You'll soon have more car-share options in Burnaby, after city approves bylaw changes

It looks like car-share users in Burnaby, B.C., will soon have easier access to temporary wheels.

Evo and Modo say they're ready to expand services into the city in the new year after council unanimously approved several bylaw amendments to encourage car-share operations on Monday.

Drivers using the services will be able to park shared vehicles in any city-owned parking space free of charge, including metered parking stalls, starting Jan. 1, 2024.

Shared vehicles will also be exempt from some existing time limits on city parking, allowing them to park on a street for longer than 24 hours in a row, and for more than three hours outside homes and businesses during the day.

Modo currently has 71 cars available for members in Burnaby, the co-op says, while Evo's home zone in Vancouver stops at Boundary Road, which separates the two cities.

That means Evo users cannot start or end trips in Burnaby and must pay out of pocket for parking during stop-overs in the city — the one exception being the campus of Simon Fraser University, which has its own agreement with Evo.

"This is very encouraging news. I know many, many people, in particular young people who are moving away from car ownership, have expressed their frustration of coming to Burnaby," said Coun. Daniel Tretrault at Monday evening's council meeting.

Coun. Pietro Calendino also welcomed the news and voiced his personal frustrations with the current situation.

"I remember I had friends that had to stop their car-share on Boundary, and then I picked them up there to come visit me and other friends," he said. 

Burnaby's decision follows similar moves by other Lower Mainland municipalities including North Vancouver and New Westminster.

Car-share services allow users to book and rent vehicles temporarily, and are part of a growing trend in sustainable transportation, according to a Sept. 11 Burnaby city staff report.

They are also a cheaper alternative to owning a vehicle, which costs more than $10,000 per year in Metro Vancouver, according to a 2018 TransLink report.

Coun. Alison Gu said the move will reduce emissions and increase convenience for Burnaby residents and visitors.

Car-share services enthusiastic

Both Evo and Modo say they welcome the changes and are keen to expand services into Burnaby once they've signed operating agreements with the city that reflect the new bylaws.

"Evo has indicated they will open up their fleet of 2,200 vehicles to come into Burnaby," said city engineering transportation director Amy Choh. 

"So as soon as we have those agreements in place, we are ready to welcome the car-share companies."

Evo, which was created by the B.C. Automobile Association (BCAA), is focused on one-way trips that allow customers to end trips within its "home zone," which covers parts of Vancouver, North Vancouver, Richmond and New Westminster. The service also operates in Victoria.

Evo says it is working toward a potential launch early in the new year, BCAA spokesperson Sara Holland said in an emailed statement to CBC News.

"We already have a large membership who live or work in Burnaby, that are already using Evo, so we're looking forward to offering locals more convenience when it comes to getting around," she said.

Modo, a co-op which focuses on longer round-trip rentals, said it had already planned to add cars in Burnaby.

"Modo's diverse fleet covers the entirety of Burnaby and we will be fully committed to sharing cars there long term," wrote spokesperson Jane Hope in a statement to CBC News on Tuesday.