Ride with Candidates series

What does “safe cycling” actually look like in our wards? To find out, CycleWR took candidates on the road to experience our cycling network exactly as it is today.

In this series, we discuss policy, safety, and the future of active transportation while navigating the very streets these candidates hope to represent. We believe that the best way to understand the needs of cyclists is to become one. Read through our ride summaries to learn where each candidate stands on building a more connected, accessible, and bike-friendly Waterloo Region.

Sign up as a volunteer to ride with a candidate!

Do you know who you’ll be voting for on October 26, 2026?

We’re excited to see so many local residents put their names forward to represent us at the school boards, city/township councils, and regional council. With so many names on the ballot, it can be hard to know who to vote for!

You can help your neighbours learn more about who’s running and how they feel about active transportation by volunteering for our Ride with Candidates campaign.

We had great success from this initiative in 2022. Here’s what you will do as a Ride with Candidates volunteer:

• Ride or roll with your candidate alone or with another volunteer.
• Show off the active transportation infrastructure (or lack thereof) in your preferred area.
• Share your experience with us! Either write a short post or send us a quote or reflection on how it went. Scroll below to see examples from 2022 and 2018 for reference.

Some candidates may require an alternative to riding a bike, so we are also happy to see volunteers go on a walk, roll or other type of meet-up to discuss their transportation concerns. CycleWR will provide a list of talking points and questions and can assist in planning the ride as needed.

Have questions? Send us an email at hello@cyclewr.ca

Please sign up by September 15th, 2026.

Past rides with candidates