Cycling BC is thrilled to announce that we are rebranding the iRide youth cycling program with a new name and logo to better reflect and align with the national grassroots program—HopOn/Embarquez—launched by Cycling Canada in 2021. Cycling BC’s iRide program will now be called HopOn.
Cycling BC iRide started in 2013 and has since taught cycling skills and safety awareness to over 65,000 children in British Columbia’s schools. Our team has worked tirelessly to grow the program in BC and has developed it to a point where our counterparts across the country want to make it available and accessible to everyone in their provinces too.
“Community is at the Centre of Cycling Canada’s strategic plan and the introduction of a national grassroots program is a foundational initiative to increase inclusion, accessibility and safety while helping to build club capacity and help find future champions,” said Mathieu Boucher, Chief of Development at Cycling Canada. “In collaboration with our provincial cycling associations, we believe that within the next ten years, we will teach basic cycling skills to over 300,000 kids across the country.”
When Cycling Canada adopted the iRide skills curriculum and instructor training tool as the national standard for grassroots skills development in 2020, Cycling BC was excited to contribute to the health of cycling communities across the country. In 2022, HopOn is building momentum with other provinces starting their school and community programs.
“With national alignment, both in name and programming, BC and other participating provinces will be better positioned to make a bigger impact in our communities,” said Matt Usborne, Chair of Cycling BC’s Board of Directors. “The synergies created through the sharing of knowledge, skills, & experience under one cohesive national brand will fast-track us as a country in getting more kids on bikes and will help us elevate Canada as a cycling nation.”
Pro cyclists Mike Woods, Haley Smith, Paralympic cyclist Joey Desjardins, and Olympic champion Kelsey Mitchell are already on board as HopOn ambassadors and the program is starting to capture the hearts and imaginations of everyone from Olympians to grassroots cyclists.
“I’m really proud to be an ambassador for HopOn as this is a cause that is near and dear to my heart. I believe that the bike is one of the best forms of transportation & recreation and I want to make this great activity accessible to as many people as possible. HopOn shares this vision; I am keen and eager to help with this great cause.” – Mike Woods, Pro cyclist, Olympian, and World Championship bronze medalist.
“I would even come to school on a Saturday if you guys were here.” – Rhys, a student at Watson Elementary in Chilliwack, BC, and a big fan of the program.
In the spirit of rebranding, we will be changing the name and logo of iRide to HopOn and we will continue to provide the same excellent standard of cycling programming and positive experiences to our participants, parents, teachers, and staff at the schools that we serve.
We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our loyal corporate partners for their continuing support and trust in the program. We would not have achieved this success without your support.
We are truly excited about this positive next step in the evolution of the program and are very proud that iRide, which started here in BC, is going to be available to the rest of the country as HopOn.
Over the coming weeks, you will notice changes in our branding and promotions from iRide to HopOn. Everything else: our operations, processes, staff, programs, and services, will remain the same. To learn more about the HopOn program in BC, please visit www.cyclingbc.net/hopon.
Feel free to reach out with any thoughts, requests, or compliments. As always, thank you and please do not hesitate to contact us at any time.
Sincerely,
Erin Waugh
CEO
Ben Chaddock
HopOn BC Program Manager
