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HUB Cycling’s 2022 Accomplishments in Metro Vancouver

It was a great year. Make a charitable donation by Dec. 31 to help get more people cycling for transportation more often in 2023.

HUB Cycling 13 Dec 2022TheTyee.ca

In 2022, cycling continued to show its importance and resilience in overcoming the increasingly complex challenges that many Metro Vancouverites face surrounding affordability, equity, the climate crisis and COVID-19 recovery.

Since 1998, HUB Cycling, a local charitable non-profit organization, has been working to remove barriers to cycling in Metro Vancouver to get more people cycling more often, and this year was no exception.

Over the past year, HUB Cycling expanded its efforts to build healthier and more connected communities by providing universal cycling education in schools and to marginalized and Indigenous communities across British Columbia. Over 21,000 children in Metro Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna and the West Kootenays received HUB Cycling’s free cycling education course at their schools. Post-course surveys indicate that students are more likely to choose cycling as their primary transportation to and from school after taking the course.

In Spring 2022, HUB Cycling opened its first in-person StreetWise Cycling education centre at Trout Lake. The centre provided low-cost cycling education to over 1,000 adults during spring and summer. HUB Cycling also offered practice bikes to improve access to cycling for equity-deserving people, including adaptive bikes and training from Spinal Cord Injury BC.

In partnership with the Red Fox Healthy Living Society, HUB Cycling continued to run a specialized eight-week cycling course for Indigenous and racialized youth. Ninety-seven youths participated in the program in 2022, including 20 youths from the Katzie First Nation. Each student graduated from the program with a bike, helmet, lock, lights and the knowledge to get to important places in their community by bicycle.

HUB Cycling continues to advocate for updating the outdated B.C. Motor Vehicle Act to better protect vulnerable road users, including the legislative reform that a motor vehicle must leave at least 1 to 1.5 metres of space when passing active transportation users. The organization firmly advocated that the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure should dramatically increase its investment in cycling projects to at least $104 million per year. Investing in our communities will help build a safe and connected bike network suitable for people of all ages, abilities and socio-economic backgrounds.

Municipal elections returned to B.C. this year, and HUB Cycling invited candidates across Metro Vancouver to endorse HUB's Cycling election platform and clarify their positions on active transportation and cycling, allowing voters to make a more informed decision on which candidates in their municipality would support cycling improvements. Forty-two per cent of bike-friendly candidates who endorsed HUB Cycling’s platform were elected across Metro Vancouver.

This past year was also a pivotal year for cycling research. HUB Cycling released two groundbreaking reports. The first report, "Making the Case for Cycle Highways in Metro Vancouver," makes a compelling case for the development and implementation of long distance, direct, paved, lit and protected bikeways in Metro Vancouver, identifying four top-scoring routes. The second report, released two weeks ago, shares new research highlighting poor cycling amenities' role in limiting equitable access to cycling for people living in older buildings.

So, what’s next for HUB Cycling in 2023?

The local non-profit charity is dedicated to building a climate-friendly and fossil-free future for people of all ages, abilities and socio-economic backgrounds.

“Transportation is the highest single source of greenhouse gases, contributing to 39 per cent of Metro Vancouver’s greenhouse gas emissions. Choosing a bike over a car just once a day can reduce the average person's carbon emissions from transportation by up to 67 per cent. More than half of all daily trips are also less than five kilometres long, making for a short bike ride that may even be faster than your commute by vehicle or transit,” says Erin O’Melinn, HUB Cycling’s executive director.

In Spring 2023, HUB Cycling also plans to publish an in-depth report to help planners better understand and promote equity in the cycling network across the region.

“We are committed to breaking the stereotype that cycling is a ‘wealthy man’s sport.’ People of all ages, abilities, genders, ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds benefit from cycling, whether it be for transportation purposes or for exercise, and deserve to have access to safe, separated cycling infrastructure in their municipality,” says Navdeep Chhina, HUB Cycling’s director of campaigns and inclusion.

The days of near-miss incidents of people driving too closely when passing people cycling are also hopefully coming to a close. Riders will see a Safe Passing Distance law and better vulnerable road user protections come to the BC legislature this spring, thanks to HUB Cycling’s advocacy. HUB Cycling’s recommended Safe Passing Distance law will mandate that people driving must give people cycling at least 1 to 1.5 metres of space when passing them with a vehicle.

HUB Cycling also has plans to expand its #UnGapTheMap program next year. This initiative has identified over 969 priority gaps in Metro Vancouver's broken bicycle network that, if filled, would get more people cycling more often. People can visit HUB Cycling's Adopt-a-Gap to see the list of current gaps and support HUB’s advocacy work by adopting a gap.

As a charity, HUB Cycling relies heavily on donations from the community to continue its essential work. They’re on a mission to raise $125,000 by Dec. 31 and have managed to raise $56,925 to date. If you’re able to, please consider donating by Dec. 31. All donations will receive a tax receipt.

Every year, millions of employees get involved in workplace-giving campaigns to support local United Way solutions that improve education, financial stability and health. HUB Cycling is one of the local organizations you can request your employer to support via United Way contributions.

HUB Cycling is also part of 1% for the Planet, a global network of businesses, individuals and environmental organizations tackling our planet's most pressing environmental issues. If your organization donates to 1% for the Planet, they may offer to match your contribution.

About HUB Cycling

HUB Cycling is a charitable not-for-profit that has spent over two decades removing barriers to cycling in Metro Vancouver, while cultivating the health, environmental and economic benefits that active transportation can bring. HUB Cycling has educated thousands of people, motivated thousands more, and championed improvements that benefit people currently cycling and those that would like to. HUB Cycling’s mission is to get more people cycling, more often.

For more information, visit HUB Cycling to stay up-to-date on everything bike-related in Metro Vancouver, or subscribe to HUB Cycling’s newsletter.  [Tyee]

This article is part of a Tyee Presents initiative. Tyee Presents is the special sponsored content section within The Tyee where we highlight contests, events and other initiatives that are either put on by us or by our select partners. The Tyee does not and cannot vouch for or endorse products advertised on The Tyee. We choose our partners carefully and consciously, to fit with The Tyee’s reputation as B.C.’s Home for News, Culture and Solutions. Learn more about Tyee Presents here.

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