Annual Report, 2019-2020

 

A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT

It has been another year of exciting developments for HUB Cycling as we continued our rapid growth. With so many programs, we can only note a few highlights here. 

Our Bike Education programs continued to grow as we delivered over 35,950 instructional hours to a total of 11,177 participants in 2019. A total of 10,521 students in 16 municipalities completed a Bike to School on-bike course (a 55% increase from 2018).

In early 2020 we released the first-ever region-wide cycle route network assessment, Benchmarking the State Cycling in Metro Vancouver. Developed with TransLink it provides a snapshot of the extent and quality of bikeways across the Metro Vancouver region in 2019. The Planning Institute of BC awarded the project a Research and New Directions Silver award this year.

The board helped ensure a smooth transition for Navdeep Chhina to become our Acting ED during Erin's maternity leave, and board members spent many sessions developing and approving a new 5-year strategic plan which will guide the organization’s growth and direction into 2025.

Like many organizations, the worldwide pandemic has required a major shift in our operations and we have been able to quickly transition some programs to online offerings in response to the new Provincial health guidelines.

We will continue to seek new ways of getting more people cycling more often as we expand our reach both geographically and culturally moving forward. We are planning for many more years of making a difference in our community - thank you for being a part of it!

- Derik Wenman
President, HUB Cycling

 

A MESSAGE FROM OUR ACTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

HUB's vision is to make cycling better through education, action and events. We’re leading the region in promoting improved infrastructure and policies in both government and the private sector, in an effort to make cycling an attractive choice for everyone. In order to accomplish this vision, we rely heavily on our community of dedicated staff, very engaged and passionate board members, and countless hard-working volunteers across Metro Vancouver. The generous support of our sponsors, funders and donors make us a resilient organization.

2019-20 was another pace-setting year for HUB Cycling. In a major accomplishment, together with TransLink we released the ‘Benchmarking the State of Cycling in Metro Vancouver’ report in February 2020 which for the first time accurately mapped and assessed the entire regional bike route network.  We are now working to produce Metro Vancouver cycle network maps based on the strong new State of Cycling data set. We're working with local municipalities and the provincial government to #UnGapTheMap across Metro Vancouver so that more people can cycle more often!

HUB’s Board has contributed greatly in providing direction and support to support staff and local committees. The Board recently passed a five-year strategic plan that will continue to guide us during this period of uncertainty.

Our 10 local committees continue to build solid partnerships with local, provincial and federal decision-makers as well as community members across Metro Vancouver. Our commitment to providing safe access to cycling for people of all ages and abilities will help us build healthier, happier, more connected communities. 

We hope to welcome new board members with energy, diversity and experience to help us move successfully into 2021.

Thank you for the many ways you make cycling better.

- Navdeep Chhina
Acting Executive Director, HUB Cycling

 

 

HUB Cycling's infrastructure planning and policy work involved some key wins this year, including the release of the State of Cycling report, high level engagement efforts with regional and provincial bodies, and numerous successes filling gaps in the network. 

The #UnGapTheMap initiative was actively involved in the community this year. At the fourth annual Bike the Night, participants were invited to identify gaps in their area. HUB promoted the #UnGapTheMap initiative to the hundreds of attendees at the Moving in a Livable Region forum. In addition, major #UnGapTheMap campaigns ran successfully, including Adopt-a-Gap and the 20-in-20 Infrastructure Challenge. Over the 2019 - 2020 fiscal year, a total of 26 Gaps across Metro Vancouver were adopted. These campaigns raise awareness of #UnGapTheMap, increase community support to fill the gaps in our bicycle network and elevate the importance of #UnGapTheMap with decision-makers. 

The completion of the State of Cycling project provides a building block for the #UnGapTheMap initiative. The project has categorized routes all across the region by type and by comfortable level and safety. This information will help identify more robustly the missing gaps and priority areas that need upgrading.

20-in-20 Infrastructure Challenge

In 2019, UnGapTheMap’s 20-in-20 Infrastructure Challenge moved beyond just municipal participants, with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure joining, as part of efforts to make the Challenge multi-scalar. Participation in the Challenge increased by 33%, with 9 participants completing 66 Quick Fixes across 10 municipalities. In total, 168 Quick Fixes have been completed as part of the Challenge, with 757 fixes suggested by HUB local committees and the public. These quick wins make cycling safer and more comfortable for more people, and provide a foundation for more extensive additions to the bike network.

