Shared Commercial Electric Kick Scooter Pilot Program

Feedback on the commercial e-scooter pilot program can be sent by email to:

[email protected]

Starting April 3, 2023, the first year of the shared commercial electric kicker scooter ("e-scooter") pilot program will launch in Hamilton. The pilot program is part of a Provincial pilot program to evaluate the use of E-Scooters, specifically their ability to safely integrate with other vehicle types and determine whether existing rules of the road are adequate.

Bird Canada was selected as the successful commercial e-scooter operator for the pilot program through a competitive request-for-proposal (RFP).

Bird Canada is using their newest e-scooter model, the Bird Three.

Key features of this device include:

Where can I park a Bird Canada e-scooter?

At the end of each ride, all Bird Canada e-scooters will be locked to permissible public infrastructure, such as bike racks within the street furniture zone. Bird Canada e-scooters come equipped with Bluetooth locks which will unlock when riders begin the end-of-ride process allowing Bird Canada users to lock the vehicles to permitted public infrastructure when parking.

Permissible public infrastructure such as bike racks or streetlight poles can be found in the street furniture zone of sidewalks - the portion of a sidewalk that buffers pedestrians from the adjacent roadway and where elements such as trees, streetlights, hydrants, parking meters, or street furniture are typically located.

E-scooters should not be:

Where can I ride a Bird Canada e-scooter in Hamilton?

The initial service area is the same as Hamilton Bike Share. This area is approximately bound by:

Where are Bird Canada e-scooters permitted to operate?

In Hamilton, e-scooters are permitted to operate on:

When used on a multi-use path or trail, e-scooters must not operate at a speed markedly greater than the speed of pedestrians nearby.

In Hamilton, e-scooters are NOT PERMITTED to ride on:

The Bird Canada e-scooters will be geofenced in select areas. This means that the maximum speed will be reduced (e.g. high pedestrian areas) or the electric motor will cut in prohibited areas (e.g. sidewalks). By-law 20-269 regulates the use of e-scooters in Hamilton. Not every municipality permits e-scooters, and each has different rules about where they can be operated.

Prices to use the shared e-scooters are set by Bird Canada. Fare options include pay-as-you-go, 3-day, 7-day and monthly passes. Check out the Bird Canada app for details.

Special Fare Programs

In addition, Bird Canada will be offering eligible Hamilton residents these special fare programs. The eligibility criteria and verification for these fare programs are the responsibility of Bird Canada.

Bird Canada will provide access to this program to low-income residents, veterans, seniors, and employees of community-based organizations and non-profits in Hamilton.

In 2020, as thousands of teachers and families struggled to work through the academic challenges posed by COVID-19, Bird Canada launched the Free Rides for Teachers program. This program has been offered in all of Bird Canada's city partners in 2021 and 2022, and Bird Canada will continue the program in 2023 across the country.

As part of Bird Canada's commitment to supporting communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, Bird Canada offers free rides to healthcare workers and emergency personnel nationwide.

Bird Canada encourages riders to give back to their city through Bird for Good. Bird for Good incentivizes riders to participate in current service projects or create their own. Projects can include, for example, picking up litter or planting vegetables in a community garden.

Bird Canada believes in serving neighbourhoods across Hamilton. Residents living in historically disenfranchised neighbourhoods can lack mobility options. As a result, Bird Canada will operate designated deployment zones around & within each area deemed to be an Equity Zone using the geofencing technology in Hamilton. If a deployment zone is undersupplied