Canada Cycling Network Map: Bike Paths, Lanes and Cycle Tracks by Province
This interactive map displays the cycling infrastructure network across Canada, drawn from the Canadian Cycling Network Database produced by the Urban Data Lab at Statistics Canada. The dataset covers 75 municipalities across all provinces and territories, with each route classified using the Canadian Bikeway Inventory Classification System (CanBICS) — a standardised framework that enables national comparison of cycling infrastructure. Use the Province and Type dropdowns to filter by location or infrastructure class, and zoom into any city to explore individual routes.
How to Use This Map
Province Filter
Select any province or territory from the Province dropdown to focus the map on that region. The map will reload showing only cycling infrastructure within the selected area. This is particularly useful for comparing the density of cycling networks in provinces like Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec against less urbanised provinces.
Infrastructure Type Filter
The Type dropdown filters by CanBICS classification — for example, selecting Cycle Track shows only protected cycling lanes physically separated from motor traffic, while Painted Bike Lane shows painted roadway markings with no physical barrier. The legend below the map shows the colour assigned to each infrastructure type.
Exploring the Map
Zoom into any city to see individual routes. Click any segment to see the municipality, province, surface type, length, and width. The URL updates as you pan and zoom, so you can copy and share a direct link to any view or filter combination.
CanBICS Infrastructure Classifications
Every route in this dataset is classified using the Canadian Bikeway Inventory Classification System (CanBICS), developed to standardise how cycling infrastructure is recorded and compared across Canadian municipalities. The eight CanBICS classes used in this map are:
Cycle Track
A cycle track is a cycling facility on a roadway that is physically separated from motor vehicle traffic by a barrier such as a kerb, planters, parked cars, or a raised surface. Cycle tracks offer the highest level of protection for cyclists and are increasingly common in major Canadian cities including Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, and Ottawa.
Painted Bike Lane
A painted bike lane is a portion of the roadway designated exclusively for cyclists, marked with painted lines and typically bicycle symbols or green coloured pavement. Unlike cycle tracks, painted bike lanes have no physical separation from traffic. They are the most widespread form of dedicated cycling infrastructure across Canadian municipalities.
Multi-Use Path
Multi-use paths are off-road or off-street paved surfaces shared by cyclists, pedestrians, and often inline skaters and people using mobility devices. Many of Canada’s most popular urban cycling routes are multi-use paths, including the Rideau River Eastern Pathway in Ottawa, the Don Valley Trail in Toronto, and the Seawall in Vancouver.
Bike Path
A bike path is an off-road facility designated exclusively for cyclists, separate from pedestrian routes. Bike paths typically have a paved surface and are found in parks, alongside waterways, and through greenways in urban areas across Canada.
Local Street Bikeway
A local street bikeway (sometimes called a neighbourhood greenway or bicycle boulevard) is a low-traffic residential street that has been modified to prioritise cycling through traffic calming measures, wayfinding signage, and intersection treatments that discourage through motor traffic while allowing cyclists to travel continuously.
Gravel Trail
Gravel trails are unpaved cycling routes with a compacted gravel or crushed stone surface. They are common in rural municipalities, conservation areas, and as connections between urban cycling networks and surrounding countryside. Several provinces, including Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, have converted former rail corridors into gravel cycling trails.
Major Shared Roadway
A major shared roadway is a higher-volume road where cyclists share the travel lane with motor vehicles, typically indicated by sharrow markings or signage. These routes are classified as cycling infrastructure in the CanBICS system despite the absence of a dedicated cycling facility.
Shared Roadway
A shared roadway is any road where cycling is permitted but no specific cycling facility or markings are present. These routes are included in the dataset where municipalities have formally designated them as part of the cycling network.
Cycling Infrastructure by Province and Territory
Cycling Infrastructure in Ontario
Ontario has the most extensive urban cycling network in Canada, driven by major investments in cities including Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, Mississauga, Waterloo, London, and Kingston. Toronto’s cycling network includes an expanding grid of cycle tracks on major arterials and a growing off-road trail system. Ottawa has invested heavily in multi-use pathways along the Rideau River and Ottawa River. The Province of Ontario has funded municipal cycling infrastructure through active transportation programs, and the dataset covers numerous Ontario municipalities spanning the Greater Golden Horseshoe and beyond.
Cycling Infrastructure in British Columbia
British Columbia is home to some of Canada’s most developed cycling infrastructure, led by the City of Vancouver and its surrounding municipalities including Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey, North Vancouver, Coquitlam, and Langley. Vancouver’s separated cycling network — including routes along the Burrard Bridge, the Central Valley Greenway, and the Seawall — is among the most recognised in North America. The BC Active Transportation Infrastructure Grants program has supported municipal cycling projects province-wide.
Cycling Infrastructure in Quebec
Quebec has a strong cycling culture and a well-developed network, particularly in Montreal, Quebec City, Gatineau, Laval, Longueuil, Sherbrooke, and Trois-Rivieres. Montreal’s REVs (Reseau Express Velo) programme is building a network of high-capacity protected cycling arteries across the island. The province’s Velo Quebec organisation advocates for and maps cycling routes across the province. The dataset covers key Quebec municipalities contributing to one of Canada’s largest urban cycling databases.
Cycling Infrastructure in Alberta
Alberta’s two largest cities — Calgary and Edmonton — both have significant and growing cycling networks. Calgary has invested in cycle tracks in its downtown core and a network of off-road pathways along its river system. Edmonton has developed a winter cycling network and an extensive multi-use trail system along the North Saskatchewan River valley. Smaller Alberta municipalities including Red Deer, Lethbridge, and Medicine Hat also contribute cycling data to the national database.
