During some crazy times in many parts all over the world, cycling is getting a second look across Canada as rising gas prices push more people to rethink how they get around.
With fuel costs climbing sharply in recent days, many Canadians are opting to drive less. That, or combine errands, and swap car trips for bikes and other alternatives.
According to new findings from the Angus Reid Institute, “three-in-five” Canadians say higher gas prices have already prompted changes in their daily habits. Prices have risen between 20 and 25 cents per litre in much of the country, driven in part by ongoing conflict in the Middle East and constrained oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
The poll was part of a larger poll about how Canadians felt about the ongoing conflict. The financial strain is being felt unevenly. Nearly one-quarter (23 per cent) say the impact on their household has been significant, while another 44 per cent describe it as more modest but still noticeable.
Either way, cycling is definitely a cheap and healthier way to get around town. With Spring around the corner, hopefully it gets a little easier for Canadians to use their bike for transportation.
Plus, the only fuel you need to use is food! (Although…maybe we shouldn’t get into food prices right now either.)
It’s reminiscent of the surge in riding during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cycling became a safer way to get around–especially since transit could risk infection due to large crowds. And with gyms closed, Canadians looked for other ways to get healthy and get fresh air–riding was one. (Paradoxically, gas prices were very low.) Across Canada, there was all kinds of increased cycling infrastructure in the first few years of the pandemic. In some cities, roads were even shut down for riding, running and walking. Remember that?