Latest news with #VéloQuébec
CTV News
3 days ago
- General
- CTV News
A new campaign urges cyclists to slow down and watch for pedestrians
A new June campaign reminds cyclists to slow down, follow the rules, and watch for pedestrians in key shared zones. Vélo Québec is using the month of June to launch a new awareness campaign calling on cyclists to follow the rules of the road and be more mindful of pedestrians — the most vulnerable and often forgotten users of public space. Bike season is back in full swing, and for Magali Bebronne, program director at Vélo Québec, it's the right time to push for safer streets for everyone. 'When it comes to humans, there's no negotiations,' said Bebronne. 'If somebody's putting a foot on the street, you should be stopping and letting them pass.' The campaign is reminding cyclists to stay alert and slow down, especially in five key areas where pedestrians always take priority: at bus stops, crosswalks, in front of a school bus, near a crossing guard, and on shared pedestrian streets. Some pedestrians say they feel less safe around cyclists than they do around drivers. Bebronne said the tension between cyclists and pedestrians isn't new — but it may be growing. One of the most common complaints is cyclists using sidewalks. 'Pedestrians complaining that cyclists are using the sidewalk — it's not acceptable, it's not allowed in the highway safety code,' she said. But some cyclists argue the rules aren't always clear or easy to follow. Bebronne said the right infrastructure — like protected bike lanes — benefits not only cyclists but pedestrians as well. Sometimes cyclists bend the rules to avoid cars, she added, but they need to consider pedestrians too. That's why Vélo Québec says better coordination is needed across the board — and that safety starts with everyone.
Montreal Gazette
5 days ago
- Montreal Gazette
Tour de l'Île cyclist files complaint saying roads reopened too early, endangering her family
By Marie Gisselle Mina, her husband and their nine-year-old daughter were under the impression they had plenty of time when they stopped for a hot chocolate during last weekend's chilly Tour de l'Île. The family was about 34 kilometres into the annual 50-kilometre cycling event when they took a break around 2 p.m. Sunday near St-Jean-Baptiste and René-Lévesque Blvds. They were in the park when Mina said her husband suddenly noticed a heavy police presence and they realized the area was reopening to traffic. 'I was flabbergasted,' she said, adding she has participated in about 10 Tour de l'Île events. This occurred about an hour earlier than the posted time of 3:15 p.m. on both signs and online for that section in Pointe-aux-Trembles, according to Mina. She said volunteers also appeared to be confused. Thinking police made a mistake and saying she hoped they would realize that, her family scrambled to get going and biked alongside other participants. Concerned about traffic, she called 911. 'I'm seeing that the roads are open in front of us. Cars are starting to pass, I have a little one with me, and I'm getting really worried,' Mina said. She said the 911 operator told her Sherbrooke St. had to reopen by 2:30 p.m. and that she would pass on the message, but Mina explained she was located farther east, where signs indicated 3:15 p.m. They continued until they couldn't, Mina said, adding some cyclists had no choice but to go on sidewalks. She said police officers told her they had to reopen the area. 'We're in the refinery section, so we're getting pretty much nowhere,' she said. 'And there is a whole bunch of cars that are next to us and they start saying, 'The event is finished, you guys need to be riding one behind the other.'' Volunteers at the back were trying to 'scramble and pick up as many people and explain to them the event is done and you're on your own,' and that security and bike repairs will no longer be provided, Mina said. Her family stopped near some volunteers. They had to be picked up by a shuttle bus around the 35-kilometre mark, she said. 'I can't do this. I mean, I'm scared for my daughter. There is another family, their kid is bawling their eyes out and, I'm like, we can't do this,' Mina said. Mina estimates at least 150 participants were in the same situation. Although she said volunteers were helpful, she didn't understand why police would open streets while cyclists were still present. Police followed reopening plan, organizer says Vélo Québec president and CEO Jean-François Rheault said in a message Monday to The Gazette that 'after verification, the SPVM complied with the planned reopening schedule.' The process of reopening streets is 'complex and requires extensive co-ordination to enable multiple tasks to be completed,' and the police's collaboration was 'exemplary,' he added. 'The time indicated on the yellow signs refers to car access to the street, not to the last passage of cyclists,' Rheault wrote. When asked specifically about the signs and about cyclists like Mina being stuck, Rheault said 'the process has not changed, but it is clear that we need to communicate closure times more clearly.' Montreal police said in an email Monday that it 'did not reopen the streets before the times planned by the promoter, Vélo Québec.' 'Some sections of streets were even reopened to traffic later than expected,' police said. Mina filed a complaint with Montreal police and said the area shouldn't have been reopened while participants with young children were still there. 'There is a lack of judgment, and I think it could have been really dangerous,' she said.
