Pedal Poll/Sondo Vélo 2021: A Community Science Project on Who Cycles in Canada

Abstract

Cycling is the fastest growing mode of transportation in Canada. However, there are minimal data on who is cycling. To address this, researchers and advocates launched Pedal Poll/Sondo Vélo 2021, a community campaign to conduct the first-ever national cycling count, collecting gender, age, and race on who is cycling, where, in Canada. Over 1,000 volunteers collected data between June 1-6, 2021. Based on 79,735 people counted, the highest cycling volumes were at sites in Vancouver and Toronto (>400 cyclists/hour) and along bike paths and cycle tracks. There were twice as many men as women (65% men, 32% women, 3% other/unsure) with marked variability within cities. About four in five (78%) people cycling were adults (18-64 years), and cyclists were disproportionately white, with 74% of people cycling perceived to be white. We share Pedal Poll/Sondo Vélo data to inform programming that promotes cycling for diverse populations.

Keywords: bike infrastructure, equity, ridership, age, race, gender