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Montreal, May 1, 2025 – Équiterre is launching Phase 2 of its Vélovolt project, which promotes electrically assisted bicycles (EAB) and explores how they can replace cars in daily commutes across Quebec.
Since its launch in 2021, Vélovolt has offered long-term EAB trials to 50 organizations and employers throughout Quebec. Over 800 participants from 15 regions have taken part in the initiative over the years.
The project reached a major milestone last spring with the release of a highly publicized report, which showed that up to 25% of car trips in the Greater Montreal area could be shifted to electrically assisted bikes.
2026 Enrollment Nearly Full
“The enthusiasm of the first phase shows no signs of slowing down. Most spots for 2025 have filled up quickly. This indicates a strong interest in electric assist bikes, and that interest is province-wide,” explains Marilène Bergeron, Assistant Director of Educational Programs at Équiterre.
“Transportation accounts for a significant portion of Quebec’s GHG emissions. Équiterre is right to promote a carbon-neutral alternative to solo car use, especially as studies show that electrically assisted bikes have strong potential for modal shift. Identifying and removing the barriers to adoption will help fully harness that potential,” says Nicolas Girard, Executive Director of the Fonds d’action québécois pour le développement durable (FAQDD).
Organizations wishing to sign up for the 2026 season can still do so. Only about twenty spots remain.
What’s New
Équiterre will also use this second phase to launch a new research initiative that will analyze specific barriers faced by vulnerable and marginalized populations in adopting electrically assisted bikes and cycling in general.
“Whether it’s newcomers, people with disabilities, or those living in areas poorly served by all types of transport, we want to find ways to make EAB use as accessible as possible for everyone,” adds Marilène Bergeron.
For this new phase, Équiterre has partnered with LocoMotion, which has developed a new extension to its online platform to simplify the lending and borrowing of electrically assisted bikes among participants. Through this collaboration, Équiterre and LocoMotion aim to help more organizations promote vehicle sharing and reduce car trips in favour of greener options.
The project is funded by the Government of Quebec through Action-Climat Québec, a program coordinated by the FAQDD, as part of the 2030 Plan for a Green Economy.
The project is also supported by the Greater Montreal Climate Fund and Hydro-Québec’s donations and sponsorships program.
Équiterre's offices are located on Indigenous lands that have not been ceded by treaty, which we now call Montreal and Quebec City. We recognize that Indigenous peoples have protected their territories since immemorial times and have used their traditional knowledge to guard the lands and waters. We are grateful to live on these lands and are committed to continuing our efforts to protect them. Read more