CBC
30-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Tour de l'île to roll through Montreal's east end this weekend
It's that time of the year again. Cyclists will rule the streets of Montreal this weekend as its annual bike festival gets underway. About 40,000 cyclists are expected to participate in the 40th Festival Go Vélo Montreal, split pretty evenly between the Tour la Nuit on Saturday night and Tour de l'île on Sunday. This year's 1980s theme will pay homage to the festival's beginning in 1985, says Vélo Québec CEO Jean-François Rheault. The organization is encouraging participants to wear their most colourful clothes to travel the streets of the city. Nearly 2,900 people took part in the Metropolitan Challenge last Sunday on the South Shore, the first stage of the cycling festival. The Tour de l'île offers a choice of two routes: the 50 kilometre or the 70 to100 kilometre — both of which start in Maisonneuve Park this year and largely explore the east end. The route is closed to car traffic throughout the event, following arterial roadways like Notre-Dame and Sherbrooke streets, as well as Gouin Boulevard. Road closures will begin at roughly 8:30 a.m. and wrap up by 4 p.m., with openings and closings staggered throughout the event. In addition, Vélo Québec is once again offering a 22-kilometre nighttime ride in the boroughs of Saint-Léonard, Montréal-Nord and Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie on Saturday. Road closures begin around 5:30 p.m. and end by 11:30 p.m. "It's a good time to make sure you're seen," said Rheault. "Put lights on your bike and on yourself. It creates a magical movement in the city — a kind of illuminated trail." While it is true that Quebec's cycling culture has evolved considerably over the past few decades, the event's mission is still so relevant, said Rheault. The various circuits closed to car traffic allow cyclists to ride with more peace of mind, but also to "reclaim the city," he added. Several volunteers and police officers will ensure the event is held away from motorists.
Montreal Gazette
28-05-2025
- Montreal Gazette
How to plan for Tour de l'Île road closures
By Close to 40,000 cyclists will take to Montreal streets this weekend to ride in the annual Tour la Nuit and Tour de l'Île. Organized by Vélo Québec, the events will close some roads east of Pie-IX Blvd. Here's what you need to know to navigate city streets and avoid a tow. 'It's possible to get around by car this weekend in Montreal,' Vélo Québec President Jean-François Rheault told reporters at a Wednesday morning press conference. But 'it might not be the route you're used to taking.' Tour la Nuit will close roads Friday between 7:30 p.m. and midnight along a 21-kilometre route in the Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, St-Léonard and Montreal North boroughs. The longer Tour de l'Île will take place Sunday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., and will see 50 kilometres of roads between Gouin Blvd. and Notre-Dame St. and Pie-IX Blvd. and the eastern tip of the island closed to cars. 'We want it to be a festive and enjoyable event and for everyone to share that enjoyment — cyclists and drivers,' City of Montreal Spokesperson Philippe Sabourin said. Drivers heading east-west through the city can still take Highway 40, Sherbrooke St., Souligny Ave. and portions Notre-Dame St. throughout the events. Autoroute 25 will also remain open, allowing north-south access off the island from the affected areas. Vélo Québec is also maintaining a hotline to help drivers, pedestrians and public transit riders plan routes and has posted maps of the planned closures. The road closures are also set to be shown on Waze and Google Maps, Sabourin said. The event will impact 27 STM bus routes. A special shuttle, No. 809, will be in place for people in Pointe-aux-Trembles who would normally take buses 86 or 189, to shuttle them to Marien Ave. More information is available at The City of Montreal has readied 18 tow trucks for the Tour la Nuit route Friday evening, Sabourin said, warning that a towed vehicle costs drivers around $194. Tow trucks will also be on call for the Sunday event. Drivers can 'avoid surprises,' he said, by consulting the maps. Drivers on the Friday evening route will have until 1 p.m. that day to move their cars, while cars parked on the Sunday route are required to relocate by 12:01 a.m. Sunday. Vélo Québec communicated the closures well ahead of time, Rheault said, posting signs along the routes over a week in advance, calling some businesses directly and mailing around 10,000 pamphlets. This year's Tour de l'Île is the 40th edition, adopting an '80s theme to commemorate the occasion, Rheault said. 'It's certainly an important event in the construction of Montreal's cycling culture,' he said, adding that participants report they travel by bike more often following the event. 'The bicycle is a simple solution to complicated problems. It's good for mobility. It's good for the environment. It's good for health.' The event also boosts Montreal's economy, he said, by attracting tourist dollars from Ontario and the United States. Both the Friday and Sunday events are likely to see between 18,000 and 19,000 participants, Rheault said. Registration remains open for both. At a glance The Tour la Nuit kicks of Friday with staggered starts between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. The Tour de l'Île is Sunday with staggered starts between 9:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Registration for both events is available at Participants can also register at the starting line.
