Montreal, Tuesday, November 18, 2025 - Vélo Québec is delighted to learn that Montreal and Quebec City have been ranked 1st and 2nd respectively in North America in the Global Ranking of Bicycle-Friendly Cities - EIT Urban Mobility Edition, better known as Copenhagenize Index, the global benchmark for urban cycling performance. Internationally, Montreal climbs to 15th place, while Quebec City makes a stunning entry at 29th.
Montréal: an assertive and accelerating leader
A pioneer city for urban cycling in North America, Montreal continues to make remarkable progress thanks to a clear vision, sustained political commitment and constant investment. Its structured, coherent and safe network has made cycling a common, accessible and year-round mode of transportation.
The deployment of the Réseau Express Vélo (REV) represents a pivotal moment: an ambitious approach, highly visible and recognized for the quality of its design, signage and protection. The Saint-Denis corridor, a true symbol of this transformation, recorded 1.3 million passages between January and September 2025, while helping to revitalize the commercial artery, whose vacancy rate fell from 24% in 2020 to around 16% in 2024.
The maturity of the BIXI bike-sharing system, with a record 13 million trips in 2024, the innovative addition of bike trailers and now year-round operation, illustrates a growing and internationally recognized cycling ecosystem.
Québec: a rapid and structuring rise
Quebec City's entry in the world rankings marks an important milestone for the capital, propelled by a strong political will and a team dedicated to cycling projects.
The planning of the Corridors VivaCité (CVC) network-150 km of safe, connected and comfortable routes-represents a major turning point. On Chemin Sainte-Foy, the benefits were immediate: a 6.9 % increase in bicycle traffic, a 94 % increase in pedestrian traffic and a nearly 10 % increase in retail sales between 2023 and 2024.
The all-electric Vélo service, adapted to the topography, is also a runaway success: from 100 bicycles in 2021 to 1,300 bicycles and 115 stations in 2024, it has seen its ridership jump from 29,000 to almost 1.3 million trips.
International recognition confirms our work
For Vélo Québec, these results testify to the effectiveness of the strategies deployed in the two major cities, and to the importance of maintaining this momentum. The ranking celebrates not only infrastructure, but also the social, economic and environmental benefits of a quality cycling network.
«We're extremely proud to see Montreal and Quebec occupy the top two spots in North America. This international recognition confirms what we've been observing for several years: when cities invest with vision, consistency and ambition, cycling becomes a powerful tool for transforming the city. We salute the leadership of both administrations and encourage them to continue their work. Today, Quebec is demonstrating that it can be a world model in terms of active mobility.»
- Jean-François Rheault, President and CEO, Vélo Québec
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About Vélo Québec
Since 1967, Vélo Québec's mission has been to develop cycling culture for everyone, everywhere in Quebec.
www.velo.qc.ca
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