News Release
May 29, 2023

Bike Month, Toronto’s annual celebration of cycling, will kick off on Thursday, June 1 with the annual group ride to Nathan Phillips Square at Toronto City Hall.

Cyclists can join the group ride at one of four starting points across the city and ride to Nathan Phillips Square for a celebration co-hosted by the City of Toronto and Cycle Toronto. Each of the four official group rides will have at least two Cycle Toronto Ride Guides to ensure riders stay on course and arrive safely.

The four official meet-up points and start times are:

  • West: Bloor Street and High Park Avenue (southeast corner) at 7:10 a.m.
  • North: Davisville Avenue and Yonge Street (southwest corner) at 7:20 a.m.
  • East: East Lynn Park, Danforth Avenue west of Woodbine Avenue, at 7:10 a.m.
  • Central: Bay Street and Charles Street (southwest corner) at 7:30 a.m.

Bike Month encourages Torontonians to ride more often and raises awareness of cycling as a great way to get around the city. From June 1 to 30, Bike Month features dozens of bicycle-themed events across Toronto, including guided bike tours, cycling workshops and social events.

Since 1989, the City has worked with the cycling community to encourage people to get on their bikes. The City is partnering with Cycle Toronto again this year to deliver Bike Month programming. Bike Month 2023 is supported locally by the City and regionally by Smart Commute.

Between 2020 and 2022, Toronto experienced the largest expansion of the on-street bikeway network in the city’s history. New permanent bikeways connected and renewed the existing routes, which were transformed to connect people cycling to essential services, parks and local businesses. In 2022, the City added 17.8 kilometres of bikeways to the network, including the extension of Danforth Avenue complete street and cycle track project and new neighbourhood cycling connections along Woodfield Road, Monarch Park, Palmerston-Tecumseth and more.

Cycling, walking and transit are key components of the City’s TransformTO Net Zero Strategy, which aims to reduce community-wide greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2040 to address the climate crisis. Gas and diesel-powered vehicles generate about one-third of the emissions in Toronto today.

More information about the Bike to Work Day group commute and Bike Month is available on the Bike Month 2023 website.

More information about cycling in Toronto is available on the City’s Cycling in Toronto webpage.

Quotes:

“We continue to expand Toronto’s cycling infrastructure to increase safety and provide more opportunities for people to get around this city in a greener and cleaner way. Cycling to everyday destinations is a key way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create a healthier, more sustainable city. I encourage everyone to cycle more often and explore the many Bike Month events available throughout the city.”

– Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie (Scarborough-Rouge Park), Chair of the Infrastructure and Environment Committee

“Riding a bike is a great way to discover your neighbourhood. Whether for recreation or transportation, more people across the city are choosing to ride a bike and Bike Month is a great opportunity to share that joy of cycling. Whatever your reason for biking – for convenience, for the environment, for physical and mental health or even just for fun – we hope you join us this Bike Month and for the kick off Bike to Work Day group commute on June 1.”

– Michael Longfield, Executive Director, Cycle Toronto

Toronto is home to more than three million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture and innovation, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit the City’s website or follow us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.

Media Relations
City of Toronto
Media Relations
Cycle Toronto