Cycling Infrastructure in Manitoba
Winnipeg is Manitoba’s primary contributor to the national cycling network dataset. The city has developed a grid of painted bike lanes, cycle tracks, and multi-use paths, with key routes along the Red River, Assiniboine River, and through major residential and commercial corridors. Manitoba’s Active Transportation Plan has supported expansion of the Winnipeg cycling network in recent years.
Cycling Infrastructure in Nova Scotia
Halifax is the main urban cycling centre in Nova Scotia, with an expanding network of painted bike lanes, cycle tracks, and multi-use paths. Nova Scotia is also known for the Trans Canada Trail and former rail trail conversions that provide gravel cycling routes through rural areas. The Rum Runners Trail and the Harvest Moon Trail are examples of off-road cycling corridors that connect communities across the province.
Cycling Infrastructure in New Brunswick
New Brunswick’s cycling network includes urban infrastructure in Fredericton, Moncton, and Saint John, alongside rural trail connections. Fredericton has developed a well-connected off-road trail system along the Saint John River. New Brunswick is also home to sections of the Trans Canada Trail and the Dobson Trail, and the province has invested in active transportation as part of its transportation planning framework.
Cycling Infrastructure in Saskatchewan
Saskatoon and Regina are Saskatchewan’s main urban centres with dedicated cycling infrastructure. Saskatoon has developed a network of multi-use paths along the South Saskatchewan River and painted bike lanes on key corridors. Regina’s cycling network includes off-road paths around Wascana Lake and an expanding network of on-street facilities. The province’s active transportation strategy has supported municipal cycling investment across Saskatchewan.
Cycling Infrastructure in Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John’s is Newfoundland and Labrador’s primary contributor to the national cycling dataset. The city has developed cycling routes through its hilly terrain, including multi-use paths and shared roadway designations. The T’Railway Provincial Park, a former rail corridor converted to a trail, provides a significant off-road cycling and walking route across the island of Newfoundland.
Cycling Infrastructure in Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is notable for the Confederation Trail, a 470-kilometre rail trail that runs the length of the island and is one of Canada’s most popular long-distance cycling routes. Urban cycling infrastructure exists in Charlottetown, including on-street facilities and connections to the trail network. PEI’s compact geography makes it one of Canada’s most accessible provinces for cycle tourism.
Cycling Infrastructure in the Northwest Territories
Yellowknife is the Northwest Territories’ primary urban centre with cycling infrastructure in the national dataset. Cycling in the NWT is shaped by the territory’s subarctic climate and sparse population, with routes concentrated in Yellowknife’s urban core and connections to surrounding trails. Active transportation infrastructure has been recognised as important for year-round mobility in northern communities.
Cycling Infrastructure in Yukon
Whitehorse is Yukon’s contribution to the national cycling network database. The city has developed multi-use paths and cycling routes that connect its neighbourhoods and link to surrounding wilderness trails. Cycling in Yukon is a year-round activity for many residents, and the territory has invested in active transportation as part of broader sustainable mobility planning.
About the Canadian Cycling Network Database
The Canadian Cycling Network Database was produced by the Urban Data Lab at Statistics Canada. It compiles cycling infrastructure data from 75 municipalities across Canada and applies a standardised CanBICS classification to enable nationwide analysis. The 2025 edition of the database represents the most current nationally harmonised cycling infrastructure dataset available for Canada. Data is published under the Open Government Licence — Canada, permitting free reuse with attribution.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CanBICS?
The Canadian Bikeway Inventory Classification System (CanBICS) is a standardised framework developed to classify cycling infrastructure consistently across Canadian municipalities. It assigns each cycling facility to one of eight classes based on its physical characteristics, level of separation from motor traffic, and surface type. CanBICS enables direct comparison of cycling networks across cities and provinces that previously used inconsistent local terminology.
Which provinces have the most cycling infrastructure on this map?
Ontario and British Columbia have the largest absolute amounts of cycling infrastructure in the dataset, reflecting their large urban populations and long-standing investment in active transportation. Quebec also has extensive infrastructure, particularly in Montreal. However, when adjusted for population or urban area, cities like Victoria (BC), Ottawa (ON), and Saskatoon (SK) rank highly for cycling network density.
Does this map show all cycling routes in Canada?
No. The dataset covers 75 municipalities that contributed data to Statistics Canada’s Urban Data Lab. Many smaller municipalities, rural roads, provincial trail networks, and informal cycling routes are not included. The Trans Canada Trail and other long-distance trail networks are not part of this dataset.
How current is the data?
The dataset is the 2025 edition of the Canadian Cycling Network Database, making it the most recent nationally standardised cycling infrastructure dataset available for Canada at the time of publication.
Can I download the cycling network data?
The underlying dataset is published by Statistics Canada under the Open Government Licence — Canada, which permits free download and reuse with attribution. The source data and documentation are available through Statistics Canada’s Urban Data Lab.
What does cycle track mean compared to a painted bike lane?
A cycle track is physically separated from motor traffic by a barrier — such as a raised kerb, flexible posts, or parked cars — offering a higher level of protection. A painted bike lane uses only painted markings to designate space for cyclists, with no physical barrier between cyclists and moving vehicles. Cycle tracks are considered the higher-comfort option and are preferred for attracting a wider range of cyclists, including children and less confident riders.
