NPA councillor George Affleck will ask Vancouver’s city council to take a closer look at the financial viability of a planned bike share program at a council meeting December 3.
Affleck’s motion asks that “City of Vancouver staff immediately review the Bike Share Program’s financial viability in light of recent events related to the suppliers,” and that “City of Vancouver staff provide a detailed financial report on all expenses accrued to date related to the implementation of the bike share program.”
Council voted to go forward with the program in July. The city plans to spend $6 million to set up the program and $500,000 a year to support the bike share. Alta Bicycle Share, a Portland company, will operate the system and Montreal-based Bixi will provide the equipment.
Last month, the city said it would delay the roll out of the program after reports that Bixi’s Toronto operation faces “imminent insolvency,” according to a City of Toronto memo obtained by several newspapers.
Vancouver will not go ahead with its planned program until the city is positive Alta and Bixi can meet criteria that council has laid out around financing, confirmed sponsorship deals and a sound business model, Jerry Dobrovolny, the city’s director of transportation, told Business in Vancouver on November 19.
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