March 2, 2021 - The British Columbia Cycling Coalition (BCCC) is a non-profit society, founded in 1998 to provide a voice for cycling in the Province of British Columbia.
The BCCC works on behalf of our coalition and individual members, community partners and stakeholders, and all levels of government, to influence changes that will make cycling and other active travel modes safer, more equitable, and more accessible, so we can meet our climate, health, social justice, tourism and economic development goals.
Our current initiatives include a push to reform BC’s 60-year-old Motor Vehicle Act, to update the 20-year-old Cycling Policy, to secure greater commitments towards public education and safety from ICBC (the province’s public auto insurer), and to make investments in cycle tourism, bike industry support, and active, healthy, connected communities across BC
The BCCC also delivers public education and engagement programs to promote active transportation, such as Kids on Wheels, an early childhood education course that introduces the joy of riding a balance bike for 2-5 year-olds at daycares and summer camps, and Bike Sense, BC’s premiere bicycle operator manual and information guide. The 7th edition of Bike Sense will be published, in print and online, in the spring of 2021.
The latest wave of e-bikes, and ongoing innovations in e-scooters and other battery-powered ‘micro-mobility’ devices, have changed the way people think about personal mobility and goods movement in British Columbia, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bike shops across the province have been overwhelmed by the increased demand over the past year, and where e-bikes were once seen as novelties, they are now seen as enabling devices for active living, recreation, and transportation, especially for communities with hills or for trips of longer distances.
BC in particular is seeing a growing trend of working adults and seniors moving away from the major population centres like Metro Vancouver or the Capital Regional District, and e-bikes have become part of the quality of life calculation. Whether for retirement or to work remotely in these suburban and rural communities – such as those on Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast, the Fraser Valley, the Okanagan, the Kootenays, the Cariboo, and the Rockies and Northern Plains region neighbouring the Alberta border – British Columbians are realizing the benefits of smaller communities, proximity to the natural environment, and closer connections with people, all of which is complemented by the e-bike lifestyle.
In many cases, e-bikes and e-cargo bikes have not only led to a resurgence of growth and economic activity in some smaller BC communities, they have allowed residents to reduce or even eliminate motor vehicle ownership. Even when challenged by elevation, distances between communities, physical or even financial limitations, the e-bike has come to be recognized as a powerful enabling solution, one which can also contribute in a measurable way to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from road transportation.
The BCCC believes e-bikes are an important part of making active transportation a safe, practical and enjoyable option for everyone – help us realize our vision, and support our advocacy work and programs in BC, by becoming a member click here.
