What does it take to transform a car-dependent small town into a place where cycling feels safe and accessible? Ruth Lloyd is finding out firsthand in Williams Lake, BC.

As a returning resident to her hometown, Ruth experienced the stark contrast between places where active transportation was normalized, and her pickup-truck dominated community where, as in many small cities or towns, the highway consititutes Main Street. Rather than accepting the status quo, she co-founded Streets for All Williams Lake and began methodically building support for cycling infrastructure through creative advocacy.

Ruth's approach blends journalistic storytelling with strategies such as lending an e-bike to the mayor to bring him onside. Now she's tackling an even bigger obstacle: provincial highways that create barriers within communities.

Find out more about Streets For All Williams Lake HERE.

Support the show

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The Bike Sense podcast with Peter Ladner is produced by the BC Cycling Coalition – your voice for safer and more accessible cycling and active transportation in British Columbia.

Got feedback or ideas for future episodes? Please drop us an email at admin@bccycling.ca.

Membership in the BCCC is now FREE! The future of this podcast depends on people like you becoming members at BCCycling.ca.

Transportation Engineer Allan Kindrat's groundbreaking work on the Cycle 16 multi-use path connecting Smithers and Telkwa recently earned a Gold Award from the Planning Institute of BC, recognizing two decades of persistent community advocacy finally bearing fruit.

The project represents a watershed moment for active transportation in BC. What began as a grassroots initiative championed by the Cycle 16 Trail Society has evolved into something much bigger – the first major project taken over by the Ministry of Transportation and Transit under their new Active Transportation Capital Program. With $85 million allocated across approximately 11 projects province-wide, this represents an unprecedented commitment to building dedicated cycling and pedestrian infrastructure within highway corridors. This ministerial involvement sets a promising precedent for similar initiatives across BC, including the Connect the Coast Society's efforts on the Sunshine Coast, where Kindrat now serves as project manager. Get your how-to's here!

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Find out more about Cycle 16 (Smithers to Telkwa) HERE

Find out more about Sunshine Coast: Connect the Coast Trail HERE

Visit Allan Kindrat HERE

Learn about B.C. Active Transportation Infrastructure Grants (and find out which projects have received them) HERE

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The Bike Sense podcast with Peter Ladner is produced by the BC Cycling Coalition – your voice for safer and more accessible cycling and active transportation in British Columbia.

Got feedback or ideas for future episodes? Please drop us an email at admin@bccycling.ca.

Membership in the BCCC is now FREE! The future of this podcast depends on people like you becoming members at BCCycling.ca.

What does it take to transform personal tragedy into meaningful policy change? Eleanor McMahon's story provides a masterclass in effective advocacy that transcends political divisions while saving lives on our roads.

After losing her husband Greg — an Ontario Provincial Police officer — to a careless driver in 2006, McMahon channeled her grief into founding the Share the Road Cycling Coalition. With her background working for two Prime Ministers and her extensive political connections, she embarked on a methodical journey to research international cycling advocacy models before creating an organization to fill the gaps she discovered in Ontario. The results have been life changing and life saving, and carry huge ramifications for cycling safety in BC.

Visit Share the Road Cycling Coalition HERE

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The Bike Sense podcast with Peter Ladner is produced by the BC Cycling Coalition – your voice for safer and more accessible cycling and active transportation in British Columbia.

Got feedback or ideas for future episodes? Please drop us an email at admin@bccycling.ca.

Membership in the BCCC is now FREE! The future of this podcast depends on people like you becoming members at BCCycling.ca.

Is it all over for trains on the abandoned E&N Rail line stretching 289 kilometres along Vancouver Island?

Alastair Craighead, Chair of Friends of Rails to Trails Vancouver Island, thinks so, and is one of many people working with regional districts, municipalities, businesses and land-owning First Nations to convert these derelict tracks into a world-class trail network.

Peter Ladner talks with him about the millions of dollars already invested in planning this cycle route, and what has to happen to complete it.

Check out Friends of Rails to Trains Vancouver Island HERE and be sure to watch their delightful video.

For another view on the corridor's future, see https://www.islandrail.ca/.

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The Bike Sense podcast with Peter Ladner is produced by the BC Cycling Coalition – your voice for safer and more accessible cycling and active transportation in British Columbia.

