

Chris Fox, CP24.com





Toronto’s bike-sharing network is about to shift into another gear, as about 120 new stations get added to the system.

Bike Share Toronto currently has about 1,000 bikes spread across 80 stations but on Monday the Toronto Parking Authority, which operates the service, announced that it is adding 1,000 bicycles and 120 new stations to the current network.

The new equipment will be supplied by Quebec-based company PBSC Urban Solutions.

"We had a very thorough and detailed tender process, in search of a company that had the best roadmap for the future of bike share and the best value for our dollar," TPA President Lorne Persiko said in a press release. "PBSC Urban Solutions was hands down the winner, and we look forward to working with them over the next 5 years as we grow the Bike Share Toronto network."

The expansion of Bike Share Toronto was made possible after the provincial government stepped forward and provided $4.9 million in funding to grow the service’s footprint last July.

Most of the new bikes and stations will be placed close to transit stations and high-density areas in the City of Toronto however about 20 per cent of them will be located in other Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area communities.

Bike Share Toronto charges members an annual fee and then allows them to check out bicycles for 30-minute increments from any of its stations.

Stations are currently located in an area bound by Bloor Street to the north, Lake Shore Boulevard to the south, Ossington Avenue to the west and Parliament Street to the east.