April 1, 2015
The City of Toronto has been awarded the Bicycle Friendly Community Gold designation by the Ontario-based Share the Road Cycling Coalition. The designation recognizes Toronto's strong cycling culture, high level of cycling activity and efforts to support cycling in the community.
Toronto is one of the first North American cities with a population greater than one million to receive the gold designation. Toronto was awarded a silver designation in 2012.
"This is an honour for the City of Toronto and our cycling community," said Councillor Jaye Robinson (Ward 25 Don Valley West), Chair of the City's Public Works and Infrastructure Committee. "Congratulations to our staff as well as our strong cycling community on this achievement. This designation recognizes what we've accomplished so far and our commitment to expanding our cycling initiatives and infrastructure going forward."
The Share the Road Cycling Coalition noted Toronto's improvements in cycling infrastructure, growth of cycling in the downtown core, the City's data collection and enhanced partnerships with community groups. Cycle Toronto was also recognized for its programs, initiatives and partnerships.
Communities are judged in five categories, including engineering, education, encouragement, evaluation and planning. Communities must demonstrate achievements in each of the five categories to be considered for an award – bronze, silver, gold, platinum or diamond.
The Bicycle Friendly Community program was launched by the Share the Road Cycling Coalition in Canada in August 2010 in partnership with the U.S.-based League of American Cyclists. The program provides assistance to, and award recognition for, communities that actively support cycling.
Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. Toronto is proud to be the Host City for the 2015 Pan American and Parapan American Games. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit
http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us @TorontoComms.
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Media contact: Steve Johnston, Strategic Communications, 416-392-4391, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
