Cycling in Canada

Bicycle commuters in Ottawa

Cycling in Canada is experienced in various ways across a geographically huge, economically and socially diverse country. Among the reasons for cycling in Canada are for practical reasons such as commuting to work or school, for sports such as road racing, BMX, Mountain bike racing, freestyle BMX, as well as for pure recreation. The amount and quality of bicycle infrastructure varies widely across the country.

Sport cycling

Sport cycling is a minority sport in Canada. Various disciplines are practiced across the country to different degrees. In Quebec older, more "European" disciplines like road racing and track cycling are popular (they also have smaller following in English Canada). Newer "extreme" disciplines like bicycle motocross, cross-country cycling, downhill mountain biking and freeride are relatively popular in areas with the appropriate facilities. Many ski hills and resorts in Canada are converted to downhill biking in the summer months. Mountain biking in British Columbia is quite popular, in particular freeride originated on the North Shore near Vancouver.

Canada's only cycling gold medalist in Lori-Ann Muenzer who won the Women's sprint in Athens in 2004. Canada's first winner of one of road racing's three most prestigious Grand Tours was Ryder Hesjedal in 2012. Two Canadians have worn the yellow jersey in the Tour de France: Alex Stieda (who led the race in 1986) and Steve Bauer (who won the opening stage of the 1988 Tour, led the race for five days, and eventually finished fourth overall). Bauer was also the first Canadian to win an Olympic medal in road racing, finishing second in the road race at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, before taking a bronze at the Road World Championships in Barcelona later that year.

Recreational Cycling

The bikeability or bicycle-friendliness of cycling in Canada varies considerably by region. There are thousands of kilometers of bike lanes or paths in Canadian cities. Many multi-use trails connect cities and suburbs on old rail right of ways, known as rails to trails. Rural bicycling is quite popular in less-remote areas using the many low-traffic rural roads or wide shoulders on rural roads. A long distance multi-use trail that will have many sections for cycling, is slated to be completed in 2017, see Trans Canada Trail. It is somewhat not uncommon to see cyclists travelling across Canada on the shoulder of the Trans Canada Highway. Most of Canada's northern landmass completely lacks any bicycle infrastructure.

In comparison to Europe, Canadian cities are not as bike friendly. Canadian cars are larger with more blind spots, cities have higher speed limits, highways often travel in or near the core of the city and there is more on-street parking which can present more door zone hazards for cyclists. Consequently, some inexperienced cyclist will use a "pedestrian" style of riding where no cycling facilities exist in order to feel safer cycling in the city such as by riding on the sidewalk, rather than on the roadway. Although pedestrian cycling is technically illegal - as bicycles are deemed to be vehicles under the laws of all provinces - it is a common method in small town and suburban Canada (where pedestrians on sidewalks are often rare). Canadian cycling advocates typically favour segregated cycle facilities (bike paths and bike lanes) so that cyclists do not have to ride in mixed traffic with motor vehicles. Protected bike lanes or cycle tracks have been adopted in strategic corridors in Montreal, Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon and Ottawa with plans to add protected bike lanes in Victoria, Winnipeg and other cities across the country wanting to improve rates of active transportation.[1]

In 2011 the province of Nova Scotia passed a law requiring all motor vehicles to give cyclist 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) of clearance to protect people riding on the shoulder.[2] The narrow streets of Downtown Halifax (the provincial capital) were originally designed for horse, cart and bicycle and they thus require drivers to share the road with a mix of other users. The city is small and reasonably easy to navigate by bicycle as infrastructure is gradually improved each year.

Commuting Cycling

Bicycling to work has been popularized by a grassroots cycling advocacy movements across Canada. A popular bicycle commuting campaign in British Columbia known as Bike to Work Week BC occurs in May each year and pits workplace teams in friendly competition with other workplaces in their community for a variety of prizes.

The 2011 Statistics Canada National Household Survey recorded that the highest proportion of bicycle commuting to work metropolitan areas in Canada were; Victoria (British Columbia) at 5.9%, Kelowna (British Columbia) at 2.6%, Ottawa (Ontario) at 2.4% and Kingston (Ontario) at 2.2%. Victoria states 11% of commuters went to work by bike in 2014.[3] Victoria has a very mild climate year-round compared to the rest of Canada which may explain why the proportion of cycling commuters is so much higher.

In Toronto, the country's largest city, and the city with the longest average commutes in all of North America, cycle-communing has quickly gained popularity. In 2010, however, Toronto had the highest per capita rate of bike-car collisions of any Canadian city[4] and bike activists have demanded more bike lanes to make cycling safer. This was derided as "the war on the car" by successful mayoral candidate Rob Ford in the 2010 election. He was supported by media personality Don Cherry's rant against "the pinkos out there who ride bicycles" at Ford's inauguration. In July 2011, Toronto City Council voted to remove three of the bike lanes added by the previous council. Toronto is not the only city to grapple with cyclist-motorist conflicts, however.

