Cycling

The Halton Hills Bike It Working Group is a group of volunteers who have a passion for promoting cycling and cycling safety. The group works in partnership with the Town of Halton Hills with the goal of achieving Silver designation in the Bicycle Friendly Community Program, which is administered by the Share the Road Coalition. Halton Hills received its Bronze designation in 2014. 

The task force organizes a series of cycling initiatives each year that are designed to encourage more cycling by our residents. There is a need for volunteers at all of our events, and the task force is always interested in welcoming new members. Contact Councillor Jane Fogal if you are interested in volunteering.

The second Halton Hills Community Cycling Forum was designed and hosted by the volunteer members of the Bike It Working Group, which also organized the previous forum in 2019. The purpose of this second forum was to report back to the community about the progress made in advancing the Town's goal to improve cycling culture and to identify future investments and programs to enhance cycling in Halton Hills. We sincerely thank all attendees for sharing their comments.

Read the 2024 Halton Hills Community Cycling Forum summary to learn more.

Grab a copy of our highly anticipated Halton Hills cycling guide, available at facilities across Halton Hills! The new guide features maps showcasing 13 loop rides across Halton Hills, offering different routes mixed with multi-use trails, park paths, bicycle lanes and signed bike routes for you next cycling trip. Get a print copy at a Halton Hills facility (while supplies last) or download a digital copy online.

Download Cycling Map

The Town of Halton Hills recognizes the bottom-line benefits of businesses becoming more bike-friendly for their customers and employees. This year, the Town of Halton Hills is offering a FREE bike rack (valued at $600 each) to the first Halton Hills businesses that provide proof they have applied for the Bicycle Friendly Business certification through the Ontario By Bike Network.

• It’s free

• Tap into a growing market

• Demonstrate leadership in your community

• Get noticed – Certified members can create a profile and list their business online on the Bike Friendly Business Map

All interested businesses are encouraged to contact Ivan Drewnitski, Transportation Planning Coordinator for the Town of Halton Hills.

Learn more about Bicycle Friendly Business certification criteria, how to qualify and how to register your location on the Ontario By Bike map.

The Ontario By Bike™ Network is a project by Transportation Options, a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering sustainable mobility and tourism solutions across Ontario. Transportation Options engages in projects that research, develop and promote new transportation and tourism choices, with a focus on those that are integrated, environmentally sound, healthy, service-oriented, and improve the experience of users.

Why should a business join the Ontario By Bike Network?

• Adapt and evolve your service and product offerings to better cater to cyclists, a valuable and fast-growing tourism market in Ontario.

• Customizable business listings on the Ontario By Bike™ website with a business icon placed on their online map, helping cyclists find your business when planning their cycling trips;

• Ontario destinations and businesses are featured in consumer e-newsletters, sent to over 14,000 cyclists (8 issued annually);

• Social media promotion highlighting cycling experiences and businesses to an engaged and growing online community on Facebook and Twitter;

• Improved search engine visibility for your business through valuable online links from the Ontario By Bike Network™.

Please note that bike racks are only available while supplies last. At this time, due to physical constraints, we will not be accepting any applications within the Georgetown and Acton Downtown Districts.

The Greenbelt Route is a 475-kilometre on-road signed cycling route that travels from Niagara Falls in the southwest to Northumberland in the east. This amazing route travels through Halton Hills and follows rural roads through the scenic villages of Limehouse, Glen Williams and Terra Cotta.

For more information on the main route or the loop routes, please check out the Greenbelt Route.

Are you an event organizer looking to host a cycling event in Halton Hills? Submit a Special Event Application to the Town of Halton Hills, and someone will respond promptly.

The one metre law

• Did you know that Ontario has updated the Highway Traffic Act, and it is now the law that drivers must give cyclists at least 1 metre when passing? Likewise, cyclists have a responsibility to steer a predictable path and not weave in and out of parked cars. We have many more adults and children riding bikes, and we want them all to arrive home safely.

Dooring

• The new penalties for improper opening of a vehicle door (for driver or passenger) are a set fine of $300 upon conviction and 3 demerit points. The total payable fine is $365 ($set fine plus $60 victim fine surcharge and $5 court costs).
  The current HTA set fine for “dooring” offence is $85 upon conviction, and the total payable fine is $110 ($set fine plus $20 victim fine surcharge and $5 court fees). Additionally, a conviction results in 2 demerit points being added to the individual's driver record.
  Although cyclists may be the most commonly perceived road user affected by this behaviour, the “dooring” law applies to all road users and is not specific to cyclists. The government is committed to helping ensure the safety of not only cyclists but all road users.

Fines for non-compliance

• The Town has increased the fine for cyclists for non-compliance with light, reflector and reflective material requirements. Currently, the fine for non-compliance with bicycle light, reflector and reflective requirements carries a maximum fine of $20, which is less than the majority of set fines for motorists and cyclists. Increasing this fine will put this violation in line with all other cycling violations.

Intermittent flashing red lights

• Red flashing lights were previously not allowed under the Highway Traffic Act, even though the majority of cyclists were already using rear lamps that produce intermittent flashes of red light to make themselves more visible to others.

  Considering the safety benefits from the use of these lights, and to prevent cyclists from potentially being charged, the Highway Traffic Act was amended to allow bicycles to use lamps that produce intermittent flashes of red lights.

  A motorist may, if done safely and in compliance with the rules of the road, cross the centre line of a roadway to pass a cyclist. If this cannot be done, he or she must wait behind the cyclist until it is safe to pass. 

Bicycle helmets

• All bicycle riders under the age of 18 need to wear an approved bicycle helmet when travelling on any public road. The total fine for not wearing a helmet is $75.

  When buying a helmet, look for one that fits comfortably and meets safety standards. Check the inside of the helmet for stickers from one or more of the following organizations:

  • Snell Memorial Foundation: Snell B90, Snell B95, Snell B90S, or Snell N94

  • American National Standard Institute: ANSI Z90.4-1984

  • American Society For Testing and Materials: ASTMF1447-94

  • British Standards Institute: BS6863:1989

  • Standards Association of Australia: AS2063.2-1990

  • United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) 16 CFR Part 1203

Sharing the road with cyclists

• The Ontario Ministry of Transportation provides a guide for drivers sharing the road with cyclists, including diagrams to illustrate different scenarios. It is good advice for everyone. Take a look at the Ministry's website.

1. What is the penalty for a driver for not leaving a minimum of one metre distance when passing a cyclist?

   • The penalty for not leaving a minimum one-metre passing distance is a set fine of $85 plus a $5 court fee plus a $20 victim surcharge fine for a total payable of $110. Drivers who contest their ticket by going to court may face a fine of up to $500 if found guilty (fine range is $60 to $500). Upon conviction, two demerit points will also be assigned against the individual's driver record.

2. Will cyclists also be required to leave a minimum of one metre distance when passing a vehicle?

   • Cyclists are not required to leave a specific one-metre space; however, they are required to obey all the rules of the road. Cyclists who are being overtaken should turn to the right to allow the vehicle to pass.

3. What if there isn't enough room to allow for a one-metre passing distance? Can a vehicle cross the centre median to pass a cyclist?

   • A motorist may, if done safely and in compliance with the rules of the road, cross the centre line of a roadway to pass a cyclist. If this cannot be done, he or she must wait behind the cyclist until it is safe to pass.