The chillest winter cycling conference on the planet.
Winter Cycling Federation presents the Winter Cycling Congress
Edmonton is winter. It's active. It's home to one of the world's largest urban parks that serves as a cycling superhighway. Winter cycling is gaining popularity, and more Edmontonians are realizing that snow doesn’t have to mean the end of bike season. With a snow-friendly trail network that is plowed and maintained, Edmonton encourages winter cycling for people of all ages and abilities.
Founded in Oulu, Finland in 2014, the Winter Cycling Federation (WCF) is a non-profit network dedicated to increasing and improving winter cycling around the globe. Their annual Winter Cycling Congress (WCC) is the chillest cycling conference on the planet and attracts hundreds of delegates internationally each year.
During the WCC, the WCF advocates for better cycling conditions and infrastructure that is accessible and comfortable regardless of the weather. The conference builds connections and passion for the sport within local cycling communities and invites winter-cycling-curious attendees to join in. In recent years, the conference was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2023, Edmonton was chosen as the destination for the first in-person conference since 2019, so the pressure was on to make 2024’s WCC a success.
The WCF and Explore Edmonton worked with a local organizing committee including representatives from Ever Active Schools, Winter City Edmonton, City of Edmonton, Martinson Golly Ltd., Dentons Canada LLP, Bike Edmonton, University of Alberta’s Sircle Lab, Stantec, Paths for People, and Toole Design to plan and execute an unforgettable multi-day event filled with informative sessions, bicycle excursions, and a community of passionate winter cyclists.
From February 22-24, Explore Edmonton welcomed over 220 delegates and their bikes to the 2024 WCC. The conference’s organizing theme, A Bridge to a Healthy Future, engaged audiences and educated them about winter cycling’s benefits and its role in shaping healthy communities. Over three days, delegates discovered new possibilities while exploring Edmonton on bikes, connecting with fellow enthusiasts, and learning from experts in the field!
The WCC was held at The Westin Edmonton, which was bustling with energy and excitement as delegates began to arrive. The hotel kept delegates’ bikes safe and secure by opening its Devonian room and storing up to 100 bikes at once, with the help of volunteers from Bike Edmonton.
Located in the downtown core, delegates had the chance to check out local shopping, restaurants, and the Arts district. Delegates also explored the nearby River Valley which provided them with broad reach throughout the city thanks to its numerous bike paths.
Learning, Connecting, & Engaging
To kick off the conference, Elder Sandra Alexander of Enoch Cree Nation and drummer Draven McDonald welcomed delegates with an opening prayer, smudge, and song. WCF board members and local organizing committee members also offered their welcomes. Alex Stieda, the first North American to wear the yellow jersey in the Tour de France and a keynote speaker of the 2024 WCC, captivated the audience and spoke about cycling’s ability to build community and relationships. Lastly, Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi issued a warm welcome to delegates on behalf of the City of Edmonton, officially commencing three days of engaging sessions, workshops, and activities.
Engagement and participation flourished throughout the conference. Indoor and outdoor sessions were packed with registered delegates and ‘walk-ups,’ and focused on three main themes: Champion It, Maintain It, and Design It. Dynamic speakers captured the attention of their audiences, including a panel led by Youtubers About Here and Oh the Urbanity! and podcasters from The War on Cars.
Building Community
The fun kept going outside of the sessions. Free community events encouraged delegates and cycle-enthusiasts from the public to join the WCC activities.
Friday morning, Coffee Outside invited WCC delegates and Edmontonians out for coffee and a chat. The group had anticipated 40 attendees but ended up packing Louise McKinney Park with over 150 people.
Other community events continued to bring people out and were popular with both delegates and residents. These events included: the Garneau School Bike Bus, Telling the Story of Your City panel, Urban Systems’ Trivia Night at Fu’s Repair Shop, The War on Cars podcast live-show featuring former Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson, and a bike ride through the River Valley led by Alex Stieda. The City of Edmonton and Edmonton City Council also added to the party, embarking on bike rides and leading walks with delegates throughout the three days.
How Explore Edmonton Helped
Working in collaboration with the WCF and the local organizing committee, Explore Edmonton’s Business Events team helped make this conference a success. Our Event Development team provided behind-the-scenes guidance for overall event planning and offered recommendations for local businesses and offsite venues. Our team also helped by promoting the event through online channels to reach a wider audience of cycling enthusiasts.
With the guidance of Explore Edmonton’s Sustainability team, the 2024 WCC was a fully Carbon Neutral event. By providing recommendations to reduce preventable carbon emissions and investing in clean energy projects to offset unavoidable carbon emissions, Explore Edmonton equipped the WCC with the data needed to continue to improve their environmental impact.
In total, Explore Edmonton offset 114 tons of carbon, which is even more than the 113.2 tons of carbon produced during the conference. Carbon offsetting ensured delegates could attend the WCC knowing that they were operating in an environmentally responsible way and contributing to a more sustainable future.
Leaving a Lasting Legacy
The 2024 WCC delivered a total Economic Impact of approximately $320,000 and supported 13 local businesses and suppliers in Edmonton, including: Fu’s Repair Shop, Al-Terra Engineering, Stantec, Dentons Canada LLP., EBike Edmonton, Sherlock Holmes, CRAFT Beer Market, Rosewood Foods, Toole Design, Normaal Bike Shop, Credo Coffee, and River Valley Adventure Co.
The [Winter Cycling Congress] has sparked some good conversation with Trustees about how we can further support active school travel in all seasons.
Julie Kusiek Edmonton Public School Board Chair, Ward F Trustee
Explore Edmonton is proud to work with organizations, like the WCF, who advocate for equality, accessibility, and sustainability. Our city’s winter cycling community continues to grow, and we take pride in hosting events that make a difference. We are passionate about sustainability and always interested in planning carbon-neutral events or offering strategies to reduce carbon emissions.
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There's no question that events hosted in Edmonton bring value to our community. Regardless of your budget, our team is ready to help you plan your event and support its sustainability journey. Explore Edmonton’s Responsible Events Program is just one way your event can take part in socially and environmentally responsible choices and give back.
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