Launch of Bike Friendly Business Certification Gets Support of Boards of Trade

On Monday, businesses from across Metro Vancouver were recognized for their efforts getting people cycling to work at the HUB Cycling Bike Friendly Business Awards. 

"Cycling is growing faster than all other modes of transportation in Metro Vancouver, and we see many businesses grabbing the handlebars to meet employee demand for more active commutes," said Sherese Johnson, representative of HUB Bike Friendly Business Solutions. "In response we have developed a Bike Friendly Business Certification that assesses employer cycling achievements at bronze, silver, gold and platinum levels to recognize what businesses are doing right and to recommend cost-effective strategies to make the workplace a more desirable place to bike to."

Emcee'd by Charles Gauthier, the President of the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association, the "BFB Awards" event featured award presentations from Vancouver Deputy Mayor Heather Deal, Vancouver City Councillor Adriane Carr, Surrey Board of Trade CEO Anita Huberman, and Burnaby Board of Trade President and CEO Paul Holden. The event was sponsored by Urban Racks and Business in Vancouver.

Participants credited increased awareness of the benefits of cycle commuting to work by both employees and employers as the catalyst to certify as a Bike Friendly Business. "At Spacekraft we believe in living a balanced lifestyle and part of that is health and fitness, so encouraging our members to bike to work is a no-brainer," said Geoff Scoates, General Manager of Spacekraft Coworking. "It also means that a group of cyclists are starting to form here, which is great for our community."

The event also included awards for 'Best in Class' champions from the private and public sector, from the spring and fall 2015 Bike to Work Week events that has seen participation rates double from 2014. As a result HUB Cycling is hearing from more and more businesses that are searching for ways to further encourage and leverage the staff initiative to cycle to work.  

"For organizations like the Surrey Board of Trade and Burnaby Board of Trade to support commuter cycling through the achievement of top cycling facilities and workplace engagement means they recognize that employee wellness is a vital part of workplace culture," added Johnson. "HUB offers cycling lunch n'learns and cycling assessments as part of our certification program - we just want to help businesses across Metro Vancouver make progress, because that's ultimately what their employees are looking for."

For more information about HUB Bike Friendly Business Solutions, visit: bikehub.ca/bfb.

Photos from the 3rd Annual Bike Friendly Business Awards.