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Ontario By Bike Network:
Industry Update - March 2024
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NOW AVAILABLE
2024 Cycling in Ontario Guide
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We are pleased to announce the 2024 edition of the Cycling in Ontario / Le vélo en Ontario guide is now available in print and digital formats.
View at: OntarioByBike.ca/2024
This is the 12th annual edition of our extremely popular free publication, 40,000 copies available in both English and French. The 56 page magazine format guide is used by cyclists of all types for planning multi-day or day long trips, getting ride ideas and inspiration from the articles.
Order Print Copies & Assist With Distribution
- If you would like to order print copies for your location - business, visitor information centre, event - and assist with distribution we would be happy to ship you quantity needed, while supplies last.
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Simply click on our email address info@ontariobybike.ca and include your mailing address and quantity requested (English/French). (Boxes come in 120 but can be shipped in any quantity.)
Thank You
To all our advertising partners, staff and volunteers who make this annual free publication possible. With a number of distribution channels secured, shows/events attended and individual orders received, we are well on our way sharing the 2024 publication to enthused cyclists ready to travel to destinations around Ontario.
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-New Research Available-
Ontario Cycle Tourism & Cycling Activity Report 2023
Now available in full report format, along with infographic, is a newly published study by Ontario By Bike. The report provides detailed insight into cyclists riding habits and trip preferences, highlighting the fact that cycle tourism in Ontario is growing and making a valuable contribution to the tourism economy in the province.
The report sheds light on a number of key trends and info on cycle tourism in Ontario including:
• 58% of cyclists did one or more overnight trips that included cycling in Ontario in 2023, including 38% that did two or more trips
• 68% did three or more day trips in Ontario that included cycling in 2023
• 49% of cyclists participated in two or more cycling events
• 47% of cyclists had visited one or more businesses certified as bicycle friendly in the past two year, including 40% visited multiple businesses
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-Nominations Open Until March 24-
2024 Best Bicycle Friendly Businesses Awards
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Nominations are open until March 24 to win a 2024 Bicycle Friendly Business Award.
As part of our growing network with over 1,680 certified bicycle friendly businesses across Ontario, we want to award, celebrate and promote those businesses a part of our program who go the extra mile to welcome and accommodate cyclists to their location.
If selected your business will:
Benefit from enormous promotional value as we will be announcing two winners monthly in our consumer/cyclists e-newsletter, be featured and promoted on our website plus be able to use the award to garner additional media attention.
Categories for businesses a part of the Ontario By Bike bicycle friendly business network:
- Award Category for: Accommodations, food service providers, attractions
- Recognition for: Bike store, rentals or bike tour operator
Submission Deadline:
Submit your application by filling out the form accessed from link below,
before end of day Sunday, March 24 to participate in the 2024 contest.
Nominate your business today!
If you are not a business, you can also nominate one in your area as long as they
are a certified bicycle friendly location (review all locations HERE)
For more info and to submit visit:
OntarioByBike.ca/2024AwardWinners
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Winner Photo Contest 2023
This award winning photo was shot in St. Thomas, whilst cyclists, Helene Pierard and Nancy Suzuki, were enjoying a fun mural tour around the city. The 2023 photo winner is published on page two of the 2024 Cycling in Ontario/Le vélo en Ontario guide. Every year we receive hundreds of incredible cycling photos from around Ontario, certainly making it hard to pick a winner. To see photos that received an honourable mention, to find out more or promote the annual photo contest visit:
OntarioByBike.ca/PhotoContest
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2024 Destination Partner Renewals | |
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Every three years each participating region in the Ontario By Bike Network is due for renewal. Working with our destination partners who are actively engaged in seeing cycle tourism grow and support our programming in each region, we make the certification program free for businesses and provide the following services for regions in the renewal year:
- Host an informative webinar
- Ensure all business listings are valid and continue to meet certification criteria
- Update webpages and regional tool kits
- Promote region as a great place to cycle in our enewsletter
- Provide continued administration of program, assistance to businesses and partners for three additional years
2024 Renewing Regions Include
- York Region
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Simcoe County - Register for webinar: April 26
- Renfrew County / Ottawa Valley
- Northumberland County
- Hamilton
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Halton Region - Register for webinar: March 26
- Oxford/Elgin/Middlesex Counties
- Northern Ontario & Manitoulin Island
- Parry Sound/Muskoka
- Bruce County, southwest
- Niagara Region (TBD)
Other Workshops & Webinars
- Durham Region - June 5
- Prescott & Russell - Date TBD
We'll be in touch with existing certified bicycle friendly businesses in each area to verify listings and invitation to a webinar this spring. Look out for that email if located in one of regions listed above.
All spring workshops are listed, and new ones added as schedule, along with registration links at the following page:
OntarioByBike.ca/Workshops
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2024 Cycling Events - Free Listing | |
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Do you have a cycling event in your area or are you an event coordinator? If so, make sure you are making the most of our free cycling event listing opportunity.
