According to a CBC report, low-income families in Montreal could soon receive support for buying bicycle helmets for their children. The Opposition at city hall—those not part of the current administration—is pushing for a new program to help these families afford helmets as cycling becomes increasingly popular.
Based on existing program in Saint-Laurent
Ensemble Montréal is advocating for a subsidy program similar to one in the Saint-Laurent borough, which has been so successful that it has already hit its annual budget limit. Alba Zuniga Ramos, the party’s critic for active transportation and youth, stated, “The idea is in fact to allow families that usually don’t have the means to actually have access to appropriate equipment.”
Magali Bebronne, director at Vélo Québec, supports this initiative, highlighting that the cost of helmets can be a burden for some families. She noted that helmets need replacing every five years, after accidents, or as children grow, which adds financial pressure. “Chances are that helmet that was working when the child was three years old will not be working when they’re five years old,” Bebronne said. “So that maybe adds to the financial burden of making sure children are protected.”
The Quebec public health institute (INSPQ) reports that low-income cyclists are half as likely to wear helmets compared to those from higher-income backgrounds. Bebronne criticizes mandatory helmet laws in other Canadian regions as “counterintuitive and inequitable,” arguing they would disproportionately affect low-income individuals without addressing the root problem of helmet access.
In Quebec, helmet use is generally voluntary except in Sherbrooke, where it has been mandatory since 2011, and in Westmount, an independent municipality on Montreal Island.
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Bebronne believes that a subsidy program could help instill good biking safety habits from a young age. “It just needs to become a standard and a social norm that when you hop on a bike you wear a helmet,” she said.
A spokesperson for the City of Montreal told the CBC that the administration has shown a commitment to enhancing road safety and confirmed that the bike helmet motion will be reviewed at City Hall.
Praise for cycling in the city
The UCI Management Committee has awarded Montreal the UCI Bike City label, recognizing its commitment to hosting major cycling events and advancing cycling through community initiatives and infrastructure. The city is viewed as one of the more progressive places in North America when it comes to cycling. Montreal has also made its BikeShare available all year long. The city has also tried pilots allowing bicycles on public transit at all times of the day.
In 2022, PeopleForBikes named Montreal the top city for cycling in the major cities category. Montreal ranked eighth overall, scoring 65 points, ahead of Brooklyn (63) and San Francisco (61)
The post Montreal may soon offer financial assistance for kids’ helmets for low-income families appeared first on Canadian Cycling Magazine.
