E-scooter pilot program launches in Pickering, Ontario

The City of Pickering is launching a Shared E‑Scooter Pilot Program, offering residents a sustainable, convenient, and low-carbon way to navigate the growing community.

E-scooter programs have had a somewhat controversial history in Ontario but the programs have also met with a great deal of success and have been popular, especially with students and young people.

The initiative supports the Pickering’s long-term transportation vision by promoting flexible mobility choices.

E‑scooters deliver an inexpensive option for short-distance travel and first-/last-mile connections. Guided by leading practices from cities like Ottawa and Vancouver, the pilot focuses on education, promoting rider safety and fostering responsible road-sharing.

“Pickering’s Shared E-Scooter Pilot is an important step toward expanding mobility options for our residents,” said Mayor Kevin Ashe. “As a true pilot, we’re committed to listening – gathering feedback, reviewing ridership data, and evaluating every aspect of the program, including the promotion and adherence to safe and responsible use, before considering next steps.”

Shared e-scooters are owned and operated by a company – in this case, Bird Canada – and can be rented for a fee based on time or distance. They are typically picked up and returned at designated locations throughout the community and the company handles charging, maintenance, and redistribution. The city’s partner in delivering the pilot program encourages clean, car-free transportation alternatives.

The city and Bird will be enforcing safety during the pilot program through speed limits, rider age minimums (16+), helmet requirements for youth and mandatory equipment such as lights and a bell or horn.

Courteous road-sharing to protect pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, and e‑scooter riders alike will be encouraged and promoted and the program boasts equitable access, ensuring micro-mobility options are available across all neighbourhoods.

The pilot program will operate from April through October (weather permitting) with service hours 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., with remote deactivation at 10:45 pm.

Unlike privately-owned e-scooters, the shared e-scooters will not work if ridden outside of the city’s boundary and will not go beyond the programmed speed limitations.

Residents can report after-hours issues, mis‑parked scooters, or safety concerns via the operator’s hotline, in‑app tools, or the city’s Customer Care team.

To mark the pilot’s launch, Bird will deploy their Safe Streets Ambassadors at various parking locations to educate riders and provide key program information.

Ride-sharing e-scooters and e-bikes returned to Oshawa on August 5 as part of the shared e-mobility pilot project, which was paused at the end of last season.

There was considerable debate before city council decided to bring the program back, which has proven to be very popular since it was first introduced in 2023, but the program has not been without controversy, with its darkest moment happening just three weeks after it was launched when 20-year-old scooter user Kaitlyn Pollack was struck and killed by a truck at the entrance of a gas station in the north end of the city on May 17.

A 62-year-old woman died following a crash between an electric scooter and a vehicle in Hamilton earlier this month and an e-scooter rider was also killed crossing a highway ramp in Pickering in July.

For more information on Pickering’s e-scooter pilot program or to report questions or concerns visit pickering.ca/eScooter.