BIXI MONTREAL AND THE CITY OF MONTREAL KICKING OFF THE 15th BIXI SEASON TODAY AT NOON AND ANNOUNCING SOME BIG NEWS

Starting in 2023, BIXI will be available year round

MONTREAL, April 12, 2023 /CNW/ - It is with great enthusiasm that BIXI Montreal and the City of Montreal kick off the 2023 BIXI season today, three days earlier than usual. Celebrating the start of the 15^th season of the bike-sharing service, Alexandre Taillefer, President of BIXI Montreal, and Sophie Mauzerolle, member of the Executive Committee responsible for transportation and mobility for the City of Montreal, took the opportunity to announce some big news: the BIXI service will be available year round starting in 2023.

"As BIXI Montreal celebrates the kick-off of its 15^th season alongside numerous collaborators and its new presenting partner, Loto-Québec, we are very proud that Montreal was the very first city in North America to debut a large-scale bike-sharing service in 2009. Bike sharing should be a focal point of discussions on improving mobility in Montreal, the suburbs and throughout Quebec, helping inspire green transportation initiatives. All of the BIXI usage records over the past few seasons, including nearly 9 million trips made by half a million users in 2022, demonstrates its undisputed leadership in active mobility," explains Alexandre Taillefer, President of BIXI Montreal.

For the first time ever, BIXI will continue to be available after November 15, 365 days a year, within a 100-km² pilot area near the cycling network's main arteries, in particular the EBN (Express Bike Network).

"The City of Montreal is pleased to announce a pilot project with 150 BIXI stations accessible year round, spread out along certain main biking routes. Already recognized as one of North America's leading cities in terms of cycling infrastructure, Montreal has the potential to become a city with year-round cycling. Cycling infrastructure is primarily operated from an annual perspective, and the advent of the EBN reflects our vision of mobility and city planning that is adapted to our sustainable development goals," announced Sophie Mauzerolle, member of the Executive Committee responsible for transportation and mobility for the City of Montreal.

Since its establishment, BIXI has won over thousands of cycling enthusiasts and has made a remarkable difference in the city's environmental footprint, with an estimated 175 million kilometres cycled, as well as 35,000 tonnes of CO₂ and 17 million litres of fuel saved.

After the addition of 414 new bikes, 36 new stations and 1,468 additional docking points in 2023, the BIXI network will now have 865 stations and 10,000 bikes (including 2,600 electric bikes).

"The arrival of BIXI electric bike-sharing in 2019 (and electric bikes in general) was truly revolutionary in terms of mobility. According to recent studies by Vélo-Québec, between 20% and 86% of car travel can now be done on an electric bike, which shows the enormous potential for growth in BIXI electric bike use in the future. An inspiring green and active mobility movement is growing just about everywhere, and BIXI is one of its pioneers and proudest representatives," added Alexandre Taillefer.

With Loto-Québec as the new presenting partner of BIXI Montreal, it will help accelerate numerous projects to enhance the customer experience.

"Since its establishment, giving back to the community and supporting Quebec as a whole has been at the heart of Loto-Québec's DNA. That is why we are so proud to be partnering with BIXI Montreal for the next three years. This partnership allows us to support an organization that is changing the mobility habits of Quebeckers, and in doing so it's contributing to reducing our environmental footprint," stated Benoit Lefrançois, Corporate Vice President of Responsible Gambling, Communications and Social Responsibility at Loto-Québec.

There is still time to take advantage of BIXI membership pre-season pricing (seasonal, from April 12 to November 15) at $89 + tax (10% off the regular price). For those wanting to take advantage of this offer, they can purchase a seasonal membership online or by downloading the BIXI mobile app. They will find a variety of products available, as well as instructions on how to use the QR code for their upcoming rentals, which is a brand new feature for 2023 to help make the BIXI experience even faster and easier!

Christian Vermette, CEO of BIXI Montreal, concluded:

"I've been extremely fortunate to see how far BIXI has come over the last 15 years and how this Quebec innovation has evolved. BIXI quickly became known as an internationally renowned expert in the field. On behalf of BIXI Montreal management, I would like to thank the City of Montreal, the members of our board of directors, our employees, suppliers and associates, as well as our valuable partners who will all contribute to making the experience even more memorable this season: our new presenting partner Loto-Québec, newly arrived Beneva, as well as Fizz and Rachelle Béry. Have a great BIXI season!

BIXI Montreal is a non-profit organization responsible for managing the bike-sharing system in Montreal, Westmount, Mount Royal, East Montreal, Longueuil and Laval. In 2023, the BIXI network will have 10,000 bikes (including 2,600 electric bikes) and over 865 stations. Montreal has the largest fleet of electric bikes in Canada and one of the largest in North America.

SOURCE BIXI Montréal