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Cycling progress in Ottawa and Gatineau is being tracked by the annual US based People for Bikes organisation on their City Ratings website. You may recall I wrote about it before. Like here and here.
Open Street Map
Much of their infrastructure data comes from OpenStreetMap. OpenStreetMap (OSM) is a bit like the Wikipedia of maps. Everyone can edit it. Fortunately, there is a very good group of people in Ottawa and Gatineau keeping track of changes in cycling infrastructure and they add and amend in the blink of an eye. Even temporary changes or closures are tracked in OpenStreetMap, like the partial closure of the pathway behind Parliament Hill, which -by the way- should open in spring 2026 again.
Not always up to date
OpenStreetMap is also used by companies like Uber and Amazon. From what I read, they actively add changes too, based on what their people on the ground observe and report. And of course, there are many hike and bike apps that completely rely on OSM. I am also discovering that some organisations using OSM download their own OSM map and host it on their own servers for their own apps. Unfortunately, they are not always refreshing their map often enough.
Make changes yourself in OSM
So it is important that all changes are being made as quickly as possible so that cyclists don’t tumble into a ravine because OSM still showed that bridge that was removed five months ago. I have noticed in the past that our outer suburbs such as Kanata, Barrhaven and Orleans don’t always see changes updated in OSM, even when it is only a painted bike lane or a short stretch in a hydro corridor or an unofficial shortcut, so there is some work to do there. People for Bikes does an extensive comparison, also adding educational locations and medical services to their list to see if they are accessible by bike.
Workshops
If you are not familiar with OSM and you’d like to help, People for Bikes is organising two on line workshops soon, one for basic editing and one for a bit more advanced work. Workshops are free.
Dates
February 17, 2026: OpenStreetMap 101: Introduction to Bike Infrastructure Mapping in OpenStreetMap
You’ll leave this session knowing how to:
Use the OpenStreetMap iD Editor with confidence
Add or update bike infrastructure to OpenStreetMap
Add or update key destinations in OpenStreetMap
Register here for February 17
February 24, 2026: OpenStreetMap 201: Advanced Bike Infrastructure Mapping With JOSM
You’ll leave this session knowing how to:
Navigate a basic JOSM workflow
Incorporate your city’s existing geospatial data into OpenStreetMap
Push edits to OpenStreetMap
Register here for February 24
Don’t rely on social media alone for your cycling information
Traditional media in Ottawa rarely report on cycling anymore. But there is a lot happening. Safer infrastructure is being built, advocacy events are being organised. Sign up for free for new posts if you want to know what is happening, delivered right into your inbox. Because it is so easy to end up in a negative echo chamber.
Latest infrastructure posts
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Three suburban bike lane projects
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A Lemon at McCarthy
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Unboxing the new Beacon Hill multi use pathway in Ottawa
Reading Time: 7 minutesThe City recently added two stretches of pathways in the east end of Ottawa in Beacon Hill, inside the Greenbelt, with a total length of 4.5 km. We biked from Nepean to check it out. Read our impressions and check out the photos.
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Ottawa increases score once again in ratings by People for Bikes
Reading Time: 4 minutesYesterday afternoon People for Bikes, an American organisation for cycling advocacy, released the city ratings for 2025. Did Ottawa – Gatineau improve once again?
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Rethinking the Rideau Canal
Reading Time: 7 minutes Over the last two decades, boating on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa has dropped considerably. More bike rides are on average counted on a single day than the total number of vessel movements on the canal during the entire season. Is it time to refocus for Parks Canada?
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Ottawa’s People for Bikes network score inches up again
Reading Time: 5 minutesYesterday, People for Bikes in the USA released its annual city rankings for cycling safety progress. Ottawa is gradually improving its score and so do other Canadian cities. Let’s have a look at some data.
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How older pedestrians die in traffic in Ontario
Reading Time: 9 minutesOlder adults are a growing population and a vulnerable road user population. In Ontario in 2010, pedestrians over 65 years of age accounted for a strikingly disproportionate share of accidental pedestrian fatalities. Pedestrians over 65 years old accounted for 36% of the fatalities but comprised 13.2% of the population.
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New Rideau River foot bridge is finally open
Reading Time: 6 minutesIt has been a long time coming and part of the time the bridge was just sitting there in place. But since yesterday we can now enjoy a shortcut across the Rideau River at Carleton University, avoiding Billing’s bridge. Read the full story.
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