Bike Share Toronto expansion gives Toronto residents 70 new bike stations

08/02/2017

Toronto, Ontario, August 2, 2017 — Today, Julie Dzerowicz, Member of Parliament for Davenport, on behalf of the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities; the Honourable Steven Del Duca, Ontario Minister of Transportation; and Toronto Mayor John Tory reiterated their commitment to expanding Toronto’s Bike Share system. The Government of Canada and the City of Toronto will each contribute $1.25 million towards 50 stations, and the City will contribute an additional $1.5 million to exclusively fund another 20 stations for the Bike Share Toronto system. The province provided $4.9 million to the Toronto Parking Authority in 2016 to double the size of their network, adding 80 new Bike Share stations and 800 new bikes in downtown Toronto.‎

Over the month of August, the 70 new Bike Share Toronto stations that will be put in place across the city will bring the total number of stations in Toronto to 270 with 2,750 bikes and 4,700 docks. Designed to enhance Toronto’s public transit and transportation network, the new Bike Share locations will be in close proximity to TTC subway stations and streetcar stops.

“Public transit infrastructure funding makes it possible for Canadian communities to build the new urban transit networks and service extensions that will transform the way that Canadians live, move and work,” said MP Dzerowicz. “Investments in active transportation like the Bike Share Toronto system will decrease air pollution, promote healthy lifestyles and allow residents to have a broader range of commuting options.”

“Whether you ride a bike for fun or commute to and from work, cycling is a sustainable, healthy and efficient way to get around,” said Minister Del Duca. “Working alongside municipalities and the federal government, we’re committed to making investments that will make Ontario a safe and attractive place to cycle.”

“In 2016, Council approved a 10-year Cycling Network Plan to connect, grow and renew infrastructure for Toronto’s cycling routes over the next decade,” said Mayor Tory. “The investment our governments are making today to expand Bike Share Toronto will complement that plan and will help Toronto residents who cycle save money, improve their health and wellbeing and reduce congestion in our city.”

Bike Share Toronto, operated by the Toronto Parking Authority, now has almost 9,500 active members and served up 1,191,746 rides over the last 12 months. Riders have travelled a total of 16,847,127 kms since 2011, offsetting 3,200,954 kg of Co2 emissions.

On August 23, 2016, the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto announced a new federal-provincial funding agreement to keep Torontonians moving through investments in the repair, modernization and expansion of the city’s transit and active transportation networks. The governments announced that multiple infrastructure projects would get underway in Toronto thanks to the signing of an agreement with the Province of Ontario that brings the new federal infrastructure funding program – the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF) – into effect.

PTIF will provide funding for up to 50 per cent of eligible projects, with the City providing matching funds. Through a new ridership-based allocation, Toronto is eligible for a federal contribution of $856 million.

For more information on Bike Share Toronto, including a map of the proposed bike station locations, visit https://bikesharetoronto.com.

For more information about the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund, visit http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/ptif-fitc-eng.php .

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Media contacts:

Brook Simpson

Minister’s Office, Federal Ministry of Infrastructure and Communities

613-219-0149, brook.simpson@canada.ca

Infrastructure Canada

613-960-9251 (toll free 1-877-250-7154)

infc.media.infc@canada.ca

Celso Pereira

Minister’s Office, Ontario Ministry of Transportation