MISSISSAUGA CYCLING NOW!

       
 ▶ Public Engagement  ▶ Group Rides  ▶ Walking Tours  ▶ Destinations   • Bike to Market  ▶ Bike Month ▶ Pedal Poll      
▶ CMP Updates ▶ Funding & Targets  ▶ CMP Performance ▶ COVID Bike Lanes
▶ Vision Zero ▶ Ghost Bikes ▶ Cycling Safety ▶ Schools & Cycling ▶ Road Safety  • Traffic Speeds  • Traffic Signal Phasing  • Right Turn on Red  • Crossrides  • Idaho Stop ▶ Work Zone Safety ▶ Parking in Bike Lanes  ▶ Bollards & Bike Lanes
▶ Minimum Grid  • Barriers & Gaps ▶ Wayfinding ▶ Cycling & Transit ▶ Mississauga Bike Map 
▶ Bike Lanes ▶ Bike Parking ▶ Construction ▶ Maintenance  • Street Sweeping  • Snow Clearing ▶ Intersections ▶ Bridges & Underpasses ▶ Complete Streets  • Road Diets ▶ Bloor Street ▶ Dundas Street (BRT) ▶ Hurontario Street (LRT)  ▶ Lakeshore Road ▶ Ninth Line
▶ Boulevard Trails (MUTs) ▶ Park Trails ▶ Off‑Road Trails ▶ Credit Valley Trail ▶ Culham Trail ▶ Lisgar Meadow Brook Trail  ▶ Nine Creeks Trail ▶ Waterfront Trail
▶ Multimodal Transportation  ▶ Micromobility  • E-bikes  • E-scooters (Pilot)  • Public Share Systems ▶ Bike Licensing ▶ Bill #212 (Ontario) ▶ Cycling and ...
▶ Bike Maps & Handbooks ▶ Cycling Groups ▶ Bike Donations ▶ Workshops & Repair Hubs  ▶ City of Mississauga ▶ Peel Region ▶ Province of Ontario ▶ Canada

▶ Pedal Poll

Local volunteers count people on bicycles and other modes of travel in designated locations around Mississauga for the annual national Pedal Poll in June.  Mississauga is a focus community, along with 30 other cities.  MCN! has been coordinating the local count.  ▶ See also from: Multimodal Transportation


MCN! opts out of 5th national Pedal Poll

[Posted: September 4, 2025]

Mississauga Cycling Now! opted not to promote, coordinate or perform counts around the City this year for the 2025 Pedal Poll (June 3-8).  As experienced volunteers, we had detailed communications with the national organizer, Vélo Canada Bikes, about the format and outcomes of the Pedal Poll project.

We were less enthusiastic this year for a number of reasons.  Across the country, sign-ups were very low, so possibly other communities were feeling the same way.  The statistics gleaned thus far in many cities have gaps due to the large number of counting slots that didn't get filled.  Since Fall 2024 there is a chill on new cycling infrastructure in Ontario (the Bloor Street complete street project was paused in Mississauga) due to Bill 212 and some local Councillor pushback against bike lanes, so we did not expect any significant increase in cycling in 2025.

The main insight Canada Bikes has derived from all the data thus far is that more people cycle where it is safer, and of course we know that.  The question is, how can the counts result in political action?

Road conditions are brutal at most designated Mississauga locations we have counted over the past four (4) years; it is tough to ask volunteers to again subject themselves to the task, especially when there are disproportionately so many cars to count -- in the 100's or 1000's per hour.  We know Mississauga is car-centric as past data collection has proven and we didn't expect 2025 to be different.

On a positive note, the City of Mississauga posted details about public engagement starting in June for the overdue 2025 Cycling Master Plan Update which was delayed last year, largely due to the detrimental impact of Bill 212.  THIS is where we can participate and be cycling advocates!

The Pedal Poll count sites we selected to count in past years will be revisited through the 2025 CMP Update process, and it may well be that those original sites are not going to be statistically indicative of any progress in the near future.

Perhaps Bloor Street, on hold due to Bill 212, would be a better future site to monitor if/when the City can finally go ahead.  The tender has been cancelled and the Bloor redesign project is on hold, as the City posted on their Bloor Street Design webpage.

