Community CarShare

What is Community CarShare?

Community CarShare is a non-profit co-operative which provides its members access to vehicles on a self-serve, pay-per-use basis. The co-operative was founded in 1998 and operated first in Kitchener-Waterloo, adding service to Hamilton in 2009, and Elmira and Guelph in 2013.

Community CarShare’s mission is to deliver a carsharing service and to promote carsharing as an important component of a sustainable transportation system within the Region of Waterloo and the City of Hamilton. Through this the co-op seeks to reduce overall transportation costs, traffic congestion and air pollution, thus improving our communities.

Reservations for CarShare vehicles can be made for as little as 30 minutes, or as long as needed, and gas and maintenance costs are included in driving rates. By filling in transportation gaps with occasional car use, Community CarShare also helps support the use of greener transportation modes such as transit and cycling. Many CarShare members also already own a car, but supplement their driving needs with CarShare reservations a few times a week.

Community CarShare currently has 850 members who have access to a fleet of 34 vehicles, stationed along main transit corridors. Of the 34 vehicles, six are located in Waterloo, fifteen are located in Kitchener, eight are located in Hamilton, three are located in Guelph, and two are located in Elmira. As membership grows and vehicle usage increases, additional vehicles are added to the fleet to meet membership and usage demands.

Community CarShare is governed by a volunteer board of directors, elected from the membership, and supported day-to-day by four full-time staff members.