January 17, 2024 - With only a month to go, we’re very excited to announce our schedule for the Winter Cycling Congress in Edmonton on February 22-24. With topics surrounding advocacy, planning, communication, operations and so much more, you are sure to find amazing information that you can apply to your practice and community! Scroll through to find some of the sessions we’ll be hosting, our amazing keynotes and why Edmonton is a great place to cycle!
Reduced registration fees are now available for non-profit organizations and students! Don’t miss this chance to be part of a global movement dedicated to transforming the cycling landscape.
Some Amazing Sessions!
“All Ages and Abilities” Always Available? Let’s Discuss
In this interactive session, we will share results from a scan of Canadian active transportation plans that use “All Ages and Abilities” (or AAA) language and discuss how equity and priority populations are considered. We will share the story of Calgary, who has demonstrated a heightened commitment to inclusivity and accessibility by enshrining year-round cycling in their policies: “Always Available” (5A). We aim to gather additional insights on AAA and learn how “Always Available” is operationalized in your city.
The Evolution of Winter Cycling in 3 Canadian Cities
Eco-Counter has been working with the cities of Edmonton, Calgary and Montreal to install permanent automated bicycled counters. Permanent counters in each network have provided longitudinal count data to demonstrate the evolution of winter cycling rates. We will measure the long-term growth of cycling since 2016, and how winter cycling has evolved over this time. We will explore how major developments within the network have contributed to winter cycling retention, how extreme temperature and snowfall impact cycling rates, and how this builds a sustainable transportation system.
Build it So They Will Come
Understanding lived experience to support Edmonton’s bike plan implementation. How do we support, sustain and build healthy, vibrant, climate resilient cities? Active transportation (AT). AT interventions provide equitable solutions to mitigate climate change and promote health while densifying our cities. In December 2022, Edmonton City Council approved an investment of $100M over a 4-year period towards the Bike Plan. Learn how novel qualitative research is being used to understand Edmontonians’ lived experiences to support, inform, and promote Bike Plan implementation.
Important Keynote Discussions here.
Embrace Winter. Embrace Edmonton
What better place to host the international Winter Cycling Congress than the capital city of a province that sees long, cold winters and has an avid cycling community? Edmonton has made a commitment to lay the foundation for a network that is accessible and predictable for people of all ages and abilities and where people can choose to bike for any reason and in any season.
This bike plan is guided by the values of it being equitable, fun and functional, capturing the spirit of the city and a goal of shifting the culture around transportation in the city. We hope the City’s commitment to sustainable, active and accessible transportation can be an inspiration to all those in attendance at the conference!
Edmonton’s Bike Plan here.
Winter Cycling in Alberta
Winter cycling may seem exotic and strange to some, but if you’ve ever biked in the warmer weather, or cross-country skied, snowshoed, or even walked outside in the winter, you’re 89.6% prepared to ride your bike in winter! How so, you might ask? Check out this blog from Ever Active Schools to get started on your winter cycling journey!
More on Cycling in Alberta here.
Register for the Winter Cycling Congress here.