CBC
27-04-2025
- Automotive
- CBC
How learning to bike can lead to more peaceful roads
Social Sharing This story is a collaboration between Concordia University's journalism department and CBC Montreal. On a frigid Sunday afternoon in Montreal's Plateau-Mont-Royal borough, a dozen women hopped on bikes for their first winter ride ever, helped by experienced trainers from Vélo Québec. Apart from ice and snow, the biggest challenge participants faced was sharing the space with other road users, especially cars. Zineb Bettayeb was one of the winter workshop attendants. Through the workshops, Bettayeb has not only learned how to navigate the streets as a cyclist. They have also made her a better driver. "Being a cyclist, I try to be more responsible when I drive," Bettayeb said, explaining that she's now more conscious of pedestrians and other vulnerable users on the road. Vélo Québec, an organization that promotes cycling in the province, launched a pilot project called Toutes à vélo in 2021. The program helps women — who are less likely to cycle than men — learn how to ride a bike. Participants and organizers say that Toutes à vélo has the added bonus of promoting awareness when it comes to sharing the road. A booming demand for bike lessons The program has proved popular, with a waitlist of nearly 1,200. Earlier this year, the federal government invested almost $900,000 in funding to Toutes à vélo. Magali Bebronne, a director and trainer with the program, had been hoping for the extra funding for a long time. She said the program would use it to "offer this whole variety of complementary activities so that participants can move further in their path towards adopting cycling as a mode of transportation." WATCH | Workshop teaches hundreds of women how to bike: The program is most popular in Montreal. In summer, it includes 11 hours of instruction over the course of a month. Organizers have held winter biking workshops for the past two winters. While the goal of Toutes à vélo is to teach women how to bike for the purpose of leisure or transportation, it also has an impact on cohabitation between car drivers and cyclists on the road. There have been long-standing tensions between bicycle users and car drivers in Montreal, which have only heightened under Mayor Valérie Plante. Residents have voiced their frustration, especially at the loss of parking, while others praised the rise in dedicated bike infrastructure. Social media has been the epicentre for displaying polarization between road users. During last winter's snowstorms, for instance, there were an immeasurable amount of comments on social media that blamed the bike paths for the slow removal of snow. Marianne Giguère, the Projet Montréal city councillor responsible for Montreal's cycling plan, said that one of the solutions to this polarization is to make people understand the reality of both groups. "The minute you've ridden a bike, on a country lane or a city road, you understand how nice it is when someone goes around you," Giguère said. "When someone slows down, when someone gives you space while overtaking you, when someone looks in the mirror before opening their door." Learning to be a biker — and better driver According to a 2024 Toutes à vélo survey, 52 per cent of the 120 participants they polled used a car as their primary mode of transportation. But through their workshops, Toutes à vélo increases the proportion of drivers who are also cyclists. One of the founders and instructors of Toutes à vélo, Catherine Plante, believes the program contributes to a better understanding of cyclists' reality. As a trainer, she said she has seen it with her own eyes, with some participants saying "I understand now why the bike paths are large!" and "I understand now why people want more cycling infrastructure!" Aissata Bangoura, another participant, drives every day to her job in downtown Montreal. She said she's more careful now. "There are other road users that have the right to be there." Originally from Algeria, Bettayeb achieved a life-long dream by learning how to bike with Toutes à vélo. "I come from a society where there isn't really a cycling culture, so I couldn't bike, especially as a woman," she said. "When I moved to Canada, I found that everyone was biking and it really made me happy." Since completing the cycling program in the summer, Bettayeb has started to commute to work every day by bike. Now, Bettayeb said, she knows not only how to ride a bike, but to do so "in a safe way while sharing the lane with motorists."
