B.C. students set to improve cycling skills, confidence

“Learning confidence and safety skills while cycling will encourage a new generation to make environmentally friendly travel choices,” said Rob Fleming, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “Promoting cycling as a fun and healthy way to get around is part of our upcoming Clean Transportation Action Plan.”

Students in the Capital Region, Metro Vancouver, Kelowna, the West Kootenays and the Prince George area will learn foundational biking skills and helmet safety, as well as practical hands-on activities such as stopping, hand signals and road sign awareness. Bikes and helmets are provided and adaptive options are available for children with disabilities.

“Opportunities for more exercise – like biking to school – have many benefits for students, including improved learning outcomes and longer attention spans, as well as better overall health,” said Rachna Singh, Minister of Education and Child Care. “This exciting program helps students to feel safe biking while breaking down barriers so more students can enjoy the benefits of active transportation for school and life.”

Everyone Rides Grade 4-5 is a program developed and delivered by HUB Cycling, a not-for-profit organization that has 25 years of experience helping remove barriers to cycling and promoting the health, environmental and economic benefits of cycling through education and training.

“For the fourth year of Everyone Rides Grade 4-5, HUB Cycling is excited to provide more than 6,500 elementary students with the opportunity to learn to ride their bikes to and from school,” said Rose Gardner, HUB Cycling director of bike education. “The program can also spark increased cycling among educators and participating families, leading to the health, environmental, and economic benefits that active transportation can bring. By adding schools in the Prince George area to this year’s program, we’re bringing this fully funded accessible education program to over 65 schools in 2023.”

More than 22,000 students have participated in the program since it began through a combination of online, in-class and on-bike learning. This skill development gives students the option to use the many new and upgraded cycling facilities that participating communities across the province have been building.

The B.C. government has invested $1.4 million in the Everyone Rides Grade 4-5 program since 2020.

Learn More:

For more information about HUB Cycling, visit: https://bikehub.ca/erg45

For information about Move Commute Connect – B.C’s Active Transportation Strategy, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/driving-and-transportation/funding-engagement-permits/grants-funding/cycling-infrastructure-funding/activetransportationstrategy_report_web.pdf