By Joslin Jose, WE-CAN volunteer with Avi Dolgin
A Rainy Day in Vancouver – August 2020
“The monsoons have arrived early this year!” says Adam, shrugging off the water from his jacket as he enters Willey’s Café across North Street. A painter by profession, Adam is a familiar face here—every evening at 7:00 PM, without fail.
“I’ll go for a black coffee and a chicken sandwich, thank you,” Adam places his order and starts walking toward the seat by the window. The downpour intensifies as he watches the rain lash against the café windows.
“Thud!!!”
Adam is startled by a loud noise. There’s been an accident across the street. Curious, he peers through the window and sees a young cyclist crumpled on the road—struck by a speeding car that has already fled the scene. Police and medics rush in as a crowd begins to gather.
The sight brings tears to Adam’s eyes. It pulls him back—into memory. He, too, was once a cyclist. His gaze drops from the chaos outside to his fractured leg, a stark reminder of a similar accident six months ago.
His coffee arrives, but he remains deep in thought, his gaze returning to the road, quietly hoping the cyclist is safe.
Understanding the needs of Adam and countless other cyclists and road users, an organization in British Columbia is working to create a safer ecosystem for cyclists and pedestrians — the BC Cycling Coalition (BCCC). Founded in 1999 by Peter Stary and Colin Brander as an offshoot of the Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition, it evolved into a province-wide movement in response to growing public demand. The BC Cycling Coalition was established to unite communities across B.C. and address broader issues affecting cyclists and active transportation users throughout the province.
In conversation with Peter Ladner, Chair of the BC Cycling Coalition, he mentions, “The goal of our organization is to have people of all ages and abilities feel comfortable riding their bikes—wherever they need to go. The biggest barrier for people is safe infrastructure. We can’t have protected routes everywhere, but we can near schools, around community centres, on streets with minimal traffic, and on multi-use paths that are off-road routes shared with walkers.”
The team works with other cycling organizations and the Ministry of Transportation and Transit, TransLink, and ICBC, organizing meetings to bring road safety issues to their attention. They also collaborate with HUB Cycling and other organizations to push for reforms to the Motor Vehicle Act and advocate for these changes with provincial politicians and bureaucrats. They have successfully championed improved road safety rules for pedestrians and cyclists.
“We have successfully facilitated safe passing distance legislation. According to this law, if driving under 50 km/h, you must leave one metre of space between your vehicle and a vulnerable road user. Over 50 km/hr drivers have to leave 1.5 metres.” Peter explains. “Now we are working on getting this regulation more widely known and actually enforced across the province.”
The coalition has also been campaigning to set the default speed limit in residential areas to 30 kilometres per hour throughout the province. They envision empowering people to walk and cycle without fear of traffic, encouraging a shift away from car dependency.
They also work to educate the younger generation about adopting sustainable modes of transportation through their Kids on Wheels program.
“We run the Kids on Wheels program for pre-schoolers, to introduce them to cycling. We provide balance bikes in summer programs through community centres, and typically see involvement from parents as well. We believe that once children are on the path to cycling, they are more likely to continue cycling throughout their lives,” says Peter.
BCCC has also been contracted by the Ministry of Transportation and Transit to provide grants to communities initiating or expanding bike valet programs. The grants help community groups to set up new programs and monitor results to encourage people to cycle to major events and destinations. They also work hand in hand with health authorities, including the BC Healthy Living Alliance, as well as municipalities and regional districts, to promote active transportation across the province.
With strong support from the Ministry of Transportation and Transit, the BC Cycling Coalition successfully organized their first Active Transportation Summit in June 2024 and is preparing for their next, a partnership with the Planning Institute of B.C., scheduled for September 11th and 12th in Kimberley. They aspire to bring cycling groups and advocates together to learn from each other, connect like-minded individuals, and support larger road safety projects in communities across the province.
“Rather than make people feel like we’re trying to force them out of their cars, we’re trying to create a better option—one that’s more convenient, more fun, healthier, and more affordable. If more people engage in active transportation, our communities will become better in so many ways. Our job is to get people excited about that vision and help make it a reality.”
With a larger vision of creating safer roads for all , the BC Cycling Coalition moves forward with great aspiration. Their near-future goals include advocating for the automated enforcement of traffic laws—for example, red-light cameras at intersections and speed timers—to help drivers obey the law and make roads safer for all users.
The BC Cycling Coalition is driven by a greater mission: a goal where Adam—and every road user—feels safe and confident at every step, whether on foot or on pedals.
For further reading: https://bccycling.ca/profile
To donate: https://bccycling.ca/donate
Listen to podcast, BikeSense: https://bccycling.ca/podcast
Apply for a Bike Valet parking grant: https://bccycling.ca/2025-valet-bike-parking-grant
Participate in the Active Transportation Summit, 2025: https://bccycling.ca/2025-at-summit