We do have some suggestions about how to make the Pedal Poll a more sustainable project going forward, with more relevance to local variations and conditions.  For example, tracking of e-scooters and the like, separately.  Mississauga is starting the 2nd year of a 3-year pilot project for shared e-scooters.  Right now PP25 has e-scooters lumped in with "Personal Vehicles" including cars(!) 'for simplicity ' we were told.  Ref. Graphic: "Categorizing Modes of Travel" (PP25).  There needs to be separate data capture of growing micromobility use, which relies on safe cycling infrastructure as well.

We have suggested a review of the Pedal Poll format by asking volunteers for new ideas.  For example, would it be better to focus on a single Mainstreet thoroughfare year over year?  Maybe Hurontario Street once the LRT and planned adjacent cycle tracks are installed?

We hope to engage with Canada Bikes on a rethink!



Mississauga featured in 4th national Pedal Poll

[Posted: May 27, 2024]

MCN! is supporting Vélo Canada Bikes again this year, identifying local count locations and helping with promotion and volunteers in Mississauga for the national 2024 Pedal Poll, June 4-9.

▶ SIGN UP HERE for Mississauga.

▶ 2024 EXPLAINER VIDEO (3:07) about counting using the CounterPoint app.

▶ COUNT INSTRUCTIONS (Updated) (9p) with FAQ.

▶ 2024 PAPER COUNT SHEET (1p).

LOCATIONS: The six (6) counting locations chosen for 2023 are being used again in 2024 to provide a continuing picture of cycling in Mississauga.  The City of Mississauga Ward Map has been marked-up (image) with the locations where volunteers will be tracking transportation mode share.

QUESTIONS? Please contact info@misscyclingnow.ca

VIEW LOCATION IMAGES: (as posted in the CounterPoint app - volunteers to be positioned near Red Star in image)
Dixie Rd MUT
Downtown: Confederation Pkwy @ Rathburn
Erin Mills Pkwy: Burnhamthorpe Trail
Meadowvale - Glenn Erin Drive
Uptown: Eglinton Ave @ Fairwind Dr
Port Credit - New Cycle Track to Saddington Park (image pending)

COUNT WEEK: Canada’s 2024 national cyclist count is set for the week of June 4-9, 2024.  Two (2) days within this period are selected locally for the actual count, depending on weather and volunteer availability, and there is additional flexibility within the week.

TRACKING MODE SHARE: Again this year, volunteers stationed across the country will observe not just cyclists passing by, but how ALL people pass by the designated location.  Unlike the first two (2) years, gender, age and race will NOT be recorded, ONLY the transportation mode.  We'll get an insight into the mode share statistics for cycling in Mississauga!  Check the Paper Count Sheet (left) for handy reference, which can be used instead of the CounterPoint app.

PAST RESULTS: ▶ 2021 Results  ▶ 2022-23 Results (2 years combined)

 

COUNTERPOINT APP: Volunteers will again be using the free CounterPoint App on their smartphones, to log what they observe in real time.  Image (at left) is a smartphone screenshot showing accessible counts done in Mississauga.

The national Pedal Poll in June 2024 will use a customized version of the CounterPoint app specific to the week-long project.  Training video is be provided for volunteers (see above).
NOTE: Charting counts on paper is also an option; use the 2024 PAPER COUNT SHEET (1p PDF).

"CounterPoint runs on crowdsourcing and citizen science.  Data validity is transparent, simple and comparable with automatic counters.  Anyone can download a spreadsheet with minute-by-minute record of the counts done at any location.  An engineer or planner can verify any of the data easily by simply or doing a count themselves at a similar time – further adding to the history of counts at a given location.  A politician can do the same.  That’s how CounterPoint works – data collection that is open to the community that starts (and often ends) conversations about how our transportation systems are (and should be) working."



Mississauga featured in 3rd national Pedal Poll

[Updated: June 4, 2023]

MCN! is supporting Vélo Canada Bikes again this year, identifying local count locations and helping with promotion and volunteers in Mississauga for the national 2023 Pedal Poll, June 6-11. Two (2) days within this period are selected locally for the actual count, depending on weather and volunteer availability, and there is additional flexibility within the week.

LOCATIONS: The six (6) counting locations chosen for 2022 are being used again in 2023 to provide a continuing picture of cycling in Mississauga.  The City of Mississauga Ward Map has been marked-up (image) with the locations where volunteers will be tracking transportation mode share, including places with new cycling infrastructure.