HUB Recommendations

This past year, HUB Cycling provided feedback as a stakeholder in a number of provincial and regional engagement efforts, including meeting with BC Ferries to provide recommendations on the Horseshoe Bay Redevelopment Plan, providing input in two phases on the Active Transportation Design Guide, and preparing an overarching vision for the future of transportation and fourteen ideas of how to get there as part of TransLink’s Transport2050. 

Prior to the release of the province’s Active Transportation Strategy at the Active Transportation Summit in 2019, HUB Cycling provided feedback and input. HUB now meets regularly with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to provide insight and recommendations on the implementation of the Strategy, as a member of the Active Transportation Strategy External Advisory Stakeholder Group. 

 

Research

In a major accomplishment establishing HUB Cycling as an effective and collaborative public interest researcher, together with TransLink in February 2020 we released the first ever ‘Benchmarking the State of Cycling in Metro Vancouver’ report. The report was developed by HUB Cycling and TransLink working with regional municipalities to provide a snapshot of the extent and quality of bikeways across the Metro Vancouver region in 2019. It notes trends related to the rates at which people living in Metro Vancouver are cycling, documents rates of collisions involving people cycling, and details the extent to which cycling-supportive policies and practices are in place. The report received high media, government and academic attention, and is now informing further cycle network planning across the region. HUB Cycling will by late 2020 produce print and internet ready cycle network maps based on the highly accurate State of Cycling project data.

 

Bike-Friendly Business

Our Bike Friendly Business team in 2019 completed HUB Cycling’s largest single Bikeabilty Assessment project to date, for Concert Properties. Our “Not Just Racks” research report caught Concert’s attention, and based on their strong corporate sustainability mandate Concert staff invited HUB Cycling to apply our Bikeabilty Assessment process to nine large multi-suite rental buildings.  Concert staff reviewed the report in depth with the HUB team, and have allocated funding to follow up on our recommendations to make the buildings more welcoming to residents who want to cycle for transportation. 

 

Local Committees

HUB Cycling’s local committees provide opportunities for members and supporters to get actively involved in getting more people cycling and making cycling safer. The committees continued their strong advocacy work and involvement in their communities this year. Community and assessment rides organized by the local committees included taking mayors, councillors and city staff to view gaps in the network and see examples of infrastructure comfortable for most people. Behind the scenes, the committees advocated tirelessly for improved cycling infrastructure through committees they attend, open houses, council meetings, and letter-writing. 

 

Infrastructure Successes

Infrastructure successes include a new connection along the Brunette Fraser Greenway between Sapperton landing and existing bike facilities in New Westminster, the 10th Avenue improvements in the health precinct in Vancouver, and Coquitlam putting in the Lougheed - Riverview multi-use path. 

Three of these successes won awards at the Bike Awards: 

  1. Infrastructure Improvements Award - Gatensbury Road (Port Moody)
  2. Infrastructure Improvements Award - 100 Avenue Cycle Tracks (Surrey) 
  3. #UnGapTheMap Award - Hugo Ray Connector (West Vancouver) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bike to Work Weeks

Both Spring and Fall Bike to Work Weeks saw a strong turnout in 2019. Nearly 17k people registered, including a record breaking 3,458 people biking to work for the first time (an 87% increase on Spring’18!). In addition to an extensive marketing and behaviour change campaign, HUB Cycling hosted another successful Spring launch party at Creekside Community Centre, Rush Hour Challenge media event and two wrap up parties at the end of each event.

 

Bike to Shop Days

From June 1-2, 2019, HUB Cycling hosted its fourth annual Bike to Shop Days, a weekend-long event encouraging people to ride to and shop at local businesses. Participants joined celebration stations, guided rides and received discounts at local shops in Burnaby, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Richmond and Vancouver. Bike to Shop encouraged participants to broaden their biking habits and visit new destinations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4th Annual Bike the Night

HUB’s fourth annual Bike the Night celebrated cycling in a fun, unique way by helping people feel more confident riding at night. This year the event changed locations starting with a pre-party festival at Sunset Beach, followed by a 10 km ride that crossed over a car-free Burrard Bridge. The event kicked off with a public outdoor festival with music, giveaways, free bike repairs, and information about cycling in the city. The number of people who rarely or never use lights was reduced by 60% by participating in the event and 36% of participants were from outside the City of Vancouver.

