Opinion: Electric cargo bikes could change transit in Ottawa | Ottawa Citizen

Electric cargo bikes aren't just for individuals. The City of Ottawa can use cargo bikes to help meet net-zero targets, and save taxpayer money spent on fleet costs.

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If someone asked you to picture a transformative transportation technology, you might think of self-driving cars or personal hovercraft. But it may be e-cargo bikes that make the biggest transformation in transportation in cities such as Ottawa this decade and beyond.

E-cargo bikes boast an electric motor to move and carry large cargo loads or passengers. You may have already seen some around Ottawa, carrying packages (for example, Purolator and FedEx use them in the urban core) or caregivers taking kids to school. They reduce traffic congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, air and noise pollution, and they take up less public space. E-cargo bikes are an active, efficient, and even a fun way to get around town.

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The business case for e-cargo bikes is especially strong. A study by EIT InnoEnergy found companies could save half a billion euros yearly just by switching some operations to cargo bikes. In denser areas, cargo bikes are more time-efficient than delivery by van and help reduce the traffic and parking pressures that additional home deliveries have created. And, with nearly half of emissions coming from last-mile delivery (from the sorting facility to your home), e-cargo bikes offer an opportunity to reduce delivery emissions substantially.

It’s not just big commercial businesses that can benefit; the province of British Columbia has a popular program encouraging and incentivizing local businesses to make the switch to e-cargo bikes.

For personal use, e-cargo bikes are able to transport multiple children, pets and more, and they have substantially lower running costs compared to car ownership. Instead of needing to buy a (second) car, families who are able to switch to an e-cargo bike can save thousands of dollars a year. A cargo bike also makes it easier to do multi-stop trips (like picking up groceries) and get physical activity (instead of hitting the gym), all while doing the school run!

With these types of caretaking trips often falling on the shoulders of women, cargo bikes give them more choice. Currently only one-third of trips by bike in Ottawa are taken by women, while in other countries the ratio is closer to 50/50.

E-Cargo bikes can be an expensive up-front purchase, however, and the benefits are not always immediately clear without support. If someone has never seen or tried an e-cargo bike themselves, it is less likely they will purchase one. That’s why programs, like one recently launched by the BC Automobile Association in North Vancouver — which lets residents try different cargo bike options for themselves — or government-funded purchasing incentives are helpful.

Governments can also support the switch to e-cargo bikes through clear and effective regulation of e-bikes and e-cargo bikes. Furthermore, decision makers at the local, provincial and federal level should continue to invest in the construction of “all-ages-and-abilities” active transportation infrastructure that accommodates a diverse range of bikes. This would benefit all road users, not just e-cargo bike owners, by allowing a safe space for more efficient transportation.

Just like businesses, municipal governments such as the City of Ottawa can use cargo bikes to help meet net-zero targets, save taxpayer money spent on fleet costs, and provide a visible demonstration of their use. Imagine arriving at a city park to see facilities staff operating from a cargo bike instead of an idling pick-up truck? Cities around the world have already made this switch. We can too.

E-cargo bikes could bring significant environmental, physical, and financial benefits to transportation in our cities. This was a key message of Bike Day on the Hill, a recent event hosted by Vélo Canada Bikes and sponsored by EnviroCentre. On Oct. 8, parliamentarians and residents came together on Parliament Hill to celebrate everyday cycling — and the opportunities presented by e-bikes and cargo bikes. They’re worth your time to try.

Cassie Smith is the strategic lead, Transportation Demand Management, at EnviroCentre and a community volunteer with Bike Ottawa and Kidical Mass Ottawa. Samuel Benoit is the Executive Director of Vélo Canada Bikes.

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