Bike Share Toronto announces program expansion which will bring Bike Sharing to 20 of Toronto’s 25 Wards

Today, Mayor John Tory, joined Councillor Pasternak, Chair of the Infrastructure and Environment Committee, Councillor Bradford and Toronto Parking Authority (TPA) Acting President Robin Oliphant, to announce the expansion of Bike Share Toronto which now brings bike sharing into 20 of Toronto’s 25 wards.

The 2020 expansion will add a total of 1,850 new bicycles, 160 stations and 3,615 docking points to the already expansive network. After today’s announcement, the system will grow to a total of 6,850 bikes, 625 stations, 12,000 docking points.

This year, the expansion includes the launch of two satellite Bike Share pilot areas – one in North York and one in Scarborough with up to eight new stations in each area. The pilot areas cover Ward 6 (York Centre), Ward 7 (Humber River-Black Creek), Ward 24 (Scarborough-Guildwood), and Ward 25 (Scarborough-Rouge Park). TPA will monitor the stations to assess their use and performance over a determined period of time to ensure that it is serving residents as best as possible.

Another new feature of this year’s expansion is the launch of an e-bike pilot program that will be launched later this summer. The 300 pedal assist e-bikes and 10 e-bike charging stations for the pilot are included in the total expansion numbers. Further details on the e-bike pilot program will be announced in the near future.

The pedal assist electric bikes (e-bikes) will allow users to travel up to 25 kilometers per hour. The e-bikes can travel up to 70 kilometers without requiring a charge. E-bike charging stations are fully compatible with the rest of the bike share system, allowing both manual and e-bikes to be docked in any regular or e-bike charging station.

“This announcement is most welcome during a time where residents are looking for different transit methods to get around the city. The expansion of Bike Share ensures that people in all corners of the city have access to different modes of transit and are able to take advantage of programs like ActiveTO. I am committed to expanding this program so that residents and visitors continue to have a clean, green and convenient way to get around our city,” said Mayor John Tory.

In line with previous expansions, the new Bike Share Toronto locations are designed to act as an extension of the public transit system by connecting Toronto residents and visitors to TTC subway stations and stops. The Bike Share Toronto program is also in line with the City’s ActiveTO initiative, which has allowed people to get around the city during the pandemic while providing ample space for physical distancing. Bike Share Toronto stations will be strategically placed along ActiveTO routes.

“The continued increase in ridership numbers demonstrates the support this service receives across the city,” said Acting Toronto Parking Authority President Robin Oliphant. “Bike sharing is also giving us another safe option of travel in this climate of social distancing, while at the same time allowing us to stay active.”

In an effort to prioritize health and safety, Bike Share Toronto has ramped up its cleaning program during the COVID-19 crisis. As bikes are regularly in use and exposed to the environment, Bike Share continues to strongly recommend that riders continue to take the steps outlined in the City of Toronto’s COVID-19 Health Advisory when using the system. The best way to prevent infection is to follow the recommended personal hygiene measures by cleaning your bike before use.

Quick Facts:

• Bike Share Toronto now in 20 Wards.
• The Wards 24 and 25 pilot area will include Highland Creek trail and the waterfront trail to the Rouge Hill GO station.
• The Wards 6 and 7 pilot area will include the Finch Hydro Corridor.
• There is no additional cost to use the pedal assist electric bicycles (e-bikes).
• With the 2020 Bike Share Toronto Expansion, system coverage will grow by 100%, covering 200 square kilometres of the City.

• Riders can buy a 24-hour day pass for $7, and have it all day without overage charges, provided it is docked every 30 minutes, or purchase the single fare for $3.25 plus tax.
• Short term passes can be purchased on a smartphone using CycleFinder, the official app of Bike Share Toronto.

Bike Share Toronto Statistics:

• The highest ridership day (of all time) was May 23, 2020 with 20,911 rides (non-free ride Wednesday).
• Last weekend the Bike Share Toronto system hit a new record, with the highest number of rides in a single weekend. There were over 36,000 trips taken on June 6 and 7.
• The Bike Share Toronto network has expanded by 680% in the past 5 years in support of active mobility.
• In the last 12 months, year over year ridership has increased by 22%, from 2,029,429 rides to 2,467,281 rides (May 31, 2018-2019, compared to May 31, 2019-2020).
• More than 10.2 million trips have been taken on the Bike Share Toronto system since its inception in 2011.
• More than 50% of annual members use the Cyclefinder app to unlock bikes.
• In the last 12 months, year over year membership has increased by 60% from 146,604 to 234,117 (May 31, 2018-2019, compared to May 31, 2019-2020).

More information on Bike Share Toronto is available at bikesharetoronto.com.

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