1. Harnessing the power of cycling champions to expand the reach and impact of Ottawa’s Bike to Work Month

2. Ottawa’s Bike to Work Month 2014
Bike to Work Month is an annual campaign put on by the City of Ottawa and coordinated by EnviroCentre that increases cycling through promotion, education and incentivization.

3. Bike to Work Month’s 2014 Outreach Strategy
GOAL: To reach the target audience of people who aren’t cycling to work
MESSAGE: Cycling all or part of the way to work is fun
STRATEGY: Connect with confident, competent cyclists who ride regularly and could be mentors, educators and cheerleaders.

4. Why focus on people already cycling? Are we convincing the convinced?
Sustained behaviour change takes: time, repeated messaging and requires ongoing support

5. We built our support network
by reaching out to cycling champions, including sponsors

6. Cycling champions: enjoy riding to work
know about different bike routes
want to promote cycling as fun, safe & convenient
advocate for better cycling facilities at work

7. We asked cycling champions to
start workplace teams
invite colleagues to join those teams
support colleagues
challenge other departments to engage in friendly rivalries

8. We offered cycling champions
Workplace toolkits
Team specific prizing
Education
Awesome data
Fame & glory

9. Bike to Work Month 2014 Results
1568 participants (11% increase from 2013)
81 workplace teams (51% increase from 2013)
157,331km cycled
342 new cycle commuters
23 Lunch and Learns delivered
18 BikeMobile pop-up booths
2 Bike to School and Work pilots
$6000 in sponsored prizes
3 new partners

10. Cycling champions effectively:
Informed colleagues about cycling facilities at work
bike cages, showers, lockers

11. Cycling champions effectively:
Organized cycling education opportunities

12. Cycling champions effectively:
Introduce colleagues to cycling infrastructure by leading group rides for fun or to off-site meetings
Care for cycling facilities such as checking on permanent bike repair stands

13. Cycling champions effectively:
Inspired colleagues
Celebrated success stories
Offered additional advice if and when it was needed

14. What’s in it for cycling champions?
The opportunity to shift corporate culture and advance bike-friendly practices
A chance to promote their favourite activity, educate their colleagues, and have more fun on the bike routes
Amplify their efforts with campaign support and momentum

15. The 81 teams lead by cycling champions
Represent enormous growth potential & are role models within their sectors
Carlingwood Bibliobikers: 1 branch of 33 at the Ottawa Public Library
The Sir Cyclists and their rivals are just 2 of 142 schools at the Ottawa Carleton District School Board:

16. We intend to build on that success in 2015 in the following 3 ways:
1. Increasing support for cycling champions through training workshops
Share simple best practices:
FCM United Way bidding on preferred bike parking

17. We can build on that success by:
3. Having bike repair kits ready for purchase at Basic Bike Maintenance Lunch and Learn sessions
Several of the winners of our 13 stand up bike pumps reported that the bike pumps motivated them to start a work place bike repair kit

18. We can build on that success by:
3. Revamping our targeted toolkit for workplace cycling champions with:
pre-written messages: at 200 kms, you’ve arrived in Montreal; at 700 kms, we’ve biked to New York, let’s celebrate
ideas for cycling events a directors’ small bike race; a team breakfast during the campaign; bike with a colleague day
And strategic distribution of the toolkit to more employers, including Ottawa’s major employers, through the City of Ottawa’s Ottawa on the Move

19. Here’s to Bike to Work Month 2015!