New Immigrant Services Society of BC and Evo Car Share partnership brings affordable driving options to newcomers, reducing the daily cost of living in B.C.

Vancouver, BC – September 24, 2024 – Immigrant Services Society of BC (ISSofBC) and Evo Car Share are partnering to bridge the mobility gap for newcomers, including immigrants, refugees and students, providing flexible transportation options for them to get around town for education, employment, and to connect with the community.

Having a reliable form of transport is critical to support newcomers to settle, but according to a survey conducted among members of the Angus Reid Forum, 31 percent of newcomers find purchasing or leasing a vehicle one of the most difficult tasks when arriving.

To address this challenge, Evo and ISSofBC are now offering a free Evo Car Share membership plus 100 free driving minutes (nearly three hours) to anyone accessing ISSofBC services or programs. With thousands of hybrid and electric vehicles across Vancouver, North Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Surrey and Vancouver Island, Evo Car Share provides flexible transportation options to support newcomers to access essential services, job opportunities, and community activities.

This partnership, one of the first of its kind between a settlement sector agency and major car share provider, addresses three key areas for newcomers to British Columbia:

• Enhanced access to employment: Reliable transportation to reach job interviews, training programs, and workplaces, significantly widening their employment prospects.
• Improved access to essential services: With better mobility to easily attend medical appointments, access educational programs, and other essential services.
• Community engagement: Increased mobility enables newcomers to stay connected with community activities and social events, building essential social and support networks.

“We are delighted to partner with Evo to provide our newcomer clients with affordable and convenient car-sharing options. As a settlement sector leader and innovator, Immigrant Services Society of BC is here to welcome newcomers and support them as they overcome challenges in their journeys to settle and thrive in BC," says Rebecca Irani, ISSofBC Director of Communications and Marketing.

“At Evo, we are always striving to help people get where they need to go and we’re proud to partner with the ISSofBC to ensure newcomers feel more welcome, connected, and mobile,” says Amitis Khorsandi, Director of Evo Car Share. “Evo is a big part of communities across the Lower Mainland and we’re glad that we can do our part to connect newcomers by offering free Evo memberships and driving minutes.”

Evo and ISSofBC look forward to hearing first-hand stories from newcomers about how this initiative enhances their journey towards making British Columbia their home. To access the free Evo membership and driving minutes, newcomers to Canada are encouraged to reach out to ISSofBC.

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About ISSofBC

Immigrant Services Society of BC (ISSofBC) is a non-profit that supports and welcomes newcomers, including immigrants, refugees and students, to settle in communities, learn English and find work in British Columbia. Learn more at: issbc.org

About Evo Car Share

One of the largest car sharing services in North America, Evo Car Share, created by BCAA, offers a drop off and pick up anywhere in the home zone service for those who don't own a vehicle or are looking for mobility options. Eco friendly, Evos are hybrids with a few electric cars in the fleet. Evo has more than 2,000 Evos in its fleet and hundreds of thousands of members taking thousands of trips a day. Evo offers home zones in Vancouver, Victoria and Burnaby as well as a round-trip drop off and pick up service in the same location in Surrey, BC and now at the Hullo Nanaimo ferry terminal. For more information visit Evo.ca.

For further information or to set up an interview, please contact: