Latest news with #ÉvelyneBeaudin
CTV News
04-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Bixi bike-sharing platform expands to Sherbrooke, more launches planned later this year
Montreal's popular bike-sharing service BIXI launched in Sherbrooke, Que. on Friday. BIXI is the region's first bike-sharing platform, launching with 255 bikes, with the vast majority of them (80 per cent) being electric. Stations were launched at key locations, including transportation hubs, educational institutions like the Université de Sherbrooke, as well as parks and other commercial areas. 'This service enhances our sustainable transportation options and makes our downtown even more attractive by facilitating access to businesses, contributing to the local economy,' said Sherbrooke Mayor Évelyne Beaudin in a news release. BIXI Montr-al-BIXI launches bike-sharing service in Sherbrooke From left: Sylvia Morin, Chair of the Board of Directors at BIXI Montréal; Laure Letarte-Lavoie, City Councillor and Évelyne Beaudoin, Mayor of Sherbrooke. (Source: CNW Group/BIXI Montréal) 'With electric bikes, even our hilly terrain becomes more welcoming! And this is just the beginning, with our cycling network constantly improving to make Sherbrooke even more welcoming for cyclists, both local and from elsewhere.' The Quebec government provided $1.1 million in funding for the launch through the Financial Assistance Program for the Development of Self-Service Bike Sharing. BIXI expanding to more cities this year The Sherbrooke launch comes ahead of a BIXI expansion to more cities in Quebec later this year, including Saint-Eustache and Deux-Montagnes on Montreal's North Shore. The bike-sharing service will also launch in Saint-Lambert on the South Shore. The 2025 expansion will bring the total number of partner cities to 13, the number of bikes in service to 12,600, and the number of stations to more than 1,000. BIXI currently operates in Montreal, Westmount, Mount-Royal, Montreal East, Longueuil, Laval, Boucherville, Terrebonne, and Sainte-Julie. During the Montreal public transit strike last month, users set a new record after making more than 80,000 trips per day during seven of the nine strike days. On June 11, the bike-sharing company recorded more than 95,000 trips. Each of those seven days surpassed the busiest day in 2024, when more than 79,000 trips were a record at the time.
Cision Canada
04-07-2025
- Automotive
- Cision Canada
BIXI launches bike-sharing service in Sherbrooke
SHERBROOKE, QC, July 4, 2025 /CNW/ - BIXI, in collaboration with the Société de transport de Sherbrooke (STS) and the City of Sherbrooke, is proud to announce the launch of the region's first bike-sharing service. The first phase will consist of 25 stations equipped with 255 bikes, 80% of which will be electric. This deployment offers Sherbrooke residents a sustainable, active, and accessible mode of transportation. This project is made possible thanks to a $1,105,581 financial contribution from the Quebec government as part of the Financial Assistance Program for the Development of Self-Service Bike Sharing (OVLIS) for the 2021-2022 fiscal year, a program stemming from the Sustainable Mobility Policy – 2030. At an event held today in Sherbrooke attended by Mayor Évelyne Beaudin, STS Chair Laure Letarte-Lavoie, and other local officials, BIXI officially launched the service. A well-equipped network geared to the region's needs The BIXI Sherbrooke network was designed to meet the specific requirements of the region, with stations strategically located near transportation hubs, educational institutions such as the University of Sherbrooke and Cégep de Sherbrooke, parks, and commercial areas. The number of stations and bikes will increase in the coming years. Users will be able to take advantage of flexible pricing, with monthly subscriptions as well as one-way trips for occasional travel. "I am pleased to see that this bike-sharing service is generating enthusiasm among the public. Our government remains an important partner in ensuring better access to various modes of transportation across all regions of Quebec. The project launched today will have a positive impact on the mobility and quality of life of our citizens in Estrie, which is my goal!" - Geneviève Guilbault, Minister of Transportation and Sustainable Mobility "It is a great pleasure to welcome BIXI to Sherbrooke! This service enhances our sustainable transportation options and makes our downtown even more attractive by facilitating access to businesses, contributing