Sometimes governments avoid wasting millions through pure, dumb luck. The City of Vancouver has been coveting the startup of a bike share program for years now. Fortunately for taxpayers, both major bike share operators – Bixi and Alta – ran into significant financial difficulties before Vancouver could sign a deal and guarantee them millions of tax dollars.
The Province reports today that the whole plan is now in limbo, as Vancouver can do nothing but wait for Alta to sort out their money issues. How Vancouver can even entertain a bike share program that is losing money in New York City – despite a bank financially sponsoring it – is another story, but at least there’s a delay.
The Vancouver bike share was supposed to go live in 2013, but now even 2015 seems like a longshot.
Why have one at all? If the model is viable, the private sector will do it – just like Vancouver’s three car share companies.
Is Canada Off Track?
Canada has problems. You see them at gas station. You see them at the grocery store. You see them on your taxes.
Is anyone listening to you to find out where you think Canada’s off track and what you think we could do to make things better?
You can tell us what you think by filling out the survey