by Joe Hendry
from "Canada - Bicycles in a big land"

Bike Culture Quarterly #18, Summer 1999
 

The Toronto Hoof and Cycle Courier Coalition is one of many new bike messenger associations that have exploded  in number throughout major cities in Canada and the rest of the world. It exists to give Toronto messengers a voice in political, labour and legal issues which affect them and the cities they serve. As professional working cyclists we work to bring balance to stereotypical images of messengers. [ and foster productive relationships with other messenger associations and like-minded groups.]

Historically bike couriers in Canada have been apathetic to many of these issues but as the worldwide messenger community shares more information it empowers couriers to take a greater role in their industry and the environment surrounding it.

Like the bike couriers it represents the THCCC has delivered results with great speed. Founding member Wayne Scott recently succeeded in his 15 year battle with Revenue Canada to have the extra food that couriers require for fuel be recognized as a tax deductible. We persuaded the Consumer Response Council to make General Motors pull a ad which portrayed couriers as irresponsible, and along with courier associations in Calgary, Vancouver and Montreal, we are lobbying Canada Post and the federal government to enforce the legal minimum payments to couriers. [actually before editing  it referred to "minimum courier charges prescribed by the Canada Post Act"]

[also edited out: "We joined with the IFBMA and other associations in presenting the city of Boston with the first ever Hall of Shame Award as the worst city in which to work as a bike messenger."]

["For its service and commitment to improving the local environment"] The City of Toronto now recognizes the contributions made by couriers to urban life every on October 9 with a Messenger Appreciation Day (10-9 Day.)

Toronto’s bike couriers are famous for their late night underground "alley-cat" races through the city streets. Toronto also  hosts legal well-organized races and festivals such as the Human Powered Roller Coaster (a figure 8 velodrome), the Cycle Messenger World Championships (Toronto hosted the third one in 1995). We are now busy organizing the 1999 North American Cycle Messenger Championships in Toronto on June 5-6.