In response to questions from the leader of the official opposition, Claude Villeneuve, concerning the costs of the àVélo system, Mayor Marchand defended the service.
By Alexandre Morin
Claude Villeneuve, leader of the official opposition at the Quebec City mayoralty, highlighted the issue of operating costs for the Quebec City bike-sharing system. In addition to highlighting the operating deficit of $2,280,838, Mr. Villeneuve denounced the lack of transparency regarding the system’s real operating costs. He gave as an example the RTC’s response to his request for information, which indicated that there are currently 5 employees working on the àVélo project, which seems low compared to reality.
“We can recognize that àVélo is a great success […] We are concerned about the speed of deployment and the lack of transparency, I would even say the opacity surrounding the operating costs of these services. […] We would like to know what the real cost is to citizens.
Claude Villeneuve, Leader of the Official Opposition
In this regard, Mr. Villeneuve announced that his party would not vote in favour of the loan of $24,193,000 for the acquisition of electrically assisted bicycles for the years 2025 to 2028 of the RTC, without having more information concerning the financial statements of the service.
Marchand denounces Villeneuve’s lack of ambition
For Bruno Marchand, the operating deficit of the bike-sharing service is not a cause for concern. According to him, each àVélo trip is a gain for all citizens of Quebec City. The positive externality of the service amply justifies the costs.
“Is every trip by bike a gain for everyone? The answer is yes. We are approaching 500,000 trips, we will approach a million this year […] These trips are useful for those who make them, they are useful for the whole city, for all the air pollution that these people do not emit, for the greenhouse gas economy, for wildlife, for sustainable health, for the question of road safety. […] Of the 500,000 trips, about 100,000 have freed up space for those who need their cars. Everyone wins.”
Bruno Marchand, Mayor of Quebec City
For the mayor, it is therefore clear that the deficits of the RTC bike-sharing system are justified by the gains that the service brings to citizens. The cost is worth it. It is a project that is very much appreciated by many users according to him. Mr. Marchand responded to the opposition leader’s questions by denouncing his lack of ambition for Quebec City.
“Mr. Villeneuve says that about everything that happens in the city. It’s always opaque, he’s always worried. Quebec First is always concerned, it’s always going too fast, it shouldn’t move forward. We have a different way of seeing the city.”
Bruno Marchand, Mayor of Quebec City
I like this :
I like loading…
