$885 million plan to electrify transportation in Montreal

Charging stations, gliders, electric buses: Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante announced this afternoon the city’s 2021-2023 transportation electrification strategy, which includes an investment of $885 million.

Among the proposed measures, related to both public and individual transportation, the city in particular wants to increase the number of electric buses operated by the Société de Transportation de Montréal (STM) and create “parcoverts” in the city center, providing parking meters only for electric vehicles.

The strategy, which spanned over three years and included 23 objectives, was developed with nearly fifty partners, including STM, Hydro-Québec and Communauto Québec. It is part of the Montreal Climate Plan 2020-2030, which was unveiled last December.

“It’s a bit like an electric shock,” the mayor immediately pointed out. When you look at the sectors that emit the most greenhouse gases, well, transportation comes out on top. This is more than 40% of emissions, and this is the sector we have to deal with to achieve our goals.”

protesters

To achieve these goals, Ms. Blunt has repeatedly stressed the importance of making life easier for motorists who drive electric vehicles. How do? By reserving parking spaces for them, among other measures.

“We will create parking meter spaces for electric car owners,” she said. We started with 66 venues spread across 34 locations downtown, in Ville Mare, then the number of canopies is set to grow.”

Most of the time, she said, these parking spaces will be adjacent to charging stations.

The city also plans to add 660 charging stations for electric cars, including 60 fast charging stations, by 2023. Once again, the goal is to encourage the transition to electric cars.

It will also force the installation of electrical infrastructure that allows for recharging in new apartment buildings being built in Montreal. “It will become a rule, something that will go without saying, specifically to encourage this transition,” the mayor said.

In its climate plan, the city of Montreal has set its goal of electrifying its fleet of vehicles up to 47% by 2030.

The Green Economy Plan, unveiled by the Quebec government last November, calls for a ban on new petrol cars from 2035 and aims to popularize 1.5 million electric cars on Quebec-Quebec roads in 2030.

The strategy revealed on Monday also includes investments in public transportation to enable the purchase of electric buses. It aims to operate 30 regular long-range electric buses as well as add four fast-charging electric buses to complete the electrification of the STM’s Line 36, between Angernon Metro and Victoria Square.

Investments are also planned to develop STM facilities and garages that will be able to accommodate these new electric buses.

“Our goal, that of the city and the STM, is to have electric buses, electric only, by 2025,” Mayor Valerie Blunt said.

The city also wants to increase BIXI’s electric fleet to 2,100, 200 more than the 1,900 currently available.

The Regional Environment Council of Montreal (CRE-Montreal) welcomed through a press release the transport electrification strategy in the capital.

“The countdown to the end of gasoline car sales in 2035 has begun,” said Blaise Rémillard, director of transportation and urban planning at CRE-Montreal. Through this strategy, the City of Montreal asserts its leadership position in electric mobility without ignoring important issues or doing so at the expense of the most ecological conditions such as walking and cycling.”