Electric cargo bikes are used to deliver goods in urban areas. Photo: Pembina Institute
TORONTO — JANELLE LEE, ANALYST at the Pembina Institute, made the following statement in response to Toronto City Council’s unanimous decision to adopt recommendations on e-cargo cycle regulations:
“The Pembina Institute applauds the City of Toronto for taking action to support the use of cargo e-bikes for last-mile deliveries. Delivering goods by cargo bike is one solution to help the city achieve its climate goals as well as improve the livability of Toronto by alleviating congestion and managing curbside competition.
“Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadians were increasingly shopping online and having items delivered directly to their homes and offices. As the number of home and office deliveries skyrockets, more businesses want to test cargo bike deliveries to reduce transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions and increase last-mile delivery efficiency. The recommendations passed by council will help provide the regulatory clarity and consistency businesses need to support the use of cargo bikes for delivery operations in the long-term, and also allow cargo e-bike delivery riders to better utilize Toronto’s cycling network today. This will relieve congestion for local businesses, improve air quality for city residents, and increase delivery time benefiting businesses and package recipients.
“Today’s decision at Toronto City Council is an important step forward to decarbonizing our transportation systems. We look forward to working with Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation as it consults Toronto and other municipalities to revise its definition of power-assisted bicycles to help businesses scale up their use of cargo bikes across municipalities.”
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Contact
Sarah MacWhirter
Communications director, Pembina Institute
416-389-7465
Background
Report: Delivering Last-Mile Solutions: A feasibility analysis of mircohubs and cyclelogistics in the GTHA
Report: Cyclelogistics: Opportunities for moving goods by bicycle in Toronto
Blog: On the agenda today in Toronto: Delivering packages and a healthier, safer city
About the Pembina Institute
The Pembina Institute is a non-profit think-tank that advocates for strong, effective policies to support Canada’s clean energy transition. We have offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa and Toronto. Learn more: www.pembina.org