Montreal launches zero-emission delivery option to reduce truck traffic

Will electric cargo bikes stuffed with parcelsunclog Montreal's downtown coreand reduce the noise and airpollution that delivery trucks pumpout every day?

Mayor Valrie Planteis betting on it.

Montreal kicked off anew, one-year pilot project in the Ville-Marie borough Thursday that invites heavy vehicles to unloadat lot Voyageur,a formerbus stationbetween Berri and St-Hubert streets, below Ontario Street.

From there,zero-emission vehicles, such as electric cargo bikes, will fan out into downtown to make the deliveries.

Project Colibri bringstogether four bike courier companies as well as the delivery giant Purolator. The aim is to one day have transshipment centres in every borough.

The city purchased a section of lot Voyageur for $18 million last year. The pilot project was announced in June.

Now that the operation is officially up and running, Plante said she wants all delivery companies to know, "We are open for business."

Coun. Robert Beaudry, the executive committee member in charge of commercial development, said the electric bikes areare more agile and less likely to be stuck in traffic jams.

Delivery will be faster than by truck, he said.

Montreal joins modern times, expert says

Business development specialist Glenn Castanheira told Radio-Canada all of North American is lagging behind Europe, where large-scale delivery companies have been runningsuch operations for years, he said.

• NDG pedestrian, 84, dies after being hit by dump truck

In European cities like Paris, London or Berlin, the private sector has taken the lead in offering zero-emission deliveries by truck or bicycle, he explained.

Now, he said, Montreal is taking thelead in North America,hopefully inspiring the private sectorto take that next step.

"The private sector is always agameto know who will take the first risk, who will invest tens of millions of dollars to open an urban transshipment centre where every square foot is very, very expensive," said Castanheira.