VIEW LOCATION IMAGES: (as posted in the CounterPoint app - volunteers to be positioned near Red Star in image)
Dixie Rd MUT
Downtown: Confederation Pkwy @ Rathburn
Erin Mills Pkwy: Burnhamthorpe Trail
Meadowvale - Glenn Erin Drive
Uptown: Eglinton Ave @ Fairwind Dr
Port Credit - New Cycle Track to Saddington Park (image pending)

TRACKING MODE SHARE: This year, volunteers stationed across the country will observe not just cyclists passing by, but how ALL people pass by the designated location.  Unlike the previous two (2) years, gender, age and race will NOT be recorded, ONLY the transportation mode.  We'll get an insight into the mode share statistics for cycling in Mississauga!

NOTE ABOUT RESULTS: (June 2023) "The results for the 2022 poll are under analysis and will be released together with the 2023 results."

COUNT WEEK: Canada’s 2023 national cyclist count is set for the week of June 6-11, 2022. 



Mississauga featured in 2nd national Pedal Poll

[Posted: March 12, 2022; *Updated* June 18, 2022]

MCN! worked with Vélo Canada Bikes again this year (image), identifying local count locations and helping with promotion and volunteers in Mississauga for the national 2022 Pedal Poll, June 7-12.

UPDATE ABOUT RESULTS: (June 2023) "The results for the 2022 poll are under analysis and will be released together with the 2023 results."

*THANK YOU, VOLUNTEERS*: As a Pilot City in 2021 we counted at four (4) designated locations.  We were able to increase this to six (6) locations in 2022 thanks to additional volunteers.  This has enabled us to expand the local dataset and better represent the nature of cycling activity in Mississauga (map of the locations).  Now, all that remains is to be sure to submit the individual data collected!  In a few months, all the collated data from across the country will be made available.  As a Focus Community this year, Mississauga's data will again receive more in-depth analysis.

BACKGROUND: Last year (2021) was just the start of what is planned to be an ongoing annual national bike count.  In 2022 the count will be bigger, with 30 Focus Communities, but will also build on the data of the original 14 focus communities including Mississauga, which will continue to be a big part of it going forward.

Again this year, volunteers stationed across the country will observe cyclists pass by, collecting valuable data on who is biking and where.  Instructions are provided for communities to collect data so it can be compared regionally, nationally, and internationally.

COUNT WEEK: Canada’s 2022 national cyclist count is set for the week of June 7-12, 2022.  Two (2) days within this period are selected locally for the actual count, depending on weather and volunteer availability.

LOCATIONS: Thanks to the many returning volunteers and several new ones, we have been able to add two (2) more locations to the counting schedule!  The City of Mississauga Ward Map has been marked-up (image) with the now-six (6) locations where volunteers will be tracking cycling activity, including places with new cycling infrastructure.

 




Mississauga a Pilot/Focus City in 1st Pedal Poll, 2021

[Posted: March 12, 2022]

The results are in!  Infographics have been prepared for the 14 Focus Communities which took part in the first national bike count in June 2021, including Mississauga (Infographic, left).

MCN! coordinated the local Pedal Poll and was able to count at four (4) locations: Port Credit at the Waterfront Trail, Erin Mills at the Burnhamthorpe Trail, along the Dixie Road MUT and in Meadowvale at Glenn Erin Drive.  We luckily had enough volunteers to cover these locations for all the days of the schedule.

For the week of June 1-6, 2021 over 1,000 volunteers in 68 communities across Canada were out counting cyclists.  This first study designated 14 Focus Communities (including Mississauga) for a more targeted approach, to get a better understanding of what cycling looks like.  Full results of the 2021 Pedal Poll across the country are posted on this webpage.

OPEN DATA: The raw data from Pedal Poll/Sondo Vélo 2021 is also available as Open Data for others to use.  In addition, a Research Paper was submitted for publication: A Community Science Project on Who Cycles in Canada (abstract, with link to 30p PDF).

MISSISSAUGA DATA: At left is the The Mississauga infographic.  Mississauga results are also broken out in charts contained within the Summary Results (5-slide PDF).  Deeper data is contained in a series of charts embedded in the Research Paper.

WHY COUNT? Pedal Poll/Sondo Vélo is about getting a snapshot of who is riding and where.  Volunteers were out counting cyclists and gathering demographic data.  Volunteers captured, when they could, the perceived age, gender, and race of each cyclist.  In doing so, we can now not only see who is out riding but, possibly more importantly, who isn’t riding.  This data will help residents advocate to build better cycling infrastructure in the right place to make sure that everyone can cycle, everywhere, including all parts of our City.


▶ Topical MCN! X Posts: