As cities look for ways to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable transportation, a number of Canadian citie are stepping up with innovative programs that make winter cycling not only possible but also enjoyable.
Thanks to community-driven initiatives like Bike Edmonton’s Free Studded Tires Program and B!KE’s Winter Wheels Program in Peterborough, cycling through the winter months is becoming an accessible and rewarding option for residents. These programs are providing much-needed equipment and support for cyclists who want to keep riding through the cold, snowy season.
Edmonton’s Free Studded Tires Program
Edmonton’s WinterCity Strategy, aimed at promoting positive winter experiences, is the backbone of a program designed to get more bike commuters using the city’s growing cycling network in the winter. Bike Edmonton, in collaboration with the city, launched the Free Studded Tires Program to provide people with winter tires for cycling in snowy conditions, which they get a lot in Edmonton. Studded tires, essential for icy and snowy roads, can cost upwards of $200 a pair, which can be a barrier for many cyclists.
The program offers free studded tires to new or relatively new winter cyclists in the city. Participants in the program are required to complete three winter cycling challenges, such as watching educational videos or joining community rides, and provide feedback about their experience. This helps build community, while encouraging more people to ditch their cars and ride through the snowy season.
The program’s success is evident in its popularity and it’s apparently quite oversubscribed, meaning, hopefully, that many city residents are eager to embrace winter cycling.
Peterborough’s Winter Wheels Program
Over in Peterborough, B!KE: The Peterborough Community Bike Shop is also working to keep cyclists on the road during winter with its Winter Wheels program. Now in its seventh year, this city-funded program offers free studded tires and winter cycling lessons to help participants navigate the challenges of riding in snowy, icy conditions.
Participants also receive ongoing support, including bicycle maintenance workshops and group rides from January to March, designed to build skills and confidence.
Winter biking
Supporting Winter Cycling as a Year-Round Activity
Both the Free Studded Tires Program in Edmonton and the Winter Wheels program in Peterborough reflect a growing recognition of winter cycling as a viable and environmentally-friendly transportation option in every season and weather condition.
Encouraging cycling through the winter months isn’t just about making commuting more sustainable—it’s also about enhancing quality of life. Winter cycling offers several benefits, such as:
- Reducing car dependence and decreasing traffic congestion.
- Improving physical and mental health, as outdoor exercise helps combat seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
- Boosting environmental sustainability, since cycling has a much smaller carbon footprint than driving.
Canmore Cruising Through Winter
Canmore, known for its rugged mountain terrain and snowy winters, has also embraced winter cycling through the Bike All Winter Program. The city invested $12,000 in the program to offer free or subsidized winter tires, bike lights, and fenders to participants. In return, cyclists commit to riding their bikes all winter long, helping to normalize winter cycling as a sustainable transportation option in the community.
Windsor has Winter Wheels
A Growing Movement
The success of these programs in Edmonton, Canmore and Peterborough demonstrates the potential for winter cycling initiatives to spread across Canada and beyond. As more cities look for ways to promote sustainability and reduce emissions, offering free or subsidized winter cycling equipment could become a standard practice in many urban areas.
Leave a comment