As the municipal elections approach against a backdrop of uncertainty and growing debate around urban mobility, we wanted to contribute to the discussion.
At Communauto, our environmental, social, and urban mission is clear: to offer an alternative to car ownership by developing a transportation option that complements public transit and active mobility.
Carsharing is one of the most effective ways to reduce the impact of cars on cities: it frees up public space, reduces congestion, and lowers greenhouse gas emissions. Even though its reach is still limited, its influence is tangible. In Montréal, for example, nearly 15% of households already use Communauto.
In our view, including concrete objectives related to carsharing in a political platform is a strong indicator of the depth and credibility of an electoral program that truly aims to promote sustainable mobility.
It’s through this lens that we examined the electoral platforms of several major Québec cities where Communauto is well established.
Montréal
Projet Montréal (Luc Rabouin)
The platform dedicates a full section to carsharing. It recognizes the positive role of its users and proposes, among other things:
- The creation of a universal parking permit allowing station-based vehicles to park in residential zones;
- Reserved parking spaces in public areas such as major parks or Espace pour la vie sites.
Ensemble Montréal (Soraya Martinez Ferrada)
Platform (available only in French)
Proposes to “increase the number of parking spaces for free-floating vehicles, particularly in less well-served neighborhoods.”
Transition Montréal (Craig Sauvé)
Does not explicitly mention carsharing but includes several measures supporting public transit and sustainable mobility development.
Québec City
Québec Forte et Fière (Bruno Marchand)
The incumbent mayor’s party is the only one to include an initiative supporting carsharing, with the goal of implementing citywide integrated mobility. The Marchand administration has already demonstrated concrete support for carsharing.
Transition Québec (Jackie Smith)
Program
The party dedicates an article of its platform to “Encouraging Car Sharing” (3.4), mainly through three measures:
A. Amend the regulatory framework to expand car-sharing services in all neighborhoods of the City of Québec;
B. Enhance the availability of electric vehicle car-sharing options;
C. Increase parking spaces for shared vehicles (such as Communauto), notably by requiring commercial parking lots and residential developments with eight or more units to reserve spaces for this service.
Leadership Québec (Sam Hamad)
No mention of carsharing. The party proposes replacing the tramway project with a rapid bus service, along with certain measures that could limit active mobility (e.g., reducing snow clearance on bike paths).
Québec d’abord (Claude Villeneuve)
No specific measures for carsharing, but several commitments favorable to sustainable mobility: tramway, dedicated lanes, and improved pedestrian crossings.
Laval
Mouvement lavallois (Stéphane Boyer)
Includes a clear commitment: “Expand self-service mobility options throughout the territory, particularly bike-sharing and car-sharing services”
The Boyer administration has stood out with concrete initiatives, such as reimbursing first-time carsharing uses for new users—a first in Québec!
Parti Laval (Claude Larochelle)
Does not make carsharing a priority. While it includes some public transit measures, the platform focuses on car traffic flow and questions certain cycling and reserved-lane projects.
Action Laval (Frédéric Mayer)
Does not mention carsharing and proposes a moratorium on cycling projects pending an active mobility strategy.
Gatineau
Action Gatineau (Maude Marquis-Bissonette)
Includes an explicit commitment: “Que la Ville de Gatineau favorise le covoiturage et l’autopartage.”
The outgoing administration has already stood out with the recent launch of the FLEX service between Gatineau and Ottawa.
Équipe Mario Aubé (Mario Aubé)
The mobility section is brief and does not include any commitments related to carsharing.
Longueuil
Coalition Longueuil (Catherine Fournier)
Although no detailed commitments document has been published, the Fournier administration played a key role in deploying the FLEX service and adding new stations on municipal properties.
Agora Longueuil (Sacha Parisella)
Website coming soon
No official program available yet.
Sherbrooke
Marie-Claude Bibeau
Wants to make Sherbrooke a hub for sustainable mobility but mainly focuses on traffic flow and public transit.
Vision Action Sherbrooke (Guillaume Brien)
Does not include specific measures related to carsharing but promotes strategies for developing local and regional public transit.
Sherbrooke Citoyen (Raïs Kibonga)
Emphasizes intermodality, public transit, and active mobility, without directly mentioning carsharing.
Vincent Boutin
Mentions a commitment to sustainable land use, but with no specific mobility measures.
In Summary
Carsharing is gradually finding its place in Québec’s municipal election platforms, but its integration remains uneven.
Some outgoing administrations, particularly in Montréal, Québec City, Gatineau, and Laval, have made concrete commitments in this regard, while others continue to prioritize individual car use.
For us at Communauto, carsharing is not just a service, it’s a true driver of urban transformation. We will continue working with cities and citizens to make it a key pillar of sustainable mobility in Québec.