Background:
As Executive Director of Capital Bike and Walk and previously as President of the Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition, John Luton has been central to Victoria’s redevelopment as the cycling and walking capital of Canada. He has been involved in instigating and shaping many of the most successful infrastructure projects that have emerged in the city in last 10 years. Along with Saanich South MLA, David Cubberley, Luton founded the popular Bike to Work Week event that has been helping to encourage cyclists and provide them with commuter skills training for the last 15 years.
Most recently he spearheaded efforts to establish the E&N rail trail project that will connect downtown with Esquimalt and West Shore communities with a new off-road route for cyclists, walkers and others.
He pushed for the establishment of the city’s first Cycling Advisory Committee where many of the city’s popular and innovative cycling projects have been developed. He’s worked with the business community to publish a downtown Victoria walking and running map that is popular with visitors and locals alike, and is helping to sell Victoria as a walkable 
destination. In 2004, John Luton led efforts to bring the Pro Walk – Pro Bike conference to Victoria in 2004, injecting a half million dollars into Victoria’s economy and bring news ideas to local and regional transportation planners and exposing hundreds of new visitors to all that Victoria has to offer. John also received that year, the CRD Eco Star Award for Transportation, which was presented by Lieutenant-Govenor Iona Campagnolo.
Luton previously worked as a policy analyst and ministerial assistant in provincial governments, in Ottawa for several Members of Parliament. He also was co-owner of a bicycle retail business in Ottawa and for a time worked designing and leading bicycle tours to third world destinations.
Apart from his position as Executive Director of Capital Bike and Walk, he also provides consulting services on designing for biking and walking on projects with local engineering firms, architects and developers and coordinates the Vancouver Island Cycle Tourism Alliance, which promotes active travel to Victoria and the Island.
Luton has also worked with many other municipalities, and public and private sector interests to plan and develop numbers of other cycling and walking projects around the Capital Region and his advice is sought after in many other communities in B.C., and elsewhere in Canada and the U.S. particularly on bicycle parking design and planning.
Other non-profit board positions include:
- Bike to Work Victoria
- Bike to Work BC
- The Thunderhead Alliance for Bicycling and Walking (U.S.)
- Member of the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals and the Institute of Transportation Engineers
Presentations:
John Luton has presented on biking and walking issues to a number of conferences and workshops.
Publications:
- Bicycles at Rest: A bicycle parking best practices guide
- Downtown Victoria Walk and Run Map
- Vancouver Island Cycle Map and Guide
John has a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Victoria and is married to Suzan. They have two children, Vladimir and Elena, who attend Victoria schools.