Smart Public Transit and Electrified Transportation Project – Val-des-Monts

The pilot project carried out by the municipality of Val-des-Monts will also be launched independently in the municipalities of Saint Anaclet-de-Lessard and Malartic. The management of each project will be shared in part by a team with actors from each municipality, but each actor will remain responsible for implementing the project in the field. Val des Monts is a community located in a low-density area where approximately 95% of travel is car-based. Even though it is located near Gatineau and Ottawa, the municipality is underserved by public transit, and cars are often the only solution for many trips. The electrification of transportation remains marginal because the municipality does not currently have any charging stations. The goal of the pilot project is to electrify the fleet of municipal vehicles and promote their sharing within the municipality and beyond outside normal working hours. Its completion will be articulated around the installation of an electric service station (SSé - HUB), and the replacement of a municipal vehicle through the purchase of an electric car and the installation of three charging stations. The goal of the electric service station will be to create a hub and meeting point that will provide the community with the required infrastructure to optimize the use of public transit and the electrification of transportation. The creation of this hub will also allow the implementation of additional services such as ride sharing and bike sharing. The optimization of the use of municipal vehicles, their replacement with electric vehicles and their sharing within the community of Val-des-Monts will be at the heart of this project. The results of the pilot project will make it possible to measure the response of citizens to guide the development of the private and collective transport offer. The three municipalities will also be able to compare their results based on their different contexts and share their knowledge. This will make it possible to further adapt this type of project to other municipalities to effectively promote a clean and efficient transportation offer. The direct environmental benefits include a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improved energy efficiency, as well as economic and social benefits through significant savings for the municipalities and improved mobility for residents. Innovative aspects • The pilot project addresses several simultaneous challenges with regard to transportation electrification (individual and shared), the first and last miles, and intermodal connection in low- and medium-density urban areas. • Sharing of municipal vehicles to generate new sources of revenue and optimize their use • Possibility of adding several services after completion of the project (bike sharing, increased ride sharing) Replicability The pilot project has appealing benefits for municipalities that want to expand their transportation service offer and decrease their GHG emissions. These projects can also be adapted to a fairly wide group of municipalities. In the specific case of the RÉGÎM, if the project is successful, it will be possible to extend these services to 36 other municipalities by leveraging their newly acquired experience. Environmental benefits • GHG reductions of up to 90%, from 3.7 tonnes to 0.007 tonne CO2 equivalent (emissions measured at the exhaust) • Optimization of energy consumption (electric and more compact vehicles), with a decrease from 53.3 to 7.5 GJ • Modal change with users adapting to more environmentally friendly uses Economic benefits • Better use of municipal vehicles • Reduced operating costs • Revenue generated by shared electric vehicles • Diversification of transportation services with a potential increase in the number of users Social benefits • Transportation services that can revitalize the community • Improved quality of transportation and mobility • Transportation solution for all users (Project description from original funding application)