Every Monday in December, the Festive 5 will bring you another reason to support carsharing in Winnipeg. Help us grow by purchasing investment shares. The deadline to receive a 30% tax credit from the Province is December 31st, 2012. This week we’re talking…
ECONOMICS
We’ve covered the economics of carsharing in the local economy before. For example, if you own your car, you can probably relate to how expensive the convenience can be, car payments, interest, depreciation, insurance, gas prices, parking, repairs, winter tires, etc. CAA estimates many thousands of dollars spent on ownership and driving alone.
Alternatively, our members only pay for what they use. While usage and vehicle-need vary, the average carshare member spends less than $1500 a year to use our vehicles. A significant cost savings by any measure. With all the access.
Members of Peg City Car Co-op have decided to spend most of their travel-time, biking, walking and busing. Grist has an entire feature that focuses on Bikenomics, the economic benefits of investing in bicycle infrastructure and active transportation.
Some examples are:
- Increased worker productivity and reduced sick days
- Added jobs in the bike economy
- Cheaper and more efficient transportation infrastructure
- Reduced health care costs
- etc…
There is an assumption in Winnipeg that only those who can’t afford to own a car would choose to join the carshare. This statement could not be further from the truth. In fact, across North America, the typical carshare member is university educated, middle-class and between the ages of 25-35. This rings true for our members. They are lawyers, retirees, students, parents, home owners, architects, professors, government workers — you name it.
The economic benefit to the rest of the community is that these members have more money to spend in the local economy. Their money isn’t tied up in the purchase and maintenance of one large asset – it is free to be distributed to local restaurants, shops, and other businesses which in turn, help support local jobs.
We understand that not everybody can become a member. But most of us can admit that the positive outcomes of more Winnipegers biking, walking, and busing benefit us all. Healthy vibrant local economies? Carsharing can help us get there. Visit www.pegcitycarcoop.ca/invest to find out how you can help us get there.
