Montréal, Québec, September 9, 2020 – Communauto, the Agence de mobilité durable (the “Agency”) and the City of Montréal today announced the launch of a pilot project that will allow users of  Communauto FLEX’s self-service vehicle, without reservation, to finish a trip downtown on a paid parking space.

For a few days now, a first group of users has been experimenting with this option in the perimeter  between Viger Avenue, Sherbrooke, St-Hubert, and Guy streets. To take advantage of this option, participants in the pilot project use the Communauto app to indicate the number of parking space used. They are then allowed to release their vehicle for a flat rate of five dollars ($5.00).

If this first test phase proves successful, all users of Communauto’s FLEX service will have access to this option by the end of September. In Montreal, where demand for car sharing is growing rapidly, Communauto’s fleet, already more than 2,000 vehicles, has grown this year by nearly 400 units, to which 80 new units will be added during the month of September.

This project is the result of a long process that has led, among other things, to the implementation of new policies by the City of Montréal to promote car-sharing and mobility. It is also the result of technological developments carried out by the Agency and Communauto, as well as a concrete investment on the part of both organizations, thus simultaneously investing in both this partnership as well as in urban mobility in Montreal.

“Over the past three years, driven by a desire to provide additional mobility options and make going to Montreal easier, we have implemented several regulatory changes to encourage the deployment of car-sharing and self-service vehicles, particularly in the downtown core. We are pleased to see this pilot project come to fruition with Communauto, which will allow Montrealers to reach the city centre with peace of mind and easily park their self-service vehicle. The high turnover rate of these vehicles will certainly benefit downtown merchants, who currently need support, without hindering on-street parking spaces in the long term,” said Mr. Éric Alan Caldwell, Head of Planning and Mobility on the City of Montreal’s Executive Committee.