Kitchener receives “gold” designation as a bicycle friendly community

Kitchener, ON – The City of Kitchener has been awarded gold status by the Bicycle Friendly Communities (BFC) Program, administered by the Share the Road Cycling Coalition. This designation recognizes Kitchener’s significant progress in advancing safe, connected and equitable cycling infrastructure.

The Gold designation places Kitchener among the leading municipalities in Ontario for cycling excellence and reflects the City’s sustained investment in high‑quality facilities, education initiatives and long‑term planning. This recognition is the direct result of years of investment into a range of infrastructure improvements outlined in the award-winning Cycling and Trails Master Plan, which prioritizes a comprehensive, all‑ages‑and‑abilities network.

“We have a plan that will give people options to walk, run, cycle and roll across our community,” said Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic. “This award recognizes the progress we have made to date, and I’m excited to be taking further steps forward this year with the opening of our first major active transportation spine, Route 1, this summer and the start of construction for Route 2 this fall.”

Recent accomplishments include:

• A city-wide priority wayfinding network, with branded trail routes that connect major destinations, such as the recently completed Route 1: The Boardwalk to Downtown.
• Completion of the Downtown Cycling Grid, a 10‑kilometre network of new and upgraded cycling routes that has already contributed to substantial increases in ridership.
• Enhancements to multi‑use trails, including trails in the Country Hills Park, Lions Park, Lynnvalley Park, and Wilson Park, as well as Henry Sturm, Traynor and Shoemaker Greenway trails.
• Delivery of a spot fix program, making targeted safety improvements to trail crossings, missing curb cuts and challenging intersections
• Development of neighbourhood bikeways, providing low‑stress routes supported by wayfinding and traffic‑calming measures.

“This recognition underscores the City of Kitchener’s dedication to building a safe, accessible, and connected trail network for residents, visitors, and commuters,” said Active Transportation and trails Advisory Committee Chair and Ward 6 Councillor Paul Singh. “We are honoured to receive this designation and remain committed to further enhancing active transportation options throughout our community.”

These current and future investments are how the City of Kitchener is achieving its goal of building a connected city together, as outlined in its 2023-2026 Strategic Plan.

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For more information:

Corporate Communications and Marketing
City of Kitchener
Media@kitchener.ca

About the Bicycle Friendly Communities Program

The Bicycle Friendly Communities Program, established in Canada by the Share the Road Cycling Coalition, provides a standardized framework for evaluating and improving cycling conditions in municipalities. Communities are assessed across five key areas: engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement, and evaluation. Awards range from Bronze to Platinum, with Gold representing the highest level awarded in Ontario to date, with demonstrated leadership in cycling advancement.

Kitchener’s Gold designation reflects the City’s strong performance across all evaluation categories and its commitment to continuous improvement.

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“We are delighted to present this Gold Bicycle Friendly Community award to the City of Kitchener in recognition of its ongoing commitment to investing in infrastructure and initiatives that offer citizens safe places to ride,” said Eleanor McMahon, Founder and Board Chair Share the Road Cycling Coalition. “Kitchener joins a growing number of Ontario communities that are investing in opportunities for citizens to benefit from livable and safe streets and neighborhoods. More than 10 million Ontarians – or two thirds of our population – live in a designated Bicycle Friendly Community, which reflects the tremendous work under way in municipalities across the province. We congratulate the mayor and Council, City staff and the citizens in Kitchener – they all share in this important milestone.”