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Jagmeet Singh has been a cyclist for decades. And, not just for fun, but for a better Canada. We’ve known Jagmeet since he was a city councillor and we love how cycling is part of his life, politics, and vision for a sustainable future. In fact, Jagmeet has bought over a dozen bikes from Timm and Eric, the founders of Pedaal – including the Brompton on the cover of his book. This week, Singh expanded his fleet with his first electric cargo bike, a Black Iron Horse Polly. He test-rode it in Copenhagen, got hooked, and dropped by Pedaal to order one. And, this week – no thanks to a port strike in Montreal – it finally arrived!

Bicycle Schoolbus

This wasn’t an impulse buy. And, the Black Iron Horse Polly is no ordinary cargo bike. It uses rear-wheel steering for incredible handling, and, in Denmark, it’s used as a school bus, carrying up to six kids. Jagmeet plans to roll around town with his wife and kids. If Canada had paparazzi, this would be front-page material!

Jagmeet has always an early adopter. Many politicians are also cyclists, but this often means a lycra-clad road-warrior. Finding a road bike at any bike store is easy, but finding a city bike, folding bike, or cargo bike is not. Our mission has been to import practical European city bikes to Canada – bikes built to solve the “last mile” problem – and Jagmeet has been a follower of ours since day one. For us, its not just about importing the bikes, but the values behind each bike. And, that’s where Jagmeet feels the vibe. After all, these values contribute to less gridlock, more efficiency and greater health and wealth.

Vision Statement

In fact, under Jagmeet’s leadership, the NDP has championed cycling as a pillar of sustainable urban planning. This sharply contrasts with leaders like Doug Ford, who has actively tried to rip out bike lanes. In 2017, Jagmeet took Ford on a ride for the TV show “Political Blind Date.” On this “blind date” Doug Ford famously had an eye-opening moment where he stated that bike lanes were in fact necessary. Whereas Jagmeet sees clearly that automobiles, trains, subways, and micromobility all offer competing solutions, Doug Ford seems to have gotten a blind spot after his blind date.

National Cycling Strategy

With an election around the corner, Jagmeet’s choice of an electric cargo bike highlights Canada’s messy e-bike regulations. In 2020, the federal government offloaded all e-bike laws to the provinces, creating a patchwork of interprovincial rules. Ontario, for instance, bans children as passengers in e-cargo bikes. While the recent Bill 197 mandates future revisions, Jagmeet’s bike would be illegal under Ontario law if not for the Cargo Bike Pilot, which allows passengers under 16. Beyond this, the issue of battery fires and ultra-fast throttle assisted electric bikes continue to threaten regular cyclists in the bike lane.

A federal policy wouldn’t just fix these inconsistencies – it would support Jagmeet’s proposed national cycling strategy. Jagmeet’s vision includes massive investments in infrastructure, incentives for active transportation, and especially regulatory consistency across provinces. Amen to that!

Importing Values

With an election approaching, delivering Jagmeet this bike feels symbolic. Once again, the bikes we sell represent a shift in values – a future where cities prioritize people over cars. In a world of Trump tariffs, it’s worth noting the Black Iron Horse is Danish, from a country Canada shares a free-trade agreement with. As Canada shifts some of its trade focus from the USA to Europe, it should also take cues from European cities that have solved gridlock, pollution, and car dependency. Toronto alone loses an estimated $47 billion annually due to congestion. The solution isn’t ripping out bike lanes – it’s doubling down on them while improving the literacy of our provincial and federal legislation. Jagmeet’s new cargo bike is one more instance that the future is two wheels, or in this case, three!