ZIPCAR
This American outfit (bought out by Avis Budget Group) claims to have more cars in Toronto than anyone else (roughly 550 in total), which makes it an even greater shame that it offers no electric models and only 15 hybrids. Tsk, tsk. There are lots of plan options, including a $65 annual membership fee and rates starting at $9.25 per hour on weekdays (lower if you prepay $50 a month). Plus, people as young as 18 can join through a university plan.
SCORE: NNN
CAR2GO
Technically, these guys have the greenest fleet of all – nothing but super-compact Smart Fortwo Cars (which greenercars.org ties with the Honda Insight hybrid a little behind the Toyota Prius). These pint-sized cars can be mega-handy if you only need wheels one way, sort of a like a self-driven taxi to the other end of town or home after a big grocery or beer run. But the price is nearly twice that of conventional car-sharing services: $15 per hour plus tax. However, you can rent by the minute, and there’s no annual fee, just a one-time $35 sign-up charge. Don’t expect trunk space.
SCORE: NNNN
AUTOSHARE
Of its 300 cars, Autoshare has nearly 50 hybrids (mostly Priuses and Honda Insights), plus a sprinkling of electrics like the Nissan Leaf. Like Zipcar, the service has lots of plan options, but rates are often somewhat cheaper (a $45 membership will start you at a $9.25 per hour weekday rate, with $0 deductible options) and Autoshare helps you build an insurance record (not that you need one if you’re giving up ownership.) You’ve got to be 21 to sign up. The company used to be marketed as “100% Canadian and locally owned,” but Autoshare’s now been bought out by rental giant Enterprise.
SCORE: NNNN
OPTIONS FOR CARS
This teeny-tiny operation may have only seven locations (one happens to be right across the street from my house), but it wins brownie points for being the only locally owned, non-profit car-sharing cooperative. It’s run by the same peeps who offer Options for Homes, which helps fund greener condo ownership, and Options for Green Energy, which is coming out with solar bonds. The cool thing is they’re open to new location requests, and you and your neighbours can sign up for a “neighbourhood car.” There’s currently only one hybrid the rest are mostly compacts. Annual membership is $50, and rates start at $9 per hour.
SCORE: NNNN
BIKE SHARE TORONTO
Slash your carbon footprint further by opting for two wheels instead of four. Bike Share Toronto (formerly known as Bixi) sells a 24 hour-pass for just $7 (cheaper than car-sharing for an hour). Or you can buy a subscription for $18 per month or a mere $90 for a year. We’re still waiting for bike stations to bust out beyond the Ossington-to-Parliament, Front-to-Bloor boundaries, but the service is nonetheless pretty awesome for short-term downtown trips (the first 30 minutes are free) and saves you the worry of getting your bike nicked.
