Waterloo Region cycling app expands across Canada as demand for safer routes grows

An app is helping Canadian cyclists find the best bike routes. CTV’s Spencer Turcotte reports.

A cycling navigation app that started as a pilot project in Waterloo Region has expanded to communities across Canada, as its creators look to help more people find safer routes and encourage cycling.

Cycling Guide launched in 2023 as a local test project aimed at helping cyclists navigate Waterloo Region using routes designed to minimize exposure to traffic.

Since then, the app has grown and is now available in several Canadian cities, including Ottawa, Halifax, Sarnia and Saskatoon. The platform is also being tested in London, Ont.

“What our app does is we optimize our routes based on levels of traffic stress you can expect to encounter,” said Mark Connolly, executive director of the Cycling Guide.

The free app analyzes roads, trails and cycling infrastructure to recommend routes based on rider comfort levels. Separated bike lanes, multi-use trails and quieter residential streets are ranked as lower-stress options, while busy arterial roads are given higher traffic-stress ratings.

Connolly said the app relies on OpenStreetMap, an open-source mapping platform maintained by contributors around the world.

“We use OpenStreetMap data, which is like Wikipedia for mapping data, which means it’s free,” he said. “It’s maintained by people around the world, including here in Waterloo Region and including us.”

The platform has also added new features since its initial launch, including cycling tips aimed at novice riders and information about secure bicycle parking locations.

One example is Kitchener’s bike check program, which provides supervised bicycle parking during major community events.

The expansion comes as advocates continue to push for greater use of active transportation. With fuel costs rising and Waterloo Region’s population projected to reach one million residents by 2050, Connolly believes cycling will need to play a larger role in the area’s transportation network.

“There isn’t room on the roads for a million people to be driving around in cars,” he said.

The Cycling Guide hopes helping people feel safer while riding will encourage more residents to leave their vehicles at home and choose active transportation instead.

While the technology has expanded well beyond Waterloo Region, Connolly said its mission remains unchanged.

“The app is free and it always will be free,” he said.

The goal is not to reinvent the wheel, but to make it easier — and safer — for those who want to get around on two wheels.