Hop on Bikes initiative provides rides to low-income Ottawa families

With summer right around the corner, an annual program in Ottawa is providing low-income families with bicycles. CTV’s Camille Wilson reports.

Ottawa Community Housing partnered with re-Cycles Ottawa to give away more than 100 refurbished bikes to families on Saturday.

Hop on Bikes started in 2020 but has since grown and is now in its fifth season. It has since given away more that 1,000 bikes all donated by community members.

Children, youth and adults didn’t only receive a bike, but got a helmet, lock and lights to go with it. An adjustment centre was also made available for everyone to get their new rides tuned up and adjusted.

Gloria Luhaka has five kids, including a baby, and says she is thankful to the donors. For one of her children, it’s his first time getting his very own bike.

“I’m very, very happy because I have five kids but I got four bikes. If I’m going to Wal-Mart to buy that, how much can I spend?,” said Luhaka.

Luhaka says if she had to go to the store she would’ve spent upwards of $500.

“Summertime is coming. So, we can come to the park. We can go everywhere we want,” said Luhaka.

“I will feel good. A free bike is good,” says Kashindi Kanza, who’s child also received a bike.

Every bike is refurbished, reducing waste going into the landfill, Ottawa Community Housing says.

“This was actually a project that we started during Covid because we wanted to bring recreation to the children and youth in our communities when recreation was not available,” said Traci Spour-La France, executive director of the Ottawa Community Housing Foundation.

“Families are so proud. They get to come and they get to shop just like their friends at a store. They just come, they pick their bike, their size, and then they go from there.”

Visit ochfoundation.ca to donate to Hop on Bikes and other programs offered.