Cycling Trends and Policies in Canadian Cities - Apr 2005
tOM Trottier
Abstract
Bicycling accounted for an average of 1.2% of work trips in Canada in 2001, but with
considerable variation by province and metropolitan area. In this study, we chose six
Canadian cities for detailed analysis of their cycling trends and policies: Montreal and
Quebec City in Quebec; Ottawa and Toronto in Ontario; and Vancouver and Victoria in
British Columbia. All of these cities have made impressive efforts to encourage more
and safer cycling. Most of the cities report increases in cycling levels over the past two
decades but appear to have reached a limit due to lack of funding for crucially needed
cycling infrastructure (bike paths and lanes, parking, intersection modifications, etc.).
In addition, the low-density, car-oriented suburban sprawl spreading around most
Canadian cities has been increasing trip distances, thus making cycling decreasingly
feasible outside the urban core. Finally, Canadian cities and provinces have not
imposed any significant restrictions on car use or imposed increases in taxes, fees,
and other charges for car use, such as most European cities have implemented to
discourage driving and increase transit use, walking, and cycling. If Canadian cities
really want to further increase cycling levels, they will have to further expand cycling
infrastructure, curb low-density sprawl, and impose more restrictions and charges on
car use.
Nice hotlinked bibliography, too.
tOM
-- Quidquid latine dictum sit altum viditur --
,__@ tOM Trottier, 758 Albert St,
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(*)/'(*) N45.412 W75.714 +1 613 860-6633
CfSC representative on Ottawa Roads and Cycling Advisory Committee
Citizens for Safe Cycling director
CfSC Cycling Safety & Promotion Chair
"When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair
for the future of the human race." ~H.G. Wells