Meet newly minted Bicycle Mayor of Toronto Alison Stewart

Becoming the Bicycle Mayor of Toronto is more than just a title—it’s a mission to reshape how the city moves, thinks, and thrives. For many, Toronto’s streets are defined by car dominance, but for this Bicycle Mayor, the vision is different: a city where bikes aren’t an afterthought, but a central part of everyday life. Inspired by global initiatives and passionate about bringing equity and inclusivity to urban cycling, this advocate aims to tackle Toronto’s transportation challenges head-on.

From pushing for better infrastructure to encouraging more women and diverse communities to hop on a bike, this Bicycle Mayor has big plans for the next two years. Here is our interview with Bicycle Mayor Alison Stewart.

1. Why did you want to be the Bicycle Mayor of Toronto?

Joining the global network of Bicycle Mayors was appealing to me as a way of expanding my advocacy by connecting with, and learning about the different approaches being taken across the world to address the same challenge we have in Toronto: how to reclaim urban spaces designed for the supremacy of the automobile to the humble bicycle.

2. What does that mean?

The problems Toronto faces are similar to those faced by cities around the world. I was on a call with Bicycle Mayors last week and was surprised to learn that the Netherlands still has a need for cycling advocates. Ensuring Toronto is part of a global community of bicycle changemakers who seek to collaborate and share knowledge will contribute to the local cycling advocacy and complete streets movement here.

3. What are you hoping to accomplish during your tenure?

My priorities over the next two years include developing resources to connect more women and people from equity deserving communities to biking, leading inclusive social rides that are designed for people who are new to biking and launching a website that will help unite all the great cycling groups, programs, initiatives and resources that are available across Toronto to help build awareness of the Bicycle Mayor network and encouraging neighbouring cities to join the network. https://bicyclemayortoronto.ca/

4. Is it a set term?

Yes. It is a two year term.

5. What do you bring to this designation?

I bring a wealth of personal and professional experience in both biking for various uses (recreation, transportation, tourism, and exercise) and advocating for better cycling infrastructure. As a 50+ woman of mixed race, I bring perspectives to cycling advocacy that other women share, and needs to be elevated. There remains a gender gap among people who bike, as well as people who advocate for safer streets. Women have different needs and safety concerns than men. I began my journey as a cycling advocate in 2013 to help manage the stress of biking in Toronto (as a way to manage my budding road rage). In 2024, to address a gap in cycling spaces for women to ride without fear of judgment or competition, I founded Femmes&Friends, a collective of women who organize joyful bike events that are inclusive and welcoming to people of all ages, abilities, identities, and incomes. They include a community picnic and arts and crafts for kids.

6. Toronto has been pushing forward with some important bike infrastructure projects, how has the last year been?

The past year has been very successful in terms of seeing important new and improved cycling infrastructure: the Bloor Street bike lanes were extended west to Etobicoke, key cycling corridors were upgraded: Adelaide, Bloor St W (from Spadina to Avenue Rd), College, University, segments of Dundas St E, as well as the new cycling infrastructure in the Portlands, connecting people to waterfront and the Leslie Spit. Another important development was the approval of Phase 1 of the Eglinton Complete Street from Bicknell Avenue in the west and Mount Pleasant Road in the east. Additionally, Bike Share Toronto has hit some very important growth milestones and now has a fleet of 10,000 bikes, including 2,000 e-bikes and anticipates surpassing 6 million trips in 2024.

7. What is Toronto missing to be considered a bicycle-friendly city?

Aside from the obvious missing connections and gaps in the cycling network, which includes large areas of Etobicoke, Scarborough and North York, the biggest barrier for Toronto for reaching its bicycle-friendly potential, is an exhausting approval process which can be contentious and drains the energy and resources of city staff, councillors and advocates. That said, as many celebrities have highlighted, getting around the city core by bike is the fastest way to get around, and there has never been a better time to bike in Toronto.

