Gearing up for Bike Month!

Pedal over to our Bike Month Bonanza event on June 8

Get ready to ride! June is Bike Month, and as we gear up to celebrate, the City of Vaughan is encouraging you to grab your bike, get active and ride around your neighbourhood.

Bike Month is an annual community-driven initiative that promotes cycling. It is recognized by many municipalities across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) – including Vaughan and York Region. This month provides an opportunity to get out on your bicycle, learn new skills and have some fun. 

Take part in the following bike events and activities this June:   

Attend the Bike Month Bonanza event

On Sunday, June 8 – rain or shine, attend the Thornhill Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Program (SNAP)’s Bike Month Bonanza event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Garnet A. Williams Community Centre (501 Clark Ave. W.). The drop-in event is free and offers a fun-filled day of family-friendly activities that promote active transportation and cycling safety. Come out to enjoy:

• guided bike rides: routes vary in length and will start and end at the Garnet A. Williams Community Centre – bring your own helmet!
• FREE e-bike and e-scooter test rides
• complimentary smoothies blended by a pedal bike
• cycling educational materials
• bike safety checks
• food trucks on-site
• vendor booths
• cycling-themed crafts
• raffles
• and so much more!

Pre-registration is encouraged but not required. More information about the event is available at vaughan.ca/environment.

Join a community ride 

Check out the Bike Month Event Calendar for cycling events for all ages and abilities happening throughout Vaughan and the GTHA. You can also explore cycling facilities using the York Region Cycling Map.

Ride on your own

Vaughan is home to a large network of sidewalks, cycle tracks, bike lanes, multi-use paths and recreational trails, which include the following:

• In-boulevard cycle tracks: designated spaces for people riding bikes, e-bikes or e-scooters separate from those walking or driving by a curb and buffer. These areas are marked with an arrow, bicycle symbol and a diamond.
• On-road bike lanes: designated spaces on the road for people riding bikes, e-bikes or e-scooters. Bike lanes are located on both sides of the roadway and users travel in the same direction as those driving. These lanes are separated from motor vehicle lanes by a white painted line.
• In-boulevard multi-use pathways: shared spaces for people walking, riding bikes, e-bikes or e-scooters separate from those driving by a curb and buffer. These areas are within the boulevard along a roadway.
• Multi-use recreational trails: shared spaces for walking and riding bikes found within parks and open spaces. Powered/motorized micromobility devices are not permitted on multi-use recreational trails.

Most important of all – be safe 

Whether you are an experienced cyclist or riding for the first time, bike safety protocols apply to all. People riding bikes under the age of 18 years are required to wear a helmet – but everyone, regardless of age, are encouraged to do so. In addition, riders must have the following on their bike: 

• white reflective tape on the front forks
• red reflective tape on the rear forks
• a white front light
• a red rear light or reflector
• a working bell or horn 

Remember, a bicycle is considered a vehicle under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, and riders have the same rights and responsibilities to obey all traffic laws as other road users. Visit vaughan.ca/cycling to learn more about safety requirements and rider etiquette.

What about e-bikes, e-scooters and other micromobility devices? 

An e-bike is a power-assisted bicycle. It has the appearance of a bicycle but has an electric motor and braking system. An e-scooter (electric kick-scooter) is a motorized vehicle with two wheels, brakes, a platform to stand on and a handlebar for steering. E-bikes and e-scooters are allowed to operate on bike lanes, cycle tracks, in-boulevard multi-use paths and local roads with a speed limit at or less than 50 kilometers per hour, as long as the device meets the Ministry of Transportation’s requirements for e-bikes and e-scooters.

Both e-bikes and e-scooters are not allowed to operate on sidewalks. Learn more about provincial e-scooter and e-bike requirements and where they can operate.

At this time, other micromobility devices – such as golf carts, Segways, electric skateboards, hoverboards and other motorized personal vehicles – cannot be used on sidewalks, cycle tracks, shared pedestrian, bike paths, recreational trails or local roads in Vaughan. Exemptions apply to residents who require motorized wheelchairs and medical devices to get around. To learn more, visit vaughan.ca/micromobility. 

For more information on cycling in Vaughan, visit vaughan.ca/cycling. 

Rent an e-bike or e-scooter in Vaughan!

Launching this June, the City is piloting a shared micromobility program. The pilot project allows short-term rentals of e-bikes and e-scooters will gradually be introduced throughout Vaughan. More information about the program is available at vaughan.ca/micromobility. 

For updates and news as they happen, subscribe to Vaughan News and follow the official corporate channels on X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.