to the local economy. With electric bikes, even our hilly terrain becomes more welcoming! And this is just the beginning, with our cycling network constantly improving to make Sherbrooke even more welcoming for cyclists, both local and from elsewhere." - Évelyne Beaudin, Mayor of Sherbrooke "The rollout of this bike-sharing project fits perfectly with the STS's mission to promote sustainable and integrated mobility in Sherbrooke. By adding bike sharing services to our offering, we are promoting complementary modes of transportation and encouraging Sherbrooke residents to rethink their travel habits, one pedal stroke at a time," said Laure Letarte-Lavoie, President of the STS. "Being part of the large BIXI network means having access to a single app for all cities, enjoying simple pricing and unlimited zone subscriptions. It's connectivity in mobility, at the service of users," said Christian Vermette, General Manager of BIXI. BIXI coming soon throughout Quebec With this new expansion, BIXI is furthering its goal of expanding across Quebec. After Sherbrooke, BIXI is preparing to launch its service in Saint-Eustache, Deux-Montagnes and Saint-Lambert in 2025, bringing the network to a total of 13 partner cities, 12,600 bikes and more than 1,000 stations. Users can now locate stations, rent a bike, and plan their trips via the BIXI mobile app or the BIXI website. About BIXI BIXI Montréal is a non-profit organization responsible for managing bikesharing services in Montréal, Westmount, Mount-Royal, MontréalEst, Longueuil, Laval, Boucherville, Terrebonne, Sainte-Julie and, soon, Sherbrooke, Saint-Eustache, Deux-Montagnes and Saint-Lambert. By 2025, the BIXI network will include 12,600 bicycles, including 3,200 electric bikes, at 1,080 stations in 13 cities. Montreal has the largest fleet of electric bikes in Canada, and one of the largest in North America.
CBC
02-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Quebec's Eastern Townships chosen for giant cargo airship project
Social Sharing A French company has chosen Quebec's Eastern Townships as its future cargo airship assembly centre for its North and South American markets. Flying Whales reached an agreement in principle with the City of Sherbrooke, Cookshire-Eaton and Sherbrooke's airport to build a factory on the grounds of the airport. The company plans to build a 50-hectare site to assemble, test, and launch airships — a project expected to create some 300 jobs. Sherbrooke Mayor Évelyne Beaudin believes this will benefit both the economic and social development of the region. "People will want to come here, will want to see those Flying Whales being built and maybe fly one day," she said. "I believe in this project. I think it really answers a real problem that we have about air transportation." The mayor stated that if consultations were needed, the municipality would be open to holding them. "We are very positive about what is happening," Beaudin said. Airships to help reduce carbon footprint, CEO says The agreement in principle enables the involved parties to move forward with environmental, technical, regulatory and financial studies — steps deemed necessary before construction of the facility can begin. Vincent Guibout, CEO of Flying Whales and president of Flying Whales Quebec, said multiple sites were initially considered and were narrowed down to two "good offers," one from Trois-Rivières and the other from Cookshire-Eaton. The company had also been eyeing Drummondville, where it had conducted studies. "The decision to choose [Cookshire-Eaton] is mostly linked to the fact that we had more certainty on that side," said Guibout. A year ago, Flying Whales entered a collaboration agreement with Chantiers Chibougamau to transport lumber, but the partnership fell through. The future airships will carry large loads like wind turbine blades, transmission towers, large equipment and materials. Guibout explained that this will speed up the deployment of technologies required for generating more energy and reduce the carbon footprint "significantly." As for potential environmental concerns, he said that the site, which is already on industrial land, presents a number of "advantages." "It was forecast for the industry and a number of precautions were taken so that we do not destroy protected species on the site," he said. When asked about failed projects in Quebec or those that face uncertainty, such as Northvolt, Guibout said his company would rely on existing technologies and that the market was "huge."
