to understand the rationale and participate in improving the environment.
Enbridge Northern Gateway: Northrup was on Smithers council when the Town debated whether to take a position on the proposed pipeline. The Tyee reported that he was disappointed and surprised that council proceeded with a vote when not all councillors were present. That is significant because it shows involvement in the issue, but doesn’t establish membership in an environmental organization.

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Councillor Bill Goodacre – (now deceased) – Documented NDP connections

 

BC NDP MLA, 1996–2001: Goodacre was elected as the New Democratic Party MLA for Bulkley Valley–Stikine in the 1996 provincial election. The official Elections BC results show him receiving 4,779 votes, or 37.02%.
Identified himself as an NDP member: In his first speech in the Legislature on July 2, 1996, Goodacre explicitly described himself as the “newly elected NDP member for Bulkley Valley-Stikine.”
NDP caucus member: The Legislative Assembly’s historical records list “Goodacre, Bill — NDP — Bulkley Valley-Stikine” among the members of the 36th Parliament.
1996 election campaign: His campaign was the official NDP campaign in Bulkley Valley–Stikine. Elections BC’s historical record confirms the party affiliation and result.
2001 election: He ran for re-election as the NDP candidate but lost the seat to Liberal Dennis MacKay. His electoral history shows 2,823 votes (21.29%) in that election.

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Councillor Phil Brienesse  – House of Commons records identify “Brienesse, Phil” as an employee travelling with MP Taylor Bachrach for constituency/community events.

2025 federal election: The Tyee identified Phil Brienesse as the Smithers organizer for Taylor Bachrach’s NDP campaign in Skeena—Bulkley Valley. Brienesse was quoted discussing the campaign’s results and polling-place returns on election night.
2006 federal election: Elections Canada records show Brienesse himself ran as the Green Party of Canada candidate in Skeena—Bulkley Valley, receiving 1,064 votes (2.8%).
Smithers municipal politics: Brienesse subsequently served on Smithers council from December 2011 through 2018, during the terms when Taylor Bachrach was mayor. The Town’s historical council record confirms both served together.
2026: Brienesse is currently listed by the Town of Smithers as a candidate for School District 54 Trustee, Zone 2. The Town’s candidate information does not identify him as an NDP candidate or endorse him on behalf of any party.

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Since that date Taylor Bachrach left municipal politics and gave way to his protégé, Glades Atrill to run as Mayor of Smithers while living outside of the Smithers property tax area. Again we want to reiterate, we love cycling, its a great sport, what we oppose is using borrowed money from the future, from taxpayers as a means for socialists to gain access to our wallets. All of these projects would ha and could have been great, and funded from resource development, but instead we have burned our children with massive deficit spending

 

Tourism Smithers and cycling/trails

Atrill’s connection goes further back through Tourism Smithers, where she was Marketing Director/Executive Director.

This is significant because Tourism Smithers has promoted Smithers as a destination for outdoor recreation, including biking and mountain biking.

For example, in 2016 Atrill signed a Tourism Smithers document concerning its relationship with Destination BC and Northern BC Tourism. The organization was participating in tourism marketing, photography/video projects and regional tourism initiatives.

There is also a particularly interesting cycling connection from her tourism work:

A Mountain Biking BC production about Northern BC’s mountain-bike culture specifically lists:

“Smithers Thanks — Gladys Atrill – Tourism Smithers”

The production featured Smithers mountain biking and local riders.

So there is documentary evidence of Atrill/Tourism Smithers being involved in promoting Smithers’ mountain-biking tourism, although that does not establish that she personally developed or funded the trails.

In 2023, while mayor, Atrill told incoming Coast Mountain College international students that Smithers offered opportunities for:

hiking,
biking on local trails and mountains,
paddling,
outdoor recreation.

Preliminary connection map

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Next we have Janet and Tony Harris. 

Janet Harris is identified publicly as a volunteer with Hopeful! Communities, a Smithers organization whose stated purpose is to encourage positive environmental action and individual/community responses to climate change. In 2025, the Wild & Scenic Film Festival’s profile of Hopeful! Communities specifically identified “Janet Harris, a volunteer with HOPEFUL!” and quoted her discussing the organization’s Earth Day environmental event. Hopeful! describes itself as a grassroots movement for positive action for the environment, including reducing carbon emissions, climate education, Earth Day projects and environmental awareness.

