In recent months, the City of Montreal has adopted aclimate plan atransport electrification strategy as well as aeconomic recovery plan in order to give itself the means to reach the ambitious goals it has set, notably to become carbon neutral by 2050.
To achieve this, it is essential to support the economic ecosystem in its transition, notably towards transport electrification.
The right vehicle in the right place, at the right time
Delivery vehicles are taking up more and more space on Montreal's streets, notably due to the rapid growth of e-commerce. More vehicles also means more nuisances: traffic congestion, risks to vulnerable users, noise and visual pollution, GHG emissions and air pollution. Nevertheless, the transport and delivery of goods remain essential to a city's economic health. One way to reconcile quality of life and economic health is to implement and support projects that encourage companies to innovate in their delivery practices.
The new approach to urban logistics can be summed up as follows: the right vehicle in the right place at the right time, according to delivery needs. It is with this in mind that the City, in collaboration with Jalon MTL, launched the projectColibri more than two years ago. This urban logistics pilot project demonstrated that a delivery approach using cargo bikes and small electric vehicles is not only more environmentally friendly, but also more efficient and more cost-effective than conventional delivery in dense urban areas.
Given the success of the pilot project, the City granted a financial contribution to Coop Carbone to set up a network of small urban logistics hubs. Delivery companies that wish to make their practices more sustainable will thus have access to shared facilities close to delivery sites at competitive prices.
A new program to innovate in transport and logistics
Since October 11, 2021, the City of Montreal has offered theSustainable Planning and Mobility Program, which grants subsidies to owners and tenants of non-residential buildings (mostly located in industrial sectors) for carrying out projects related to the ecological transition.
To receive a subsidy, proposed projects must meet certain objectives, such as promoting sustainable freight transport, supporting the use of active or public transportation, or encouraging the energy shift towards renewable energy. A project could, for example, propose the creation of active mobility routes, the development of an eco-friendly parking lot, the installation of a green roof, or the establishment of a shared electric bike service for a company's employees.
Visit montreal.ca to learn more and submit a project >>>
This sponsored content was produced as part of the Impulsion MTL 2021 event – The International Forum on Fleet Management.