History

Interest in early Velocipede bicycles exploded during the winter of 1868-69 in Montreal, Canada as evidenced by advertisements.[5] The first person in North America to ride a Penny Farthing style bicycle was Albert Lane who in Montreal rode an imported 50 inch coventry on July 1, 1874.[6] He also co-founded the first bicycle club in Canada, the Montreal Bicycle Club in 1878 which later joined with the Lacrosse and Snowshoe clubs to form the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association in 1881.[7]

Before the widespread adoption of private automobiles, bicycles were a popular mode of transport in Canada, although Canada's snowy winters posed a problem for year-round use. Travel by horse and carriage (or sled) or streetcar offered a more robust alternative. As Canadian suburbanized after World War II, cars became the principal mode of transportation for many people, and cycling shifted to being solely for sport or recreation.

In the 1970's a bike boom saw a sharp increase of bicycle sales in Canada, documented in CBC archives. The advent of the mountain bike in the later twentieth century made off-road recreational bicycling particularly popular.

In the twenty-first century, with longer and longer commute times between suburbs and central business districts, there has been a trend towards urbanization, with people moving into cities. together with gentrification, this has created a more dense urban environment less like the mid-century New World norm and more like Old World cities where cycling commuting is more popular. This has led to a new era of cycling advocacy and conflicts with motorists over funding and planning decisions, and space on the road.

Cycle commuting facilities

The amount of purpose-built and segregated cycle facilities varies widely across Canada.[8]

For an international comparison, New York has about 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) of total bikes routes.[4]

Long-distance bike travellers can use the 4000 km Route Verte network in Quebec as well as other smaller trails across the country. Most of the Trans-Canada Trail will be multi-use, allowing bicyclists for portions of the trail.

Cycling by city

Calgary

A City of Calgary's report[16] showed that from 1999–2010, there consistently were 9,200 weekday cycling trips entering or leaving the CBD.

In 2010, Calgary had 712 kilometres of multi-use pathways and 355 kilometres of on-street bikeways, 328 kilometres of which were signed bikeways and 27 kilometres of which were bikeways with pavement marking — bike lanes and marked shared lanes.[16]

In 2015 Calgary has launched a strategic protected bicycle infrastructure plan that has been lauded for its ambition by cycling advocacy organization People for Bikes.[17]

Halifax

As of 2013, Halifax Regional Municipality had 226 kilometres (140 mi) of AT facilities including 131 kilometres of multi-use trails (called greenways) and 96 kilometres of bike lanes.[11]

Montreal

Montreal began a pilot implementation of Bixi bike sharing in 2008. Users purchase daily or subscription usages for bikes, located in various depots throughout the city. The Coupe du Monde Cycliste Féminine de Montréal female professional racing event has been held in Montreal since 1998. the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal has also been held since 2010.

Ottawa

Many of Ottawa's urban streets have a combination of cycling facilities, including bike lanes, cycle tracks and paved shoulders. The city also has a series of cycling and pedestrian bridges, four of which have opened since 2014.[18] As of December 31, 2015, the city has 900 km of cycling facilities, including 435 km of multi use pathways, 8 km of cycle tracks, 200 km of on-road bicycle lanes and 257 km of paved shoulders.[12] 204 km of facilities were added between 2011 and 2014.[12]

Laurier Segregated Bike Lane

Ottawa has a portion of the more than 250 km[19] long Capital Pathway Network that it shares with the City of Gatineau. This shared use path extends to most suburban neighborhoods and into rural areas beyond, so that many long-distance commuters use at least part of it. It is a recreational pathway that is shared with walkers and runners, and not only apart from traffic, but mostly through parks, green spaces and along waterways. Ottawa closes over 50 kilometres of Colonel By Drive, Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway, the Rockcliffe Parkway to traffic every Sunday morning May to September, effectively turning the streets into wide recreational lanes.[20] Gatineau Park has a 90 kilometres of trails for mountain biking and for extreme thrill riders near Camp Fortune.[21]

There is a commercial public bike-rental system. Ottawa's city transit have bike racks on all buses that are part of the transitway network and on express routes, but quite infrequently on local routes which use 40' buses. Bicycles are also easily taken aboard the light rail train.

The City of Ottawa was ranked as a "Gold" Bicycle Friendly Community in 2013 by Share the Road Cycling Coalition, the first city in Ontario to receive this designation.[22]

The 2013 Ottawa Cycling Plan intends to increase city-wide cycling mode share during the morning peak period from 2.5% in 2011 to 5% in 2031 (8% and 12% respectively in the inner area).[23]

St. John's

As of 2016, St. John's had 208 kilometres (129 mi) of AT facilities including 175 kilometres of multi-use trails (of the Grand Concourse) and 33 kilometres of on-street bike lanes.