Got feedback or ideas for future episodes? Please drop us an email at admin@bccycling.ca.

Membership in the BCCC is now FREE! The future of this podcast depends on people like you becoming members at BCCycling.ca.

How can we transform young children into lifelong cyclists? Maya Goldstein's innovative Kids on Wheels and School Bike Bus programs teach biking to children as young as age two, and bring out as many as 60 kids at a time to ride to school together. Listen up to find out how you can get your local young'uns on two wheels before car culture takes hold – wherever you live!

Bike Bus resources:

SUPER CUTE Gordon Elementary Bike Bus CoV video June 2023
HUB Bike Bus program (Funded by the BC Provincial Government Ministry of Transportation and Transit)
Parent-led Bike Bus Resources
Portland Bike Buses
Bike Bus World

Check out Maya's Bike Bus musings on Linkedin .

Contact Maya at maya.goldstein@bikehub.ca

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The Bike Sense podcast with Peter Ladner is produced by the BC Cycling Coalition – your voice for safer and more accessible cycling and active transportation in British Columbia.

Got feedback or ideas for future episodes? Please drop us an email at admin@bccycling.ca.

Membership in the BCCC is now FREE! The future of this podcast depends on people like you becoming members at BCCycling.ca.

Conflicts between motorized vehicles (ATVs, dirt bikes) and non-motorized users (cyclists, hikers) present ongoing challenges for multi-use trails – particularly when the trail spans almost 30,000km! Trails BC Director Léon Lebrun shares his 29-year journey with the Trans-Canada Trail, revealing how this ambitious project went from concept to reality while still facing significant challenges in British Columbia.

We also explore the evolution of trail management from grassroots engagement to centralized control, with Léon advocating for a return to more local involvement and partnership.

You can find out about the Trans Canada Trail and other BC Trails at TrailsBC.ca.
To get involved contact Léon at LebrunL@telus.net.

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The Bike Sense podcast with Peter Ladner is produced by the BC Cycling Coalition – your voice for safer and more accessible cycling and active transportation in British Columbia.

Got feedback or ideas for future episodes? Please drop us an email at admin@bccycling.ca.

Membership in the BCCC is now FREE! The future of this podcast depends on people like you becoming members at BCCycling.ca.

Curious about cargo e-bikes but hesitant to invest thousands without trying one first? North Vancouver has created an elegant solution that's transforming how families approach transportation decisions. All you need is a library card to check one out.

Duncan Wilcock, co-founder of Better North Shore, joins Bike Sense to share the story behind North Vancouver's groundbreaking cargo e-bike library program.

Contact Duncan at duncan@wilcock.ca
BetterNorthShore.ca

More info for people wanting to start up a cargo bike lending program in their own municipality:

DNV Libraries Cargo Bike Program
District of North Vancouver Cargo Bike Pilot Program
The Joy of E-Biking on the North Shore

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The Bike Sense podcast with Peter Ladner is produced by the BC Cycling Coalition – your voice for safer and more accessible cycling and active transportation in British Columbia.

Got feedback or ideas for future episodes? Please drop us an email at admin@bccycling.ca.

Membership in the BCCC is now FREE! The future of this podcast depends on people like you becoming members at BCCycling.ca.

Nick van Egmond, CEO of Bicycle Broker, introduces 'Sundays' — a comprehensive insurance solution designed specifically for cyclists that covers theft and damage for all types of bikes across Canada.

Traditional home and tenant insurance typically demands a high deductible and leaves gaps in bicycle coverage. This new product provides 24/7 protection both on and off your property, with much lower deductibles. Nick also offers a few pro tips on new ways to keep your bike safe and recover a stolen bike.

Find out all about Sundays specialist bike insurance at sundaysinsurance.ca. You can also visit bicyclebroker.ca to learn more about bicycle insurance options.

***********************************************

The Bike Sense podcast with Peter Ladner is produced by the BC Cycling Coalition – your voice for safer and more accessible cycling and active transportation in British Columbia.

Got feedback or ideas for future episodes? Please drop us an email at admin@bccycling.ca.

Membership in the BCCC is now FREE! The future of this podcast depends on people like you becoming members at BCCycling.ca.