Among the major economic and environmental challenges that lie ahead in the coming years, those related to achieving more sustainable mobility are of the utmost importance. Many companies are currently innovating in this booming market.
Transportation is responsible for 41% of GHG emissions every year in Quebec. As part of its Sustainable Mobility Policy 2030, the Government of Quebec wishes to improve this situation and significantly reduce GHG emissions by aiming for a “37.5% reduction of GHG emissions (...) below the 1990 level.” Another target of the plan is a “20% reduction of the average travel time between home and work.”
Clearly, companies have a major role to play in achieving more sustainable mobility for all. Your company can contribute to this goal and reduce operational costs by focusing on the following two aspects:
- Implementing programs and measures to reduce your employees’ solo car use and promoting active transportation, public transit and carpooling for their daily commute. By including measures that promote telecommuting, these programs have a positive impact on quality of life, employee well-being and your ability to retain workers despite the labour shortage.
- By optimizing logistics processes for both goods and people, and purchasing electric vehicles for fleets.
Companies are offering solutions
Many companies across Quebec are already working to stimulate change and offer innovative solutions for sustainable mobility. Here are a few examples:
- Netlift, a startup that has designed a carpooling program with incentives at the Montreal Heart Institute to counter a persistent shortage of employee parking spaces and better retain existing employees.
- Electric cargo bike delivery companies, such as Livraison Vélo Montréal or La Roue Libre, that reduce negative externalities such as pollution, noise and the costs associated with last-mile urban delivery.
- The Fonds Éco IGA, which has converted four refrigerated delivery vans to electric power, now making deliveries throughout Quebec.
These examples are among the 100 projects nominated for the first Jalon Mobility Awards presented by Jalon Montréal, an organization that accelerates the emergence of innovations in sustainable and intelligent mobility and supports organizations that are effecting such change.
The Jalon Mobility Awards are an opportunity to reward the efforts of those in the sustainable and intelligent mobility industry and are intended to be a source of inspiration for companies seeking innovative solutions. For more information: https://https://jalonmtl.org/en/jalon-awards/
About the author:
Jean-François Tremblay has nearly twenty years of experience in the transportation industry. Before joining Jalon, he held several positions of international stature with the Global Automotive and Transportation Centre at EY. In particular, he has assisted government officials, city delegates and corporate leaders around the world in identifying opportunities related to smart electric vehicles. He now brings his knowledge to Montréal stakeholders in order to help develop more integrated mobility and support their efforts in transforming the automotive and transportation industries.