{"id":11844,"date":"2026-08-19T14:10:47","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T18:10:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coopcarbone.coop\/?p=11844"},"modified":"2026-08-19T14:10:47","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T18:10:47","slug":"velos-sous-haute-securite-experimentation-durable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coopcarbone.coop\/en\/velos-sous-haute-securite-experimentation-durable\/","title":{"rendered":"V\u00e9los sous haute s\u00e9curit\u00e9 – Exp\u00e9rimentation durable"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sustainable Mobility Experimentation: Connected Bike Shelters by Mobeo and mobilid\u00e9e Canada for CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’\u00eele-de-Montr\u00e9al, through Coop Carbone\u2019s MOBIS Accelerator Program<\/h1>\n

As part of V\u00e9lo Qu\u00e9bec\u2019s conference in fall 2024, Vincent Boisvert, Senior Advisor in Sustainable Development at CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’\u00eele-de-Montr\u00e9al, together with Mobeo and mobilid\u00e9e Canada, presented their secure bike shelter initiative.<\/p>\n

It is the kind of innovation story we love: the meeting of a motivated early adopter and two ambitious start-ups. Together, they turned an idea into reality through a meaningful project and a lasting collaboration.<\/p>\n

The MOBIS accelerator program<\/a> provides tailored support to help make experimentation projects a reality. In this case, MOBIS supported the funding search and identified the right financing opportunity, enabling the collaboration to get off to a strong start.<\/p>\n

The first eight secure, connected and compact bike shelters in Canada were installed at the sites of the Centre int\u00e9gr\u00e9 universitaire de sant\u00e9 et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) du Nord-de-l’\u00eele-de-Montr\u00e9al (NIM) in fall 2024. As a result of this initiative, CIUSSS received the 2024 Sustainable Mobility Leader Award in the Public Institution category, as part of the competition organized by Mobilit\u00e9 alternative (MOBA). Mobeo, meanwhile, received the Public Choice Award at the Pitch4Good event.<\/p>\n

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Mission: Active Mobility and GHG Reduction<\/h2>\n

This first collaboration with the two companies was a success for Vincent Boisvert at Mobeo: \u201cI really enjoy trying to invent new things.\u201d<\/p>\n

As part of his day-to-day responsibilities, his mission is to upgrade his organization\u2019s facilities to facilitate sustainable and active mobility for healthcare network employees who commute to work every day. \u201cThis represents 14,000 employees who do not work remotely, as well as the need to adapt spaces across about thirty facilities, including three hospitals,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n

Taking the Leap<\/h2>\n

The CIUSSS initiative is also part of its goal to reduce GHG emissions and achieve carbon neutrality in its operations by 2040. \u201cWe had purchased bike shelters that operated with keys and magnetic cards. But I wanted to go further,\u201d says Mr. Boisvert. He also decided to take the leap and offer bike parking with dynamic reservations to encourage active transportation.<\/p>\n

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His meeting with Vincent B\u00e9liveau-Larose, co-founder of Mobeo, in 2023 through mobilid\u00e9e Canada was instrumental in achieving his objective: providing a secure solution across all of CIUSSS\u2019s major sites. \u201cI was also looking for technology that could centralize different needs: managing access to the shelters, reserving bike parking spaces, and connecting to the fairmove mobility management platform, which employees were already using for carpooling,\u201d explains Mr. Boisvert.<\/p>\n

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Simplifying Access and Collecting Data<\/h2>\n

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At Mobeo, \u201cwe had been thinking about this project for a long time. We wanted to create a more compact, less expensive shelter that would take up less space,\u201d says Mr. B\u00e9liveau-Larose. Together with his partner, Antoine Gauthier, they had observed that managing shelters with keys was very complex and of little interest to anyone. \u201cWe clearly saw the need for a simple access system. Also, by developing our own shelter unlocking system, we can integrate with any technology platform and adapt it as needs evolve,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n

With mobilid\u00e9e Canada, the idea is to create a bridge with its fairmove platform. This eliminates the need to pick up a key: through a mobile phone app, users can reserve a space, cycle to the site and unlock the shelter.<\/p>\n

The long-term goal is to connect and centralize information from all bike shelters operated by CIUSSS NIM. This will also provide valuable data on shelter usage, supporting future development and helping the organization adapt its infrastructure.<\/p>\n

Reducing Risk Through Funding<\/h2>\n

At the same time, Mobeo was supported by Coop Carbone\u2019s MOBIS accelerator program. \u201cWith Mobeo, we conducted funding research, identified the appropriate targets and worked through the project. We also provided marketing coaching so that the Mobeo team could adapt and present its project,\u201d explains the MOBIS accelerator program manager.<\/p>\n

Among the project\u2019s funding opportunities, the team identified a grant supporting open innovation in Montreal. It enabled the start-up to develop and produce its solution in collaboration with its first client.<\/p>\n

More specifically, the City of Montreal funded part of the project, while CIUSSS contributed an equivalent amount. The start-up also invested in research and development and human resources.<\/p>\n

With the grant, \u201cwe took the risk that the solution might not fully meet our expectations at first, but in return, it allowed us to obtain the shelters at a lower cost and participate in developing an innovation that did not yet exist. So we took the time to develop, discuss, test and adjust. It was in everyone\u2019s interest to make this project work,\u201d explains Mr. Boisvert.<\/p>\n

And they moved quickly: the application was submitted in December 2023, and funding was received in January 2024 to launch the innovation project.<\/p>\n

From Initial Prototypes to the Final Product<\/h2>\n

After that, things moved quickly: it took nearly six months to bring the innovative solution to market. The result: eight new Mobeo shelters were delivered in September 2024. \u201cWe\u2019re really happy; everything went as we had hoped.\u201d<\/p>\n

The first statistics were encouraging as well. \u201cDespite the fall season, 18 people are already using the shelters regularly, with 106 total uses. And yet, this is the off-season. Next summer, we expect the shelters to be full. That\u2019s a good sign,\u201d notes Mr. Boisvert.<\/p>\n

Next Steps<\/h2>\n

All project partners agree that it is now easier to present the project and engage with various stakeholders\u2014including the organization\u2019s senior management, real estate asset management, users and potential buyers\u2014because the product is now on the market and working.<\/p>\n

However, \u201cwe haven\u2019t found product-market fit yet. We had our first early-adopter client, and they turned out to be passionate people who really like the product. But is there a market of bold organizations willing to try it on a larger scale? That\u2019s where we are now,\u201d says Mr. Larose of Mobeo.<\/p>\n

The partners are therefore already looking ahead to 2025, with the goal of increasing the use of these new secure and connected shelters:<\/p>\n