 

“Janet Harris is publicly identified as the primary contact for Hopeful Communities Society within the West Coast Climate Action Network’s member-organization registry. This is a much more substantive connection to the climate-advocacy network than merely attending an environmental event.”

“Cycle 16 — environmental/active-transportation connection  Janet’s Cycle 16 role is also environmentally relevant, although Cycle 16 is principally a transportation/recreation organization rather than an environmental NGO.”

 

Janet Harris’s documented Cycle 16 connection

• By 2017, Janet Harris was a director of the Cycle 16 Trail Society. A November 2017 Cycle 16 newsletter identifies her as one of the directors-at-large, alongside Tony Harris, Jeremy Shriber, Mary Brise, Greg Brown and Jill Dunbar.
• In December 2017, Harris was actively representing Cycle 16 in dealings with the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako (RDBN). An RDBN board document contains an email from Janet Harris, Cycle 16 Trail Society, requesting an RDBN letter of support for a $10,000 BC Rural Dividend Fund application for engineering drawings for the Smithers–Telkwa trail.
• By 2021, she remained part of the Cycle 16 board. The society’s April 2021 newsletter specifically thanks its board, listing Alison Watson, Janet Harris, Sue Harrison, Mary Brise, Dan Boissevain, Allan Cormier and Jeremy Shriber.
• In 2022 she was still participating in governance. The 2022 AGM minutes record Janet Harris moving the motion to appoint Greg Brown as chair and seconding approval of the previous AGM minutes.
• In 2022–23 she was identified as Cycle 16’s treasurer. Vision Zero BC’s project page identifies “Janet Harris, Treasurer, Cycle 16 Trail Society” and attributes a statement about completion funding to her.
• In June 2023, federal Hansard records Taylor Bachrach publicly naming Janet Harris among the Cycle 16 leadership/volunteer group while recognizing completion of Phase 1.

Tony Harris — Cycle 16 timeline

• Around 2000–2003: Contemporary accounts identify Tony Harris as one of the people who originally pursued a cycling/walking connection between Smithers and Telkwa. A 2022 CICK report says Harris and other cycling friends began advocating for the trail around 2000, and that Harris subsequently founded the nonprofit Cycle 16 society.
• 2015: Cycle 16’s own account says the project was revived after Jeremy Shriber approached Harris. Harris then participated in meetings with the Ministry of Transportation, MLA, MP and Regional District in May 2015.
• 2017: The engineering concept-design report lists “Tony Harris (President)” as Cycle 16’s principal contact.
• November 2017: Cycle 16’s newsletter lists Tony Harris — President, with Jeremy Shriber vice-president, Mary Brise secretary, and Janet Harris among the directors-at-large.
• 2019: Harris appeared before the RDBN on behalf of Cycle 16. He reported that the society had approximately 800 members and had raised $300,000, and discussed land acquisition, BikeBC funding, trail ownership and negotiations with government.
• November 2019: Harris was scheduled to make a formal Cycle 16 presentation to Smithers Town Council.
• February–March 2020: Harris, identified as President of Cycle 16 Trail Society, formally asked the RDBN to take ownership and assume maintenance responsibility for the proposed trail. The letter stated that Cycle 16 had purchased rights-of-way for Phase 1.
• 2021: Harris was still president. In an interview he described the history of the project and Cycle 16’s efforts to obtain government and community support.
• 2022: RDBN documentation identifies Tony Harris as a Cycle 16 director at the Phase 1 groundbreaking.
• June 2023: MP Taylor Bachrach specifically singled out Harris when recognizing Cycle 16 in the House of Commons, describing him as having pushed the project forward “since the very beginning.”

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On June 12, 2023, Bachrach spoke in the House of Commons about completion of Cycle 16 Phase 1. He specifically named the Cycle 16 executive and then gave Tony Harris a separate acknowledgment, describing him as his “friend” and recognizing his work on the project from its beginning.

On June 12, 2023, Taylor Bachrach made a statement in the House of Commons about the completion of Phase 1. He specifically named Janet Harris along with the other members of the Cycle 16 executive:

“Allan Cormier, Jeremy Shriber, Mary Brise, Janet Harris, Dan Boissevain, Teresa Monkman, Sue Harrison, Alison Watson and Don Morgan.”

 

At least $1,515,940 in federal funding associated with Cycle 16:

• $1,465,940 — federal infrastructure money for Phase 1
• $50,000 — federal planning grant to Cycle 16 Trail Society