The Halifax Cycling Coalition is working with Vélo Canada Bikes to count people cycling in neighbourhoods throughout the Halifax Regional Municipality as part of their nationwide count.
From June 1st-6th, 2021, we’ll map Canada’s potential to shift to a cycling nation post-pandemic. Volunteers stationed across the country will observe cyclists pass by and note key information for 2-hour shifts, on June 1st and 6th, or another fair weather day that week.
Vélo Canada Bikes, and university researchers will use the data to make cycling a part of the solution to climate change and managing COVID-19.
Join us and invite others to participate in Canada’s first-ever national count! Vélo Canada Bikes will provide instructions for communities to collect data in the same way so that it can be compared regionally, nationally, and internationally.
Capture Travel Patterns During COVID-19
People are getting around differently due to COVID-19. We’re seeing more bikes and we want to know who’s riding them, where, and how much. Unique infrastructure has popped up during the pandemic and keeping it around in the long term could be one key to keeping Canadians safe, happy, and active. Keeping that infrastructure post-pandemic means knowing who is using it. Because we know that what gets measured matters.
Work Toward Equity
Pedal Poll will help us learn about how diverse Canadians experience cycling by including communities that may get traditionally overlooked from info gathering and infrastructure improvements.
We know that women and racialized people are disproportionately excluded from cycling. One step toward inclusion is to measure what is currently happening. That’s why our count will be the first to ask people to record the perceived age, gender, and ethnic origin of each cyclist they count.
We understand that this is an important topic and we are doing what we can to be a part of the solution to systemic racism and gender inequity. This bike count will bring together diverse Canadians using a citizen science approach, where we aim for diversity among counters to be reflective of the communities in which they count. We’ll count in a wide range of communities, with and without existing infrastructure. Our approach is based on research into best practices and led by racialized team members, to help us be as sensitive and considerate of difference as possible. Learn more about the plan on the Vélo Canada Bikes website.
Address Climate Change
Cycling for transportation is an important strategy to address climate change, but it has often been overlooked.
25% of all greenhouse gas emissions are related to transportation. It’s estimated that a major increase in cycling could cut that to only 14%. Considering how fun, convenient, healthy, and affordable cycling can be, it makes sense to get on two wheels and unlock the potential!
According to the 2020 Declaration for Resilience in Canadian Cities, we have a “once in a lifetime responsibility” to start embracing a “greener, cleaner, decarbonized economy” as the new normal.
Sign up to Volunteer
We needs lots of volunteers to count in the Halifax Regional Municipality. You will be using the CounterPoint app on your cell phone to conduct the count. Volunteer shifts are 2 hours in length and there are count locations throughout HRM. Sign up as a volunteer.
