Cyclists can now get bikes repaired, Bixi service to go ahead
Cyclists in Quebec can now get their bikes fixed, after the province deemed bike repair shops an essential service, and Bixis will be back on the road in Montreal.
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante said bike-sharing service will start in mid-April as planned.
It is a designated service that allows people to get to work or to the grocery store without relying on public transit.
She said the bikes will be more frequently cleaned to ensure they are safe to use.
"Don't take a Bixi to bike around the city," she said. "It is to be used if you need it."
The Quebec government added bike repair shops to the list of essential services April 1.
The provincial cycling lobby, Vélo Québec, had pressed asking the government to make the change, arguing cycling is an essential mode of transportation, and safer than public transit during the COVID-19 crisis.
Julien Roy, who owns Vélos-Roy-O in Quebec City, welcomed the change. His store was raided by police for being open on the weekend.
"Bike shops like ours are really there for repairing and servicing commuting bikes, so it's people going to work everyday; it's people making deliveries on bikes, so that's why we need to be available to them," he said.
