Bicycles

Cycling to campus

Montreal is one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world, with over 1000km of bike paths in its network. With several bike paths nearby, members of the McGill community are encouraged to cycle to campus.

How to get to campus

Vélo Québec, a non-profit organization promoting cycling in Quebec, publishes bike path maps of the Greater Montreal and surrounding areas each year.

McGill's downtown lower campus is a shared space where cycling is permitted. This means mounted cyclists will circulate on the same pathways as pedestrians. Pedestrians will remain the primary users of this shared space and will have the right of way at all times. 

Campus bike racks

Looking for somewhere to lock up your bicycle? Click on the links below to view maps showing the locations of bike racks:

• Downtown campus bike rack locations (Google map) (2021)
• Macdonald campus bike rack locations (Google map) (2021)

Note that McGill is not responsible for any lost, stolen or damaged bicycles/locks.

Please avoid locking bikes to...

• railings/gates - it impedes the accessibility of the site by those with mobility impairments
• trees - it can damage them
• construction fencing - these must remain movable at all times to provide an emergency exit for construction workers

Repairs and maintenance

Campus bike pump

An outdoor bike pump is installed outside of the McConnell Engineering Building on the downtown campus, near the intersection of Milton and University Streets, and is available for use by students, staff and visitors to the Downtown campus.

Repair stations and community workshops

Learn more about The Flat Bike Collective, a student-run initiative that promotes cycling and offers a workshop space for common bike repairs and maintenance, located in the basement of the University Centre on the Downtown campus.

For a comprehensive map of free self-serve bicycle repair stations and community workshops available in Quebec, please visit the Vélo Québec website.

Safety

Regulations for cyclists and safety guidelines

The Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) and the Quebec government websites provide useful information about regulations, signage, as well as safety guidelines for cyclists.

Reporting a safety issue affecting a campus roadway

If you need to report a safety issue affecting a campus roadway, please contact the McGill Facilities Call Centre.

Reporting a safety issue affecting a city street or bike path

If you need to report a problem affecting a Montreal borough street or bike path, such as a dangerous pothole or debris blocking the road, you may call 311 or report the issue via the Montreal municipal government website.  

Some areas on the island of Montreal are not boroughs of Montreal, such as Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, where Macdonald campus is located. The list below contains the names of these municipalities and links to their website contact pages:

• Baie d'Urfé
• Beaconsfield
• Côte Saint-Luc
• Dollard-des-Ormeaux
• Dorval
• Hampstead
• Kirkland
• L'Île-Dorval 
• Montreal West
• Montréal-Est
• Mount Royal
• Pointe-Claire
• Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue
• Senneville
• Westmount

Bike registration

Approximately 2,000 bicycle thefts are reported to the Montreal police (SPVM) each year. Registering your bike on 529 Garage increases your chances of getting it back in the event of a theft since the database is used by the SPVM to track down bike owners. This service is available to everyone, and a 529 Garage shield sticker is not required.

Learn more about the 529 Garage project by visiting the following webpages:

• Montreal Police (SPVM) - bike theft (available in French only).
• SPVM announcement of their partnership with 529 garage (available in French only).
• 529 Garage project website
• SPVM - 529 Garage registration page

Macdonald Campus self-serve bikes

A small fleet of bicycles is available free to staff and students on the Macdonald campus, upon presentation of a valid McGill ID card. Bikes are available from 9am to 8pm on weekdays, 8am to 12pm on Saturdays, and 12pm to 4pm on Sundays, from April to October, and can be borrowed for up to four hours at a time. They are available at the Stewart Athletic Complex. Helmet and lock are included.

BIXI

Through its BIXI program, the City of Montreal offers public-use bicycles available at a variety of 24-hour self-serve locations across town. Bike rentals are available from April through November and can be returned to any BIXI station.

Visit the BIXI website for more information