Harnessing the power of cycling champions to expand the reach and impact of Ottawa’s Bike to Work Month

Ottawa’s Bike to Work Month 2014 Bike to Work Month is an annual campaign put on by the City of Ottawa and coordinated by EnviroCentre that increases cycling through promotion, education and incentivization.

Bike to Work Month’s 2014 Outreach Strategy GOAL: To reach the target audience of people who aren’t cycling to work MESSAGE: Cycling all or part of the way to work is fun STRATEGY: Connect with confident, competent cyclists who ride regularly and could be mentors, educators and cheerleaders.

Why focus on people already cycling? Are we convincing the convinced? Sustained behaviour change takes: time, repeated messaging and requires ongoing support

We built our support network by reaching out to cycling champions, including sponsors

Cycling champions: enjoy riding to work know about different bike routes want to promote cycling as fun, safe & convenient advocate for better cycling facilities at work

We asked cycling champions to start workplace teams invite colleagues to join those teams support colleagues challenge other departments to engage in friendly rivalries

We offered cycling champions Workplace toolkits Team specific prizing Education Awesome data Fame & glory

Bike to Work Month 2014 Results 1568 participants (11% increase from 2013) 81 workplace teams (51% increase from 2013) 157,331km cycled 342 new cycle commuters 23 Lunch and Learns delivered 18 BikeMobile pop-up booths 2 Bike to School and Work pilots $6000 in sponsored prizes 3 new partners

Cycling champions effectively: Informed colleagues about cycling facilities at work bike cages, showers, lockers

Cycling champions effectively: Organized cycling education opportunities

Cycling champions effectively: Introduce colleagues to cycling infrastructure by leading group rides for fun or to off-site meetings Care for cycling facilities such as checking on permanent bike repair stands

Cycling champions effectively: Inspired colleagues Celebrated success stories Offered additional advice if and when it was needed

What’s in it for cycling champions? The opportunity to shift corporate culture and advance bike-friendly practices A chance to promote their favourite activity, educate their colleagues, and have more fun on the bike routes Amplify their efforts with campaign support and momentum

The 81 teams lead by cycling champions Represent enormous growth potential & are role models within their sectors Carlingwood Bibliobikers: 1 branch of 33 at the Ottawa Public Library The Sir Cyclists and their rivals are just 2 of 142 schools at the Ottawa Carleton District School Board:

We intend to build on that success in 2015 in the following 3 ways: 1. Increasing support for cycling champions through training workshops Share simple best practices: FCM United Way bidding on preferred bike parking

We can build on that success by: 3. Having bike repair kits ready for purchase at Basic Bike Maintenance Lunch and Learn sessions Several of the winners of our 13 stand up bike pumps reported that the bike pumps motivated them to start a work place bike repair kit

We can build on that success by: 3. Revamping our targeted toolkit for workplace cycling champions with: pre-written email messages: at 200 kms, you’ve arrived in Montreal; at 700 kms, we’ve biked to New York, let’s celebrate ideas for cycling events a directors’ small bike race; a team breakfast during the campaign; bike with a colleague day And strategic distribution of the toolkit to more employers, including Ottawa’s major employers, through the City of Ottawa’s Ottawa on the Move

Here’s to Bike to Work Month 2015!

Kathleen.wilker@envirocentre.ca