2025 APBP Virtual Summit: A Path to Progress

E-bikes greatly expand who can use active transportation, with promising results for increasing mode shift. E-bike rebate programs can support e-bike uptake but must be carefully designed to reach those most in need of financial support while discouraging free-ridership. The District of Saanich in British Columbia, Canada, worked with University of British Columbia researchers and community partners to design an income-tiered e-bike rebate program based on behaviour change research, with a strong evaluation and equity component. The success of the Saanich program led to the BC Government adapting and scaling the program for provincial implementation, with an extremely popular launch in summer 2023. In this webinar, Johanna Bleecker from the BC Ministry of Transportation, Glenys Verhulst from the District of Saanich, and Dr. Alex Bigazzi from UBC will speak to the process of designing and delivering these programs, the collaboration that led to the adoption of the program province-wide, results from the study of long-term program impacts, and lessons learned for creating effective e-bike incentive programs elsewhere. Participants will gain an understanding of issues and opportunities in e-bike rebate program design and how collaborations between local and provincial/state governments and universities can lead to innovative, effective active transportation interventions.