8. What challenges do you foresee in advocating for more bike-friendly policies in a city like Toronto?

In my view, the biggest challenge advocating for better bike (and environmentally) friendly policies in Toronto today boils down to a failure to evolve municipal processes and policies to be more inclusive of diverse genders, ages, abilities and incomes. The standards by which our streets and roads were designed favour cis gendered (mostly white) able bodied middle class men who drive to work. New projects aimed at reconfiguring our streets to accommodate all road users, such as taking a “Complete Streets” approach which include making the pedestrian realm more comfortable, adding bike lanes and reducing traffic speeds, are met with vocal opposition from individuals who have benefited from the traditional standards. We saw this when we were seeking to implement bike lanes on midtown Yonge, and more recently with the campaign against the Bloor Street West bike lane expansion, which made its way to the Premier, who weighed in criticizing the bike lanes.

9. How do you engage with local communities to encourage cycling as a viable mode of transportation?

By connecting people to cycling in a positive way that meets their needs. It begins on a personal level by making biking appealing and helping people connect to the resources they need to get going. I have converted several of my neighbours and friends to biking because after 15 years of watching me happily come and go on my various bikes, I finally convinced them to join me for a ride. Now their whole families bike and they’ve discovered how much fun it is to bike with your kids versus stuffing them into a car and getting frustrated in traffic. This is how a supportive culture of biking is built. People don’t need a special bike or clothing. They need protected cycling infrastructure, encouragement and support.

10. How can Toronto learn from other global cities that have successfully implemented robust cycling infrastructures?

As large cities around the world such as Paris, London, Montreal and New York successfully adopt cycling friendly policies and invest in making city’s more cycling and pedestrian friendly, it is becoming increasingly easy for policy makers to present strong business cases for expanding the cycling network. It is an important part of the solution to easing Toronto’s traffic congestion and reducing the cost to maintain our roads, by reducing the number the single occupancy car trips. Toronto city staff are already reaching out to their peers around the world to bring about change at home.

11. Tensions are high in Toronto as of late, cyclists are being killed, and there seems to be some sort of culture war brewing. How did we get here?

I think there are a lot of factors that are contributing to a very stressful situation. Life has become less affordable, the city’s growth currently means there is non-stop construction across the city, and years of chronic underinvestment in public transit is contributing to making life really challenging for people who live, work or study in Toronto. Add to this an unstable economic forecast, the unfolding climate crisis and an increasingly politically charged environment with wars and conflict unfolding across the world has transpired to make people quick tempered and impatient. This climate has become particularly dangerous for people who bike as drivers protected in their large trucks, suvs and “carcoons”, feel that “might is right” and take dangerous risks because they don’t want to wait an extra 15 seconds to let a cyclist safely pass.

12. Doug Ford is proposing to ban bike lanes on major streets in Toronto, which is against all we know about bike lanes. Why? And How will that impact the city going forward?

It is very unfortunate that we are seeing a rise in wedge politics. Premier Ford’s government has made a series of policy announcements that favour automobility, which, if adopted into legislation, will be disastrous for Ontario’s future. If the Ford government advances legislation that will frustrate municipalities’s ability to implement their transportation plans which include giving people alternative ways to get around, cities will face increased congestion and associated costs with building and maintaining their roads. It will also make it more unsafe for people to bike and we will see that with more tragedies unfolding in cities across Ontario as well as Toronto.

13. Do you foresee a sizable protest in this regard?

Yes. In addition to those who are aghast at the province’s over reach in municipal affairs, we are seeing bigger protests unfolding at Queen’s Park. In Toronto, we are also seeing unprecedented numbers turn out for ghost rides. Road safety is increasingly top of mind for Torontonians.

14. Where are your favourite spots to cycle in the city?

This is a hard one, because I love biking everywhere and discovering new gems. Prior to the destruction of Ontario Place, it was my favourite place to bike on a hot summer’s night. I am currently loving the new cycling infrastructure in the Portlands and can’t get enough of biking under the new bridges. I also enjoy biking along the east waterfront trail and visiting the RC Harris and in Scarborough, in large part because I love Sri Lankan food.