WHERE TO FIND INFO

General Info
The City of Toronto cycling web page is a good general resource. The page offers the latest city cycling news as well as information on city programs such as the Bicycle Friendly Business Awards and the Bicycle User Groups (BUG) Network. There’s also links to city reports and events.

General City Cycling Inquiries
For general cycling inquiries at the city (Toronto Cycling Committee, Bike locker program, Bike Month hotline, etc.) call 416-392-7592.

Getting in touch with your City Councillor
Want to know if your Councillor supports cycling infrastructure in your neighbourhood?  Get in touch with your representative by phone or email via http://app.toronto.ca/im/council/councillors.jsp and ask them!  If they say no, let them know that bike lanes are important to you - their constituent.

Benefits of Cycling
It’s always useful to have a few quick facts at your fingertips as to why cycling is so great.  The City has spent a lot of time chronicling cycling's myriad environmental, physical, social and economic benefits. For a quick and dirty primer on why you should bike in Toronto, read the Introduction to the Bike Plan. Section 1.2 has a great summary headed The Benefits of Cycling.

Toronto Cycling Committee
The Toronto Cycling Committee has energy and new members and is providing effective leadership. Although the committee can only advise council how to proceed on bike issues, politicians do look to the TCC for guidance and approval. The committee has a website listing current members, a schedule of meetings and agendas and minutes. Members of the public can make deputations to the TCC. The city offers more info on how to depute.

Toronto Bike Plan
The city has a dedicated page to remind you of how ambitious the bike plan is and how little progress they have made in meeting their goals. You can also email them if you have a general inquiry. The Cycle Ontario Alliance also recently created the excellent Ontario Bike Plan Project (OBP), a cycling master plan for Ontario focusing on the development and implementation of the Ontario Bicycling Route for use by residents and visitors in Ontario. [Not available at this time]

Bike Maps
The City of Toronto lets you view their Toronto Cycling Map on-line. Smart Commute, a Metrolinx program designed to promote transit, cycling and walking, links to route
maps from neighbouring municipalities such as Oshawa, Hamilton and
Newmarket.

Keeping Tabs on Events at City Hall
The bike union website will inform people of important events and issues, such as the opportunity to speak before the works or budget committee or the importance of contacting a councillor about a bike lane, but two sites in particular – Bike Toronto and the Toronto Coalition for Active Transportation - do a great job analyzing issues and reporting on policy and political events.

Bikes and Buses
The TTC lists the bus routes that have bike racks.

Legal and Insurance

General Legal
The Advocacy for Respect for Cyclists website has the most comprehensive selection about bikes and the law, the rights and responsibilities of cyclists, and advice on how to deal with tickets and insurance claims.

The ARC library is divided into Legal Info, Resources for Post-Trauma Counseling, Complaints, Reports (Toronto-related cycling reports), and a Miscellaneous section that includes press releases and links to magazine articles.

General Insurance
The Insurance Bureau of Canada website offers a wide variety of information. If, however, you don’t find your information on the website, the IBC also operates regional Consumer Information Centres to provide general information to the public. The centres operate independently of member companies and often are staffed by individuals with many years of experience in the insurance industry. This is a great, free service. (See www.ibc.ca/en/Consumer_Protection/ for more info.) Cyclists can call them with questions about a collision, a stolen bike, or anything else. The centres runs Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Call 416-362-9528 or 1-800-387-2880 or fill out an on-line info request form.

Highway Traffic Act and Toronto Bylaws
Toronto Police Services has created a nifty download detailing offences under the HTA (with associated fines) and relevant city bylaws. Also includes important info like requirements to identify oneself to a police officer. Click on Highway Traffic Act under links at www.toronto.ca/cycling

HOW TO GET STUFF DONE

Contacting your city Councillor
Contact information for specific councillors is on our ward pages, and the city has the complete list of all City Councillors.

Requesting Bike Parking
The City’s Pedestrian and Cycling Infrastructure Unit likes to take requests for post-and-ring parking.

Registering your Bicycle
Toronto Police Services lets you register your bicycle with them online in event of theft. It can’t hurt.

COMPLAINING

Call the City's new all purpose # 311 !!

About dangerous road conditions
Transportation services has a number to complain about road conditions that can cause problems for cyclists (416-338-9999), but Pedestrian and Cycling Infrastructure recommends contacting them directly so they can contact the appropriate staff directly (sometimes it's Parks, sometimes Scarborough Road Operations, Road Work Coordinators, etc.) -- email David Tomlinson or Dan Egan (manager).

About road debris
A truck scatters boxes of roofing nails on the path of your regular commute? You can report hazardous road debris at 416-39-CLEAN.

About snow in the bike lane
In some Scandinavian countries they plow the bike lanes before they plow the roads. Not in Toronto. To request snow removal in a bike lane call 416-338-SNOW.

About off-road trails in city parks
To report unsafe conditions or problems related to trails in parks call 416-392-1111 (press "8").

About motor vehicles blocking the bike lane
Call Parking Enforcement at 416-808-6600.

About TTC
Toronto Transit Commission vehicles are our allies, except when they're not respecting bicycles. Complain if you see something you don’t like. Also tell them about something you are thrilled about. Customer Service at the TTC lets you contact them via snail mail, phone, and email. They also have a form for complaining about individual employees.

About police
See the relevant section on the ARC website.

PRACTICAL CONCERNS

CAN-BIKE Courses
The City runs cycling courses for young cyclists and adults.

Learn to Fix Your Bike
Community Bicycle Network offers terrific workshops on how to fix your bike – from basics like adjusting your gears to learning how to build a wheel. CBN also offers courses for women and taught by women through their Wenches With Wrenches program. Finally, Toolworks offers access to tools, stands, and the expert advice of an on-site mechanic. For information and registration visit their website or call 416 504 2918.

Bike Pirates is an autonomous organization whose mission is to empower cyclists and
make bicycles more accessible. Volunteer-run and organized, Bike
Pirates provides a do-it-yourself work space to the community sensitive
to the concepts of bicycle re-use, collective decision making, and
social justice.

Bike and Trailer Rentals
Community Bicycle Network also offers bike and trailer rentals at very reasonable rates. CBN’s lovely yellow Bikeshare bikes are now available at a daily rental rate of $10. (If you rent for a week or longer they’ll give you a discounted rate.) Perfect for visitors. Trailers – ranging from a BOB trailer to carry groceries or an 8-foot long longbed capable of carrying a couch – are available for between $10 and $30 daily.

OTHER STUFF

Tips on Riding in Various Weather Conditions
Smart Commute has assembled some tips to help you ride in wet, cold, or hot weather.

Toronto Area Bike Retailers
The Toronto Bicycle Network (TBN) lists retailers by neighbourhood.

Green City Cycle Tours
Community Bicycle Network and Toronto Renewable Energy Co-operative now offer urban bike tours featuring “Toronto’s progressive renewable energy landscape.” Go to www.trec.on.ca/reeducation/cycletours.html and for more info or to register call 416-977-5093 or you can email them.