Cycling on the rise across Quebec

Cycling is growing in popularity across the province, with about half of all Quebecers taking to the roads on their bikes in 2015.

VloQubec has unveiled the findingsof a five-year study that shows cycling is not only good for the environment and healthbut also for the economy.

• Fines for 'dooring' a cyclist in Quebec to go up as much as 10 times
• Montreal spending $15M on new, existing bike paths

Thereport foundthat more people, especially in urban centres,are opting for cyclingas a mode of transportation. About 1.9 million people bike to and from work andschool.

In Montreal, rides astransportation rose by 57 per cent in the short span of five years. There are about 116,000 trips made on a daily basis across the city.

Vlo Qubec credits the spike to an expanded network of cycling pathsand the city adoptingbike-friendly policies.

Popular across the board

The report shows that biking is equally popular across the sexes. In Quebec, about 45 per cent of3.2 million adultcyclists are women.

• Read Vlo Qubec's2015 report
• It's the last Sunday of the month and you can useBixifor free

The biking trendis also continuing to grow an additional 600,000 Quebecers have taken up bikingin the last 20 years.

There has also been a spark in cycling among children and teens. Seven out of tencyclists between the ages of sixand 17 hop on their bikes every week.

• Bixi season kicks off in Montreal

More cyclists are also choosingto brave winter weather andbike year-round, at least in part becausecities and towns are adopting morebike-friendly policies.

Biking is also beneficial to the Quebec economy.

Vlo Qubec's report shows that biking and cycling tourism is worthabout$1.2 billion every year, with close to $150 million going directly to the provincial government.