Toronto

Main article: Cycling in Toronto

Toronto has 117 km of bike-only lanes, 145 km of shared roadways and 168 km of off-road paths. The city plans to implement 500 km of bike lanes, 249 km of off-road paths and 260 km of shared roadways.

In 2011, some bike lanes were removed and the Bixi bike sharing was introduced.

The City of Toronto reported from a downtown study that 46% wore helmets, over 19,000 cyclists enter the downtown core daily, and the 24% of roads with bike lanes carried 45% of the bike traffic.[24]

Vancouver

Cycling is the fastest growing mode of transportation in Vancouver.[25] Translink data indicates that cycling has increased by 40% in Vancouver between 2008 and 2011.[25] Statistics collected show that the protected bike lanes (or cycle track) serve thousands of cyclists every month, even in the wet winter months.[26] Over 1 out of 8 of its lanes, bikeways and paths was a separated lane.[27]

Vancouver promotes cycling to events in the city by suggesting bicycle valet services to event organizers.[28] These bicycle valet services that are usually no cost for cyclists but corral bikes for event coordinators while providing bike owners with a secure place to store their bike under watchful volunteers while they visit the event.

See also

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Across Canada by bicycle.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/special/editors-picks/out-of-harms-way-310590001.html
  2. ↑ "Road Safety: A Shared Responsibility". One Metre. Government of Nova Scotia. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  3. 1 2 http://www.victoria.ca/EN/main/community/cycling.html
  4. 1 2 "Cycling in the city". CBC News.
  5. ↑ Ingram, Darcy (2012). ""We Are No Longer Freaks": The Cyclists' Rights Movement in Montreal" (PDF). Sport History Review (43): 20.
  6. ↑ kron, karl. Ten Thousand Miles on a Bicycle. p. 330. ISBN 1241335257. Retrieved 23 Oct 2016.
  7. ↑ Morrow, Don. A Sporting Evolution: The Montreal Amateur Athletic Association 1881-1981. p. 14. ISBN 0-9690839-0-4.
  8. ↑ "Cycling infrastructure in Canada's urban centres". CBC News.
  9. ↑ "Trails & Pathways :: City of Edmonton". Edmonton.ca. Retrieved 2013-08-01.
  10. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20101122061515/http://edmonton.ca/transportation/cycling_walking/bike-map.aspx. Archived from the original on November 22, 2010. Retrieved July 22, 2011. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. 1 2 HRM Key Infrastructure Definitions, Regional AT Plan Review, 2013
  12. 1 2 3 4 "Cycling Network Information". Ottawa.ca. City of Ottawa.
  13. ↑ "Network Status - Bikeway Network - Cycling | City of Toronto". Retrieved 2016-05-17.
  14. ↑ https://www.crd.bc.ca/project/pedestrian-cycling-master-plan
  15. ↑ http://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/victoria-eyes-two-way-bike-lane-for-pandora-by-next-spring-1.1982481
  16. 1 2 (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20130401100237/http://www.calgary.ca/Transportation/TP/Documents/cycling/Cycling-Strategy/2011-cycling-strategy.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 1, 2013. Retrieved May 5, 2015. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  17. ↑ http://www.peopleforbikes.org/blog/entry/calgary-rolls-out-a-downtown-protected-bike-lane-network-all-at-once
  18. ↑ Ottawa, Hans on the Bike-; Canada (2016-01-19). "Ottawa completes 4 bike & ped bridges + 1 overpass". Urban Commuter. Retrieved 2016-05-13.
  19. ↑ "The Capital Pathway: Multi-use Paths in the Capital | National Capital Commission". www.ncc-ccn.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-05-21.
  20. ↑ "Alcatel-Lucent Sunday Bikedays - National Capital Commission". National Capital Commission. 2011-06-28. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
  21. ↑ "Highlight our capital as a unique cycling destination". Ottawa Citizen. 2011-08-05. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
  22. ↑ "Quartier Capitale - City of Ottawa first to receive gold-level Bicycle Friendly Community Award". www.capitalward.ca. Retrieved 2016-05-13.
  23. ↑ "Ottawa Cycling Plan". ottawa.ca. Retrieved 2016-05-13.
  24. ↑ http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/reports/pdf/bicycle_count_summary_2010.pdf
  25. 1 2 http://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/separated-bicycle-lanes.aspx
  26. ↑ http://vancouver.ca/files/cov/Bike-lane-stats-by-month.pdf
  27. ↑ "Home, Property, and Development | City of Vancouver" (PDF). Vancouver.ca. Retrieved 2013-08-01.
  28. ↑ http://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/secure-bicycle-parking-at-events.aspx
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