
Bike-share provider Bixi - whose mission is "to be recognised as a key player in Quebec’s public transit system" - says it is to increase its fleet by 1,600 at 130 new stations this year, bringing the total to 12,600 bikes throughout the Canadian province.
The network includes 2,600 e-bikes and will have more than 1,000 stations in 13 cities: Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, Boucherville, Terrebonne, Sainte-Julie, Westmount, Ville Mont-Royal and Montréal-Est, plus four new ones: Sherbrooke, Saint-Eustache, Deux-Montagnes and Saint-Lambert.
‘’Loto-Québec is committed to contribute to the reduction of Quebecers' environmental footprint by supporting sustainable initiatives," says Éric Meunier, director of community involvement at LotoQuébec.
‘’We firmly believe that bike-sharing is an essential pillar of public transit, and should be everywhere in Quebec. By expanding and densifying their network, our city partners are responding to the increasing needs of citizens and supporting our ongoing commitment to accessible, ecological and practical transportation for all,’’ says Christian Vermette, general manager for Bixi Montréal.
Bixi was created as a non-profit organisation created in 2014 by the city of Montreal to manage its bike-sharing system.
The name comes from a contraction of the words ‘bicycle’ and ‘taxi', following a contest among Montrealers which generated 8,896 different name ideas.