Drawing from five years of research in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, the authors analyzed national demographic, geographic, and transportation data sets, evaluated cycling programs, conducted interviews with municipal staff and community organizations, and collected costing data for cycling programs and infrastructure across the city, in addition to researching how to measure the cross-cutting benefits of cycling. While pointing to the importance of good cycling infrastructure, the guide also makes recommendations covering programming and engagement, culture, policy, and addressing hills and inclement weather.

Cycling in downtown Toronto has been a success story, with the number of cyclists steadily increasing over the last 25 years. However, the reverse is true in the city’s inner suburbs: in places like Etobicoke, North York, and Scarborough, fewer people now cycle either for recreation or to commute than in 1996.The report is both an analysis of impediments to cycling that suburban Toronto communities face and a how-to manual on ways to encourage cycling outside Toronto’s downtown core.

Toronto’s population is expected to increase 35% to almost 4 million by 2041, placing great stress on the City’s main road arteries. Much of this growth will take place downtown, where the population is projected to double. The report notes that street design is an evolving practice, with key ingredients for greatness including placemaking, mobility, economic vitality, safety, and accessibility. This report profiles five redesigned Toronto streets and examine what makes each of them successful and also identifies five additional streets that have the potential for greatness.

Bicyclists and pedestrians account for 59 per cent of all the people killed or seriously injured on Toronto’s streets between 2005 and 2016 according to this report, which explores how to prevent these casualties through driver education on how to share the road, specifically with cyclists.

The population of the Greater Toronto Area is projected to increase by almost 40% over the next two decades. The report advocates an approach to urban mobility to address congestion by offering a bold and practical vision of the city’s cycling future. Developed through a comprehensive consultation and research process, it presents an integrated series of recommendations grounded in three focus areas: behavioural factors, economic benefits, and policy and infrastructure.