Streets reserved for electric cars and delivery trucks. An application allowing you to find parking, to compensate for the reduction in spaces on the street. Parking prices higher than those for public transport.
Due to the climate emergency, this is what travel in downtown Montreal will look like in a few years, changes necessary to ensure its “sustainable recovery”, according to a study by the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal (CCMM) unveiled THURSDAY.
Companies will have “a lot of decisions to make” and must now review their ways of doing things, warns the president and CEO of the CCMM, Michel Leblanc. The organization makes 10 recommendations in this direction, three of which concern mobility.
Better parking
“Parking spaces in the city center are underused at certain times, because motorists do not know where the spaces are available,” laments Mr. Leblanc.
For better use of space, the City of Montreal must develop an application to direct people to available spaces, which they can reserve.
With such a tool, perhaps we could reduce the spaces on the street, says the CEO of the CCMM, who however does not make it a recommendation.
However, parking rates should be increased so that public transportation becomes a significantly more economical option for getting to the city center, the study recommends.
Areas reserved for green vehicles
It is inevitable that “zero emission” zones will be established in the city center, where gasoline vehicles will be prohibited, underlines Michel Leblanc, who however wants these zones to be implemented in stages, starting with small sectors. Initially, major and transit routes should continue to be accessible to all, according to the CCMM.
“The danger is that the City implements zero-emission zones in 12 or 18 months, when it should instead be done gradually, with consultations, so that it is accepted by the population and the business community “, says Mr. Leblanc.
Residents and emergency vehicles should be exempt from this obligation, according to the study.
Electric deliveries
We must develop delivery by electric trucks, which should be smaller vehicles for the last kilometers to be covered, according to the CCMM.
“It takes distribution centers for large trucks to unload their goods, which would then be transferred to small electric vehicles,” illustrates Mr. Leblanc.
To achieve this, it is necessary to set up loading docks in the city center, and government assistance is needed so that delivery companies quickly equip themselves with zero-emission trucks, believes the CCMM.
Other recommendations from the study concern carbon neutrality of buildings, sustainable business practices and greening the territory.
The CCMM notes that the city center still bears scars from the pandemic. The vacancy rate for office space remains high, the Port of Montreal is still operating at 11% below its pre-pandemic level, businesses are slowed down by the labor shortage and online commerce is weakening businesses, underlines the report.