TORONTO, July 11, 2022 — Today, Mayor John Tory joined Councillor Mike Layton (University-Rosedale), Purolator President and CEO, John Ferguson, Toronto Parking Authority (TPA) President, Scott Collier, and the City of Toronto’s Transportation Services General Manager, Barbara Gray, to launch a Purolator Urban Quick Stop “mini hub” pilot program in downtown Toronto. This program is a result of the City of Toronto’s Council-approved Freight and Goods Movement Strategy, which aims to make the transportation of freight and goods safer, more reliable and more sustainable.
The two Urban Quick Stop mini hubs in Toronto will operate full retail services (for customers to drop off and pick up shipments) and a total of five electric cargo bikes (e-bikes) to deliver packages to the surrounding areas, decreasing traffic congestion and CO2 emissions by 68 tonnes per year.
First mini hub launching July — Green P parking lot on Spadina Road
The Purolator Urban Quick Stop opening today is made from a 40-foot shipping container and located at the Green P parking lot at 19 Spadina Road (north of Bloor Street West). The innovative solution is a sustainable approach to shipping and also introduces environmentally friendly e-bikes to reduce truck deliveries in the community. This exciting new initiative replaces fossil fuel-consuming courier trucks with a fully electric sustainable option, thereby contributing to the City of Toronto’s TransformTO greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions-reduction goals. It also advances TPA’s mission to create a seamless customer experience that delivers on choice, ease and speed through the city, while acting as a catalyst for electrification and growth in Toronto’s mobility network.
Second mini hub launching September — University of Toronto campus on St. George Street
In September, the City of Toronto’s Transportation Services division, Purolator and the University of Toronto’s Transportation Research Institute (UTTRI) will launch a second mini hub that will replace Purolator delivery trucks on the St. George campus with e-bikes deployed from an on-street container located near 60 St. George Street. This will mark the first time on-street parking in Toronto has been replaced with this type of use. UTTRI will conduct an extensive analysis of the impact of replacing large vehicles on campus, using data provided by Purolator around GHG emissions reduction, operational efficiency, parking experiences and interactions with pedestrians.
The City's Freight and Goods Movement Strategy is a comprehensive set of actions aimed at right-sizing delivery across Toronto. Led by the Transportation Services division in partnership with other City divisions, agencies and external partners, the actions support improvements to Toronto’s transportation system to increase efficiency and reliability for shipment and freight movement, limit negative impacts on the environment by reducing GHG emissions, reduce negative impacts on neighbourhoods most affected by shipments, and improve safety for people using roads across the city.
Quotes:
"Partnerships, like the ones with Purolator and the City of Toronto and TPA, to support our city's sustainability efforts, our focus on reducing traffic congestion, and our net zero goals are not only the right thing to do but make good sense for the lives of Torontonians and our growing community," said Toronto Mayor John Tory. "This is a prime example of what we can accomplish when everyone is working together to keep our city moving forward."
“Purolator’s Urban Quick Stop is our innovative approach to solving the many challenges of delivering in a busy urban environment like Toronto,” said John Ferguson, President and CEO, Purolator. “Our ambition is to be the greenest courier company in Canada, and this puts us one step closer to achieving that goal. This solution helps minimize traffic congestion and CO2 emissions using e-bikes in a location that brings package delivery and pickup closer to the customer.”
“We are thrilled to partner with Purolator to expand the services we offer residents by innovating and unlocking value across our property footprint,” said Toronto Parking Authority President, Scott Collier. “Following the launch of our four-year Bike Share Toronto growth plan and multi-year electric vehicle charging initiative, this pilot is another example of how we can create a more convenient customer experience and meet customers’ changing needs, while supporting the City’s green initiatives.”
"With e-commerce sales anticipated to continue growing at double-digit rates, new delivery models that optimize last-mile delivery must be explored and developed," said Barbara Gray, General Manager of the City of Toronto’s Transportation Services division. "This pilot program will advance the objectives identified in the City's Freight and Goods Movement Strategy, and the insights gained from the evaluation work of the University of Toronto's Transportation Research Institute will inform how we can make delivery in Toronto greener, safer and more sustainable."
About Purolator
Purolator Inc. is a leading integrated freight, package and logistics solutions provider. Celebrating over 60 years of delivering its customers’ promises, Purolator continues to expand its reach and renowned service levels and reliability to more people, more businesses and more places across the country and around the world. Purolator is proud of its Canadian heritage and is focused on sustainably positioning itself for future growth and success. Purolator is also committed to contributing to the well-being of the communities it serves and where more than 14,000 of its employees live, work and play.
About Toronto Parking Authority
Toronto Parking Authority (TPA) is North America’s largest municipally-owned operator of commercial parking and manages Bike Share Toronto, North America’s third largest bike share program. TPA’s vision is to become the world’s best provider of sustainable parking, bike share and last-mile mobility experiences for our customers, our partners, and our city.
About the City of Toronto
Toronto is home to more than 2.9 million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture and innovation and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit the City’s website or follow the City on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.
Media contacts:
Courtney Reistetter
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Rita Mezzanotte
Mezzanotte Communications for TPA
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416 271-0667
Hakeem Muhammad
Strategic Public and Employee Communications
City of Toronto
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416 919-6503
