Hamilton Bike Share receives donations to save SoBi bikes

Hamilton Bike Share Inc. (HBSI) sent a letter to city council last night asking permission to operate SoBi bikes for the next nine months using funding from donors, user fees, and an $100,000 gift from a charitable foundation.

SoBi was set to end today after city council voted not to save the ride share program last week. The decision had to be made after Uber, the company that operates SoBi, backed out of it’s contract to pay for the program through February, 2021. This left the city to pick up the remaining $400,000 tab to save the program. Council said the city did not have those funds and were unwilling to use taxpayer dollars.

This led to a backlash from some Hamiltonians who have been locking the bikes in front of City Hall all weekend in protest.

Now, HBSI is saying they have raised enough money to operate to the end of the contract. Ward 2 Councillor Jason Farr told CHCH this morning that council will be verifying the funds and will deliberate on Wednesday but says, “I have every belief it is true”. Farr adds that if the funds are accurate than the argument against continuing SoBi has been solved.

CHCH News will be following this story throughout the day and will have the latest during the evening news at 6:00 p.m.