What’s in Yellowknife’s proposed transportation plan?

What’s in Yellowknife’s proposed transportation plan? Emily Blake Friday September 18, 2026 at 5:57am MT Yellowknife's 50 Avenue on May 8, 2026. Ollie WIlliams/Cabin Radio Share After nearly a year of development, the City of Yellowknife has released its proposed transportation plan, which will guide how people move around the city over the next 25 years. The city says the 389-page plan, titled Let’s Move YK, is the first “single, unified roadmap for Yellowknife’s transportation network.” The plan brings together existing studies, strategies and policies as well as a future vision for movement across the city. The plan outlines the current status of transportation in Yellowknife, including challenges and opportunities. It also sets out an implementation plan with short, medium and long-term actions. The ultimate aims are: providing people with comfortable, convenient, reliable and equitable transportation choices year round; reducing emissions; providing a connected transportation network; improving health, wellbeing and safety; and ensuring the efficient movement of people and goods to support the economy. Let’s Move YK still needs a final stamp of approval from mayor and council, who are expected to vote on the plan at their next council meeting on September 23 – one of their final acts before a municipal election in October. Advertisement. Advertisement. People can contact city council to share their thoughts on the plan ahead of the vote. Most Yellowknifers currently drive According to a 2025 survey completed by 715 households, driving is the main mode of transportation used in the city. Survey respondents reported taking 68 percent of daily trips by private vehicle. Of those, 71 percent were single-occupancy. The survey says 88 percent of all Yellowknife households own at least one vehicle. The survey found 19 percent of daily trips were on foot, 7.6 percent by bike, two percent by school bus and 2.3 percent by public transit. Two-thirds of households own a bicycle or “micromobility device,” meaning the likes of e-bikes, e-scooters and skateboards. Advertisement. Advertisement. People living downtown and members of low-income households were the most likely to say they regularly walk, bike or take public transit, the survey said. Bicycles lean on the fence of a community garden in Old Town. Emily Blake/Cabin Radio An analysis of survey responses found that, based on distance, 48 percent of driving trips could be completed by…