Bicycle Mayor of Guelph
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bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social
Bicycle Mayor of Guelph
@bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social
Andrea Bidgood - Guelph’s first Bicycle Mayor
Transforming cities through cycling, care & community
Part of the global BYCS network
https://linktr.ee/BicycleMayorGuelph
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When I speak about affordability, safety, or mobility, I’m not just speaking as an observer. I speak as someone who has lived and is living through gender inequity, queerness, neurodivergence, chronic pain, trauma, poverty, and instability.
Vision Zero says safety is non-negotiable.
Guelph said: “Okay, but what if it’s worth $4 each in property tax?”

#GuelphMunicipalBudget2026 #WinterBikeLanes
November 28, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Vision Zero doesn’t discourage people from moving by a certain mode. It demands we make movement safe. Winter cycling is only ‘unsafe’ when the city chooses not to maintain safe conditions. Not maintaining infrastructure and then blaming the people who use it is the opposite of Vision Zero.
November 26, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Virtually all lanes are lines on the roads 💅

Still no answer on keeping bus stops and parking accessible if we're not maintaining bike lanes where they intersect.
November 26, 2025 at 5:16 PM
As Bicycle Mayor my ideology is simple:

Don’t hit people.

Clear the bike lanes.

Actually that’s pretty much it.

Bicycle Mayor Doctrine #12: If thou createth a bike lane, thou shalt maintaineth it. Even in the frozen times.
November 26, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Reposted by Bicycle Mayor of Guelph
Welp, get ready for cyclists to take the full lane this winter. An awful decision which impacts the accessibility and transportation needs for people who rely on bike lanes to get where they need to go. @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social @activeguelph.bsky.social @thebikinglawyer.bsky.social #guelph
Motion fails 6-7.

Gibson, Richardson, Guthrie, Billings, Chew, Busutill, Hauser vote against.
November 26, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Unfortunately I'm employed and can't be yelled at to get a job but:

As the Orthodox Bicycle Mayor, I’ve concluded winter maintenance is my religion and the bike lane is my temple.

ok back to work for now
Budget meeting starts at 9:00am

In a budget where reserves are low, debt is rising, and development charges are in deficit, active transportation is the cheapest way to add mobility, improve safety, and manage growth.
November 26, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Winter reminds us that accessibility isn’t optional, it’s essential!
Blocked ramps, snowed-in bus stops, and buried crosswalk buttons can completely cut people off from daily life.

If you spot an accessibility barrier report it

519-837-5648 | operations@guelph.ca | guelph.ca/snow

#WinterWednesday
November 26, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Budget meeting starts at 9:00am

In a budget where reserves are low, debt is rising, and development charges are in deficit, active transportation is the cheapest way to add mobility, improve safety, and manage growth.
November 26, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Cycling and walking aren’t “nice-to-have hobbies.”
In winter, they’re lifelines for people who can’t drive, can’t afford a car, or can’t physically manage long walks through snowbanks.

A city that plows parking but not bike lanes is making a choice about who gets to move

#GuelphMunicipalBudget2026
November 25, 2025 at 11:01 PM
If winter maintenance assumes every household has a car… that’s not a winter plan. That’s a privilege plan.

Walking, cycling, mobility devices, transit:
People rely on these year-round.

Equity means winter access for every mode, not just the warmest one.

#GuelphMunicipalBudget2026
November 24, 2025 at 11:01 PM
A car-free life isn’t always a choice. For so many, it’s the only option.

#FreedomToMove means your transportation doesn’t only depend on your ability to drive or get a ride somewhere.

Mobility is a right, not a luxury.

#MobilityJustice #ActiveTransportation #BicycleMayorNetwork #BYCS
November 21, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Reposted by Bicycle Mayor of Guelph
Join us to ride the first Weekend GO Train to #Toronto! Help us mark this major milestone for #Guelph

​No registration needed. Just show up & ride with us!

​Date: Sunday, November 23 ​
Meet-up: 7:30-8:00AM ​
Departure: 8:07AM

​Disclaimer: TAAG will not be covering fares or scheduling return trips
November 18, 2025 at 12:45 AM
Little can you tell but my lumbar injuries were acting up on this day and I couldn't take more than 5 very slow and gentle steps at a time. I can adjust assistance as needed, use a curb to help me mount and dismount, bike straight to the entrance of where I need to be - including medical apts!
November 18, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Reposted by Bicycle Mayor of Guelph
1. Disabilities are not all the same & not always visible. We will all become disabled at one time or another. Some will be temporary, some will become permanent. Do not lump us all together, & do not speak for us.
November 18, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Reposted by Bicycle Mayor of Guelph
I’ve worked on parking policies in a lot of cities, and every city should be looking at getting rid of minimum parking requirements, while considering maximum parking requirements downtown & around transit stations.

At an absolute minimum though, REMOVE PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
November 15, 2025 at 9:37 PM
It's #FreedomToMove Friday!

Tell me:
What wheels help you feel free?
What’s stopping you from walking, biking, or rolling more often?
Where in Guelph / where you live do you not feel safe to move?

Real stories shape better streets. Let’s hear yours.

#BYCS #BicycleMayorNetwork #MobilityForAll
November 14, 2025 at 3:01 PM
When I speak about affordability, safety, or mobility, I’m not just speaking as an observer. I speak as someone who has lived and is living through gender inequity, queerness, neurodivergence, chronic pain, trauma, poverty, and instability.
November 13, 2025 at 5:08 AM
Substack post: Bill 60 the Bike Lane Freeze and More
open.substack.com/pub/bicylema...
November 12, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Every Ko-fi support, every share, every shout-out keeps inclusive rides, safety education & advocacy alive.
Thank you for showing that community care still steps up for what the City won’t. 💚

#Guelph #HumanInfrastructure #AffordabilityForAll #GuelphMunicipalBudget2026

ko-fi.com/bicyclemayor...
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Guelph's first Bicycle Mayor
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November 10, 2025 at 9:42 PM
I’ve attended dozens of public consultations for new and upcoming cycling infrastructure projects in Guelph. I ask one question every time:

“Has funding for winter maintenance been included in this project’s lifecycle costs?”

Often, the answer is vague.....
November 7, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Guelph’s volunteers are filling the gaps left by budget cuts: running safety education, community events, and engagement that staff can no longer afford to.

We can’t build sustainability on unpaid labour while cutting the very services those volunteers rely on.

#GuelphMunicipalBudget2026
November 7, 2025 at 5:32 AM
Bill 56 treats safety like a nuisance.
Communities know it’s an investment that pays us back in fewer crashes, fuller lives, lower costs.
Cutting safety isn’t saving money.
It’s spending lives.
#onpoli #Bill56 #VisionZero
November 7, 2025 at 1:45 AM
Governance risk=when your adopted policies outpace your implementation.

Guelph’s 2026 budget update slows critical Vision Zero delivery: sidewalk infill, cycling connections, TDM, and transit amenities.

These aren’t nice-to-haves they’re the infrastructure that converts commitments into outcomes.
October 30, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Guelph has pledged to reduce emissions 63% by 2030 and achieve net-zero by 2050. Eliminating winter cycling and slowing pedestrian upgrades directly contradict those commitments.” In fact, the draft budget itself warns these cuts will “slow progress on modal shift and environmental objectives."
October 30, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Safety shouldn’t depend on your mode of travel, ability or your income.

Youth, seniors, people with disabilities and lower incomes often rely on sidewalks, bike lanes, and transit stops.

Deferring these projects to save on property tax is deferring their right to safety

#GuelphMunicipalBudget2026
October 30, 2025 at 3:33 PM