Hamilton’s bike share program was used for 700,000 rides in 2025, representing a 38 per cent increase from 2024.
The program also had 38,000 members in 2025, which represents a 20 per cent increase from 2024.
The program is operated by Hamilton Bike Share Inc., a local non-profit that took over from Uber, which previously ran the system but then abandoned operations.
It should be noted that ridership numbers are significantly boosted by McMaster University’s Universal Bike Share Pass Program, which is added to student fees and began in 2024.
The pass provides all full-time students with a 12-month pass for $24.50, which provides 90 minutes of free riding every day.
The pass was originally just for undergraduate students, but, as of September 2025, full-time graduate students are eligible for the pass as well.
Other members of the McMaster community, including part-time students, faculty members, and staff, can access a monthly rate with the McMaster Community Pass, which costs $16/month and includes 90 minutes of free riding every day.
The regular monthly user charge is $20/month.
Based on McMaster data from the 2023-24 school year, there were 35,344 full-time students at the school, so post-secondary students likely make up a significant portion of the 38,000 Hamilton Bike Share members.
However, even though every student pays for the pass through their fees, they still have to activate their pass online at app.socialbicycles.com.
A city report from December 2024 says that when the McMaster U-Pass was introduced, ridership “tripled.”
The Hamilton Bike Share system is funded by a combination of grants, user revenues, sponsorships, and municipal contributions.
Hamilton Bike Share currently has an annual funding agreement with the City of Hamilton until Dec. 31, 2027, with the municipality providing $744,000 per year to support operating costs.
City of Hamilton staff say that a new report, called “The Future of Micromobility Study,” will be completed in 2026 and will provide an in-depth analysis of operating models, system enhancements, system expansion, and the return on investment of the micromobility system.
Micromobility is a term used to describe transportation such as bikes and scooters.
The city also has an e-scooter system, operated by Bird Canada, which was started in 2023.
Meanwhile, Hamilton Bike Share was launched in 2015.
The “Future of Micromobility Study” will include data from operations of the bike share and e-scooter programs.
McMaster University and a consultant are developing a long-term plan for the city that is meant to cover the period from 2028 to 2038.
With the City of Hamilton funding agreement ending in 2027, debate is expected to eventually take place at City Council as to how to proceed.
Hamilton Bike Share is currently limited to the lower city, extending westward to Dundas, but ending eastward at Kenilworth Avenue.
The Bird Canada e-scooter program includes parts of the lower city and Hamilton Mountain, extending westward to Dundas and eastward to the Red Hill Valley Parkway.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