Our cycling events calendar webpage is one of the most visited on our site (OntarioByBike.ca/Events). Cyclists use this resource to find events they are interested in participating in - at destinations around Ontario. Event participants often stay overnight, visit the area and local restaurants/cafes, many travelling with a larger group.
Free event listings are available year round, so be sure to activate your listing. Event organizers can complete the simple form at the link below (also available direct from events page), and if you are not the event organizer, share this info and opportunity.
OntarioByBike.ca/Events-Submission-Form
Bonus: We also use the event listings from our webpage to populate the events listed in our monthly enewsletter to cyclists, reaching 16,800 subscribers, and for our annual print guide. Yet more opportunities for events to reach more cyclists and possible participants.
Photo credit: Gray Highlands Gran Fondo
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Attending Events
We have already been to a number of incredible events this year (Outdoor Adventure Show and Toronto Bicycle Show & E-Bike Expo in Toronto; Montreal Salon du velo/Bike Show) with our Ontario Cycle Tourism Info Centre. We've been connecting with thousands of cyclists eager to make ride plans to visit destinations across Ontario with their bikes this year. We are looking forward to attending more later this spring.
Find us at:
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2024 Ontario By Bike Rides Announced | |
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We recently announced our four rides for this summer. As usual, spaces on our small group rides are selling fast as cyclists are keen to make plans for the upcoming ride season.
In the past years we have enjoyed working with our tourism partners at ride destinations, using Ontario By Bike certified businesses for food and accommodations, and post-ride, publishing our self-guided/supported itineraries online. See more at: OntarioByBike.ca/Itineraries
1000 Islands St. Lawrence River Ride - OntarioByBike.ca/MayRide2024
Dates: Friday, May 24 – Sunday, May 26 (3 days / 2 nights)
Trent Severn Trail Ride - OntarioByBike.ca/JuneRide2024 - Already sold out!
Dates: Saturday, June 22 – Sunday, June 23 (2 days / 1 night)
Railway City & Erie Ports Tour - Ontariobybike.ca/AugustRide2024
Dates: Friday, August 25 - Saturday, August 26 – Sunday, August 27
(3 days / 2 nights)
Huron Coast Explorer - OntarioByBike.ca/SeptRide2024
Dates: Friday, September 20 – Sunday, September 22 (3 days / 2 nights)
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Check Your Business Listing / New Listings | |
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If you are a certified bicycle friendly business - are you making the most of your business listing with Ontario By Bike?
Make sure your business information is up to date, your business description complete and that your website URL and email contact address are correct. Upload pictures and a logo and check the location of your icon on the Ontario By Bike map.
To find your business listing, using the find icon and enter business name, or search by category, or connect to your listing from your regional 'Great Places to Cycle' webpage and zoom into your location using the online maps. To make any edits, login to your account and follow the instructions HERE. If you are having any difficulties with your listing, let us know and we will help you make any changes required.
Window Decals & Signs
If you need a replacement window decal, one that is useful in showing cyclists that you are a certified bicycle friendly location, email us and we can send you a new one.
Additionally we also can provide a larger format (7"x7") reflective aluminum sign for a nominal charge, and will be reordering a supply this spring should you be interested, let us know (see more HERE).
New Listings
If you haven't already made the most of this free marketing opportunity and become a certified bicycle friendly business, register now! It is an easy 2-step online registration process to get certified, and we are always available to provide assistance. Find further info on how to register a your business HERE.
Let us help cyclists find your location!
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New Ontario By Bike Video | |
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We have a new video available and in use to help inspire cyclists to explore Ontario By Bike and plan their next cycling adventure!
In partnership with Destination Ontario, this video was shot on our 2023 Georgian Bay Collingwood Explorer - Ontario By Bike Ride.
Feel free to share it, or send us your latest videos we can share or see more videos on Youtube channels at:
OntarioByBike.ca/Videos
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We are always looking for stories and updates about what is new for cyclists to discover and enjoy at your location or destination. Please do drop us a line to share.
As we ramp up for the spring and coming cycling seasons, we are active on social media channels and also have a very engaged community and 16,800 subscribers for our monthly consumer/cyclists e-newsletter.
Get in Touch
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Louisa Mursell & Peter McMurtry
Ontario By Bike Network
Project of Transportation Options
850 Coxwell Ave ~ Toronto, ON ~ M4C 5R1
Office: 416-827-2774
Toll-Free: 1-866-701-2774
Email: info@ontariobybike.ca
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Want to read more: Link to our past industry e-newsletter archive HERE
Link to our past consumer/cyclists e-newsletter archive and subscribe HERE
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Stay Connected with Ontario By Bike! | |
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Share using the hashtag #OntarioByBike & #BikeON!
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