E-scooter pilot program begins in Saskatoon

E-scooters are now available for rent in Saskatoon.

The City announced on Wednesday it has agreed to let Bird Canada and Neuron supply about 500 e-scooters for shared rentals. Personal e-scooters are still not allowed, according to a City of Saskatoon news release.

"We believe this shared e-scooter pilot will provide benefits to our community, and we look forward to seeing it in action," Jay Magus, Director of Transportation, said in the release.

"We will work closely with Bird and Neuron to ensure the implementation of this shared e-scooter pilot is safe, reliable, and enjoyable for all users. We will hold the two vendors to our approved framework which was developed with input from local stakeholders and residents of Saskatoon."

Neuron Mobility started offering e-scooters on Thursday, and the company’s head of corporate affairs said they were looking forward to the pilot project.

“This is going to be a great way to go out and find new places to shop and to eat through the city. So we're really excited to be in the City of Saskatoon,” Isaac Ransom said.

CEO of Bird Canada, Alex Petre, told CTV News they were also looking forward to participating in the pilot program.

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“We're very excited that Saskatoon has joined dozens of other Canadian cities and hundreds of other cities around the world in testing out micro-mobility. And we're very excited to see how the city adapts to it and how people adopt it,” Petre said.

“Having launched in the first city in Canada four years ago, back in 2019, we have seen very high adoption and usage of e-scooters, especially for connecting to and from transit for doing last mile trips for really running errands or getting somewhere a little bit faster, and sometimes in a slightly more fun way.”

Ransom said e-scooters can also be a boost for businesses in the city.

“Each of our e-scooters generates $11,300 and local economic spending. And that could have a significant impact on Saskatoon’s local economy this summer,” he told CTV News.

“I'm excited to see how people are going to travel in a safe, convenient, fun way throughout the city. The rides are incredibly affordable for people and as a great mode of transportation to connect people throughout the city.”

The City has said e-scooters cannot be operated faster than 24 kilometres per hour and will not be allowed on sidewalks, in the civic square, on Saskatoon buses, or in places like skate parks and spray parks.

There is a $50 fine for those who break the bylaw, the City’s website said.

E-scooters are to be used on shared-use paths, pathways, cycle tracks, and protected bike lanes, the release said. They may also ride on streets where the speed limit is 50 kilometres or lower.

The city said that people needed to download the apps to get started. Customers can then scan the QR code on the e-scooters to start the rental.

Riders will also need a helmet, the city said.

Petre said helmets can be ordered through the Bird app.

“You can request a helmet through the app and we will send it to your house. So, it is your personal helmet to use for any scooter trips for the season.”

Ransom said safety was a priority for Neuron and they provide a helmet on every e-scooter.

“When you start your ride, the helmet will unlock. You can choose to wear ours or your own, and you verify that you're wearing a helmet through the app.”

There are designated drop-off zones, Petre said, but customers can also leave the e-scooters in other areas.

“If you're outside of these areas, you will be able to park at the end of your destination. We want to make sure that you never block a sidewalk or pathway or an accessible public right away.”

This will be the first time shared e-scooters are available in Saskatoon.