On October 25 and 26, nearly 300 participants in Quebec's cycling culture gathered in Drummondville for our colloquium. Transforming our living environments through cycling. It was with happy hearts and brains full of ideas and inspiration that we left the symposium, thrilled by the enthusiasm and collaborative spirit of participants from all over Quebec.
Gathering for better transformation
This symposium, the first of its kind to be held since the pandemic, and these two days of presentations, field visits, workshops, panels and exchanges will have shown that our province's cycling culture is stronger than ever, galvanized no doubt by the boom in active mobility in recent years, but also by a global desire to propose cycling as a vector for change in our living environments.
From the opening remarks of Bruno Marchand, Mayor of Quebec City, who presented his ambitious Vision of active mobility 2023-2027, and Guillaume Lavoie's presentation of the bicycle economy, With a focus on the economic spin-offs of cycling, all aspects of cycling in Quebec were addressed, discussed, shared and explored in depth.
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These lively discussions and exchanges filled with diverse expertise will have shown that the players in the Quebec cycling scene come from all fields and all walks of life. The list is impressive: elected officials, municipal and government personnel, representatives of parapublic entities and organizations, researchers, consultants in mobility, tourism and recreation, managers of cycling networks and mountain bike and fatbike trail networks, Route verte partners, outdoor enthusiasts, tourism professionals and members of the bicycle industry... this is the fine collection of people who are now championing the cause of cycling in Quebec, and it's promising for the future!
Transforming our society through cycling
We were struck by the passion of the speakers, and also by the power of cycling to bring people together and create discussions that move our society forward. By putting cycling at the heart of our decisions and developments, we're helping to create a world on a human scale, where travel and relations between different road users are safe and inclusive.
The colloquium also provided an opportunity for inspiration, with a talk by Camille Thomé, Director of the French organization Bicycles & territories, The French government's unprecedented commitment to cycling in recent years and its contribution to the development of tourism are just two examples. The French example shows that, with support and a clear government vision, cycling can achieve great things, to the great benefit of our populations: health, quality of life, purchasing power, the environment - all of which are enhanced by greater investment in cycling.
This is where the title of this symposium takes on its full meaning - by investing in cycling, we create inclusive environments that benefit the whole population, whether they cycle or not; by developing for cycling, we transform our society BY cycling, and this proves beneficial for the vast majority of users of shared lanes and environments.
It's often said: cycling is a tool that makes us feel alive, a tool that creates happiness, memories and bonds between people. During the two days spent in Drummondville, this was once again demonstrated, and the links (re)forged during the symposium promise a bright future for cycling in Quebec.
Jean-François Rheault
President and CEO, Vélo Québec
