Ottawa, ON (May 25, 2022) – Cycling Canada is thrilled to be partnering with the My First Bicycle Foundation and B.I.CYCLE through its HopOn national grassroots program to provide Canadians of all backgrounds with access to cycling. These new community partners will support the delivery of the HopOn program and reduce barriers to entry for children across the country, making the sport more accessible to young Canadians.
The My First Bicycle Foundation, which helps financially disadvantaged kids obtain their first bicycle, helmet and lock, will be providing bicycles to those who qualify through the My First Bicycle online application process. This year, the Foundation is planning on giving away 700 bikes to children from coast-to-coast.
“My First Bicycle is very excited to partner with Cycling Canada and its HopOn program”, said Todd McCallum, Director of My First Bicycle. “This is a natural fit as the national grassroots program is aiming to make cycling more accessible to all kids across Canada. Together we have an incredible opportunity to get more kids on bikes and that’s our ultimate goal.”
Cycling Canada will also aim to provide greater opportunities for historically disadvantaged Black and Indigenous individuals and communities through its work with B.I.CYCLE by assisting with fundraising initiatives, providing financial support for instructors and offering sponsored activities at no cost to eligible Black and Indigenous organizations and communities.
Modelled after Cycling BC’s iRide program, the HopOn national grassroots program provides access to cycling at the community level, as well as through in-school programming. Through a games-based cycling education, the program teaches school-aged kids across Canada the joy of cycling safely. For more information about the program, visit hoponcanada.ca.
Source: Cycling Canada
Cycling Canada is the governing body for competitive cycling in Canada. With the vision of becoming a leading competitive cycling nation, Cycling Canada manages the High Performance team, hosts national and international events and administers programs to promote and grow cycling across the country.