Montreal's BIXI network opens today as spring season begins

Montreal's bike-sharing service BIXI is getting a jump on spring, announcing it is opening over 60 per cent of its network Tuesday afternoon, its earliest start to the season ever.

Service will be available throughout Montreal, as well as in Westmount, Mount Royal, East Montreal and Boucherville. Some stations will also be available in Laval and Longueuil this week.

As of April 8, as much as 85 per cent of the network will be in operation throughout the Island of Montreal.

The full network will be up and running on April 15 in all cities, meaning the Island of Montreal, Longueuil, Laval, Boucherville and Terrebonne.

The non-profit organization said in a press release that 2023 was its most popular season ever, with over 576,000 users. That's a 31 per cent increase over 2022, already a record-breaking year. More than one out of four Montrealers uses BIXI, said Sylvia Morin, acting president of BIXI Montreal, in the news release.

"BIXI has been part of Montrealers' everyday lives for 16 years now, and its popularity is undeniable," said Sophie Mauzerolle, a member of the City of Montreal's Executive Committee responsible for transportation and mobility, in a news release. "By offering a simple, flexible, cost-effective way of adopting sustainable mobility, BIXI has become an integral part of Montreal's transportation offering."

Mauzerolle said the city is investing in 1,300 new bikes and 32 new stations this year, bringing the network's total to over 11,000 bikes, including 2,620 electric bikes, distributed among 934 stations in eight different cities.

New equipment will be added to the Montreal network throughout the season, the company said.

BIXI said preseason passes are currently available for $96 until April 15, which is $3 less than the regular rate last year.

BIXI Montreal held a news conference Tuesday to officially launch its 2024 season – though this past winter, it offered year-round service for the first time as part of a pilot project, keeping 150 stations available in a reduced area.

Mauzerolle said the bike-sharing service will be continuing year-round in the coming years.