Bell Media Helps Ensure Toronto's Bike Share Program Continues Operation

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TORONTO, Dec. 4, 2013 /CNW/ - The City of Toronto today announced that its bike share program will continue to operate after an agreement was reached between the City and PBSC, the company that administers the BIXI Toronto service. This agreement was made possible by the approval of City Council to accept $5 million from Bell Media's Astral Out-of-Home division through the City's street furniture program.

As part of its ongoing commitment to the City of Toronto and its residents, Bell Media has agreed to convert future expenditures designated for the Coordinated Street Furniture Program's automatic public toilets to support Toronto's bike share program. Bell Media's decision will assist the popular bike-sharing program to continue operating.

"Astral Out-of-Home has worked closely with the City of Toronto for the past seven years, and with the support of Bell Media we are pleased to help ensure the continued operation of the City's bike share program," said Ron Hutchinson, Vice-President, Real Estate for Astral Out-of-Home. "Bell Media has made this decision because of its commitment to support solutions that are beneficial to Toronto's residents and city streets."

Astral Out-of-Home became a division of Bell Media in July 2013 as part of Bell's acquisition of Astral. Astral Out-of-Home provides Torontonians with an innovative street furniture program at absolutely no cost to taxpayers.

The Toronto Coordinated Street Furniture program was launched in 2007 and provides essential street furniture elements including transit shelters, litter/recycling bins, newspaper bins and corrals, information/wayfinding pillars, public posting columns, bicycle racks and benches. The program is fully funded by advertising and the 20-year contract has a value of $915 million for the City of Toronto in street furniture, repairs, maintenance and capital expenditures. For more information visit the Astral Out-of-Home website.

Astral Out-of-Home
Astral Out-of-Home is one of Canada's leading out-of-home advertising companies with more than 9,500 strategically-placed advertising faces in key markets in Québec, Ontario, and British Columbia.

Bell Media
With passion and an unrelenting commitment to excellence, Bell Media creates content and builds brands that entertain, inform, engage, and inspire audiences through the platforms of their choice. Bell Media is Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, out-of-home advertising, and digital media. Bell Media owns 30 local television stations led by CTV, Canada's #1 television network; 34 specialty channels, including TSN and RDS, Canada's most-watched specialty channels in English and French; four pay TV services, including The Movie Network and Super Écran; and is managing shareholder of premium pay-per-view service Viewer's Choice Canada. Bell Media is also Canada's largest radio broadcaster, with 107 licensed radio stations in 55 markets across Canada. Bell Media owns Astral Out-of-Home, one of Canada's most dynamic and innovative out-of-home advertising companies. Bell Media also operates more than 200 websites and apps, delivers TV Everywhere with its innovative GO video streaming services, including TMN GO and Bravo GO, and owns Dome Productions Inc., a multi-platform production company. Bell Media is part of BCE Inc. (TSX: BCE) (NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. For more on Bell Media, please visit www.bellmedia.ca.

SOURCE: Bell Media