 

 

 

 

 

7th Annual Bike Awards

HUB’s 7th annual Bike Awards celebrated businesses, individuals and municipalities that are doing amazing work to get more people cycling, more often. Here are some of the winners:

  • Biggest Leap Award: Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, and TransLink
  • Bike to Shop Days Champion: Granville Island and CMHC
  • Cycling Education Champion: BCAA
  • 20 in 20 Infrastructure Challenge - 1st Place: City of New Westminster

 

 


Bike to School

Bike to School is HUB Cycling’s largest education program, reaching thousands of students in schools across Metro Vancouver each year. Youth learn fundamental cycling skills and knowledge about how to cycle safely in their neighbourhood, and report greater confidence after HUB’s courses. This year, the City of Richmond awarded HUB a contract to teach our Ride the Road program in 19 elementary schools in 2020, making Richmond the fifth Metro Vancouver municipality to commit to universal cycling education. 

This year, the Everyone Rides Grade 4-5 Pilot Program was funded by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.  Preparations with project partners in Kelowna and the Capital Regional District/Victoria were almost complete; however, courses have been delayed to fall 2020 due to COVID-19.

In 2019, we saw a 55% increase in the number of youth who received cycling education from HUB compared to 2018, and 45% of those students said they were more likely to bike post-course.

 

Bike to School Week

From May 27 - 31, 2019, schools across Metro Vancouver took part in our annual Bike to School Week event. A record breaking number of schools took part, celebrating students biking, walking and wheeling to school. In our event reporting survey, 93% of schools reported that more students biked to school during the week than do normally. Awards were given to top schools in the region, who reported an impressive 56% cycling mode share and up to 69% of students in their school taking part.

 

StreetWise

HUB Cycling offers bike safety courses for the public through our StreetWise program. Courses are offered at various skill levels and focus on learning the rules of the road and building confidence riding on city streets. Specialized courses are offered for families and newcomers to Canada. Following the courses, most participants report improved cycling skills and confidence and say they will bike more often for transportation.

 

 

 

 

Workplace Cycling Workshops/Bike-Friendly Business 

HUB Cycling delivers a variety of courses to work teams as part of our Bike Friendly Business Programs. These fun, interactive, on-site workshops are designed to build skills and knowledge for employees of all riding abilities. In 2019, HUB Cycling delivered 29 Workplace Cycling Workshops, reaching 337 participants. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finances: April 1, 2019 - March 31, 2020

Below are the unaudited finances for the year ended March 31, 2020. See the full report here. 

 

 

We’d like to thank our 2019/20 Organization Members:

Arc’teryx • QuadReal • Westbank Corporation • Vancouver International Airport (Vancouver Airport Authority) • PEDAL (our comm. bikes) • Shape Property Management • Hastings Crossing BIA • Kwantlen Student Association • Evo Car Share • Affinity Bridge • Sidesaddle • Oxford Properties • Stretch Studio • Modo The Car Co-op • BikeMaps.org • AMS Bike Co-op • Strathcona Business Improvement Association • David Suzuki Foundation • Langara College • BC Nurses Union • Norco / Live to Play Sports / Axiom • Surrey Board of Trade • Bullfrog Power • Burnaby Board of Trade • Canadian Mental Health Association • More Bikes • The Happy City • Fairware • Cadillac Fairview Corporation’s Vancouver Properties • Vancouver Coastal Health • Mainroad • Museum of Vancouver • MEC Vancouver • Accent Inns • Lafarge • BCIT Bicycling Committee • JUMP • Cycle City Tours • Richards Buell Sutton, LLP • BCAA • Vancity • Recycle BC • U-Bicycle • Mosaic • Ausenco • DVBIA • Lower Lonsdale BIA • Two Wheel Gear • Rec for Kids • TenTree • Vancouver Bicycle Club • Boffo • Core6 Environmental

Our Local Committee Chairs:

BURNABY: Cathy Griffin, Moreno Zanotto • DELTA: Neil Pope, Roel Schootman • LANGLEY: Mitchell Nurse • MAPLE RIDGE - PITT MEADOWS: Barry Bellamy, Ivan Chow • NEW WESTMINSTER: Andrew Feltham, Garey Carlson • NORTH SHORE: Don Piercy, Jay Jardine • RICHMOND/YVR: Stephen DesRoches • SURREY / WHITE ROCK: Tim Yzerman • TRI-CITIES: Andrew Hartline, Kathryn Berry-Einarson • VANCOUVER / UBC: Jeff Leigh

 

And our Board of Directors!