These candidates running in the federal election are all cyclists

In March, the government announced the country’s first-ever federal strategy and fund dedicated to building active transportation trails and pathways.

The federal election in Canada is less than a month away (Sept. 20, 2021), and, despite the ongoing influx of Canadians choosing active transportation, to there hasn’t been much debate on the topic since the announcement of the federal active transport project.

RELATED: Thousands of kilometres of new cycling paths and trails are headed to Canada

It’s good to keep in mind that candidates that support the active transit strategy as a method of reducing carbon emissions and for its public health benefits will be in favour of better cycling infrastructure.

Politics aside, most cyclists can agree that better infrastructure is good.

If you’re curious how the candidates for your riding would approach issues of cycling infrastructure and funding, you should reach out to them and ask. There are hundreds of candidates in this year’s election, but here are a few (across parties) that list cycling as an interest and may be a good place to start when asking your riding’s politicians about their policies.

Jagmeet Singh (NDP)— Burnaby South/NDP leader

An avid cyclist, Singh made bikes a big part of his 2019 election campaign. “As I travel across Canada and meet people in communities from coast to coast to coast, I always try to get on a bike, check out the cycle infrastructure, and meet other cyclists and pedestrians along the way,” he said.

Richard Cannings (NDP)— Okanagan-West Kootenays

Every year Cannings embarks on a 400-kilometre bike tour of the Okanagan-West Kootenays riding throughout his constituency, an event called “ride the riding.”

Gord Johns (NDP)—Courtenay-Alberni

Johns, a year-long cyclist who isn’t phased by the snowy streets of Ottawa, was the MP who initially pushed for parliament to adopt the national cycling strategy before it was finally passed in March 2021.

Adrian Currie (Green Party)—Davenport

Currie kicked off his 2021 campaign with a community bike cruise around the neighborhood. He is the vice-president of Cycle Toronto and was formally the chair of the board of the Community Bicycle Network.

Darcie Lanthie (Green Party)—Charlottetown

In her candidate profile, Lanthie (the Green Party candidate for Charlottetow, PEI) is said to be often found cycling with Peter, her husband of thirty-two years.

Pam Damoff (Liberal)—Oakville North-Burlington

Damoff, the founder of Cycle Oakville, describes herself as an avid cyclist and an advocate for active transportation infrastructure.

Adam van Koeverden (Liberal)—Milton

Van Koeverden is a vocal supporter of cycling infrastructure. In 2017 he wrote an opinion article for the Toronto Star titled: Why bike lanes are good for driver and everyone else.

David Sweet (Conservative)—Flamborough-Glanbrook

Sweet describes himself as a “a fitness and outdoors enthusiast who enjoys hiking, cycling, swimming and running.”

Alain Rayes (Conservative)— Richmond—Arthabaska

Rayes is a triathlete and Ironman competitor. In 2015, when he was mayor of Victoriaville, Qc., La Presse gave him the title of “Quebec’s fittest mayor.”