Mapping change in cycling infrastructure across Canada: What, where, and for whom?

INTERVENTION: Governments are investing in safer cycling infrastructure to provide transportation options that support health, mobility, and environmental outcomes; these can be considered population health interventions.

RESEARCH QUESTION: We aimed to measure change from 2022 to 2024 in cycling infrastructure in Canada to understand what and where changes happened, and who was impacted.

METHODS

We extracted data from OpenStreetMap.org (OSM) in 2022 and 2024 and coded them according to the Canadian Bikeway Comfort and Safety (Can-BICS) classification system (high, medium, or low comfort and safety). We measured differences (2022-2024) in length and type of cycling infrastructure within census subdivisions. We related differences in cycling infrastructure metrics with population composition within dissemination areas, nationally, by city size, and for particular cities, examining specific population groups (children, older adults, recent immigrants, racialized people, and low-income populations).

RESULTS

Total Can-BICS-OSM cycling infrastructure in 2024 increased to 27,098 km (15.3%) from 23,502 km in 2022. Most new infrastructure was multi-use paths (2725 km). High-comfort bike-only paths increased by nearly 50% (49 km). Nationally, access increased for recent immigrants, racialized people, and people with low incomes. Overall, areas with more children and older adults saw less increase in access to infrastructure, but within small and medium cities there were often increases.

CONCLUSION

Using a national dataset, we detected an increase in cycling infrastructure in Canadian communities, with mobility and health implications for many equity-deserving population groups. The greatest increases, proportionally, in cycling infrastructure were seen in small- and medium-sized cities.