Late last September, Toronto City Council approved a pilot program to allow car-sharing services to use on-street parking spaces and Toronto-based service
AutoShare announced
almost immediately that it would be putting cars in various locations downtown and in North York.
But last week, Toronto's other big car-sharing service, the Massachusetts-based
Zipcar, announced that it was first in getting with the program. The first-ever space on-street, the company says, will be a Zipcar at the intersection of Harrison Garden Blvd. and Humberstone drive. The company expects to add 10 more spaces at other locations in the coming months.
While cycling and transit often dominate sustainable transportation discussions, car-sharing is proven by long-term studies to reduce reliance on vehicles among members and to increase demand for public transit. The City of Toronto, with a growing and competitive market, has been quietly encouraging the growth of car sharing services by, for instance,
reducing parking requirements on condominiums with car-sharing services on-site.
In a release announcing Zipcar's new spot, City Councillor John Fillion said, "I'm pleased to have the first car in this program located in my Ward
so our residents not only can save money, but also enjoy less traffic
and less pollution."
Writer: Edward Keenan
Source: Zipcar, City of Toronto, Autoshare