pedal poll/Sondo vélo

You can make an impact by collecting cycling data in your community

Building on the success of 2021 and 2022, volunteers stationed across the country will observe cyclists pass by, collecting valuable data on who is biking and where. 

Join us and invite others to participate in Pedal Poll/Sondo Vélo 2023, Canada’s National cyclist count! We will provide instructions for communities to collect data so it can be compared regionally, nationally, and internationally.

What is Pedal Poll/Sondo Vélo?

Pedal Poll/Sondo Vélo is a chance to evaluate the state of cycling in our communities. Together we get a “snapshot” of what cycling looks like in communities across Canada, at the same time, year over year. This year, we’re switching things up to count bicycles, pedestrians, personal vehicles and oversized vehicles like buses and trucks.

When? 

We’ll count on any fair weather weekday and a weekend day between June 6-11, 2023

How?

This year we are counting cycling mode share in place of the demographic count (perceived gender, age, race) that we used in 2021 and 2022. As with past Pedal Polls we’ll  still use the Counterpoint app and you’ll choose the “Easy” count this time around.

Who?

Sondo Vélo/Pedal Poll is open to everyone. Thousands of people have participated over the past two years. In our Focus Communities, VCB works with local organizations and individuals to establish a more systematic approach to the count. We work to identify the important cycling routes for that community, identify specific locations on those routes, and then create a count schedule for volunteers to cover a full day of counting.

Why? 

We want to learn about the mode share for cycling in communities across Canada. This means counting the number of cyclists, pedestrians, personal and oversized vehicles at locations across your community. The data collected, whether in a Focus Community or not, helps build the case for more, and better, cycling infrastructure. The data will be there for everyone to use to advocate for access to safe cycling choices for everyone, everywhere.

How to participate

The video above provides a quick overview of the process for this year. Please review the more detailed instructions before you head out to count. 

Pedal Poll 2021 and 2022

The results for the 2022 poll are under analysis and will be released together with the 2023 results.

Questions? Reach out to us at [email protected]

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