336,313 km were covered by e-scooter riders in Mississauga

Having encountered some difficulties getting off the ground, Mississauga’s e-scooter/e-bike rental program has shown recent improvements and might be expanded as it enters its third year, city officials say.

The City of Mississauga initiative, which since summer 2024 has made some 900 electric scooters and 300 electric bikes available for people to rent and use at various places including parks, the downtown core and other neighbourhoods throughout the city, was recently reviewed by senior city staff with an eye toward identifying areas for improvement in 2026.

A report to be discussed by councillors at Wednesday’s general committee meeting concluded the program “has demonstrated performance improvements in 2025 with increased ridership, improved parking compliance and reduced complaints.”

The report, authored by Sam Rogers, the city’s transportation and works commissioner, further noted that “continued investment in parking infrastructure will support further growth, improved compliance and accessibility to the service.”

Program has improved in several areas, city says

In short, the e-scooter/e-bike rental program has improved in several key areas that were of concern to councillors — and senior staff — during year one of the initiative.

The e-scooters, which are rented out spring through fall (until winter weather hits), have been the focus of concern for Mississauga city councillors and many residents since summer 2024 — notably when it comes to properly parking the devices instead of leaving them strewn about the city, particularly in waterfront areas, as was the case last year.

The matter was especially concerning to Mayor Carolyn Parrish, who following year one of the program last fall suggested scrapping the program altogether.

However, in the face of recent improvements as identified by city staff, Mississauga councillors will now consider growing the program, which could include earmarking some $150,000 for more e-scooter/e-bike parking stations across the city. Staff said that money is already available in Mississauga’s existing capital budget.

The addition of 100 parking stations across Mississauga prior to the launch of the 2025 season back in the spring helped tackle the issue of e-scooters being strewn about and not parked properly.

Ward 8 Coun. and Deputy Mayor Matt Mahoney suggested earlier that e-scooters be banned in Mississauga.

Moving forward, the staff report identified privately-owned e-scooters — those not part of the city’s program — as a challenge to be addressed.

“Challenges with privately-owned e-scooters persist, including non-compliant vehicles, underage riding and improper use,” the report stated. “Staff are exploring regulatory, enforcement and educational strategies to address these issues.”

Issues with privately-owned e-scooters prompted Ward 8 Coun. and Deputy Mayor Matt Mahoney to voice his concerns publicly in late September, when he called for a ban on the micromobility devices.

Staff’s report also noted:

• Between Jan. 1 and Oct. 31, 2025, riders completed 120,112 trips, covering 336,313 kilometres (seven per cent increase in number of trips compared to 2024).
• Rider compliance exceeded 96 per cent, with 2,134 fines and 97 account suspensions issued.
• Resident inquiries to city staff dropped from 163 in 2024 to 64 in 2025, and inquiries per 1,000 rides decreased from 1.35 to 0.51.
• Staff conducted monthly audits and a parking enforcement blitz, noting 98.3 per cent parking compliance during inspections.
• Educational campaigns expanded through partnerships with Peel school boards and City of Brampton staff, targeting underage riding and safety awareness.

(Cover photo: City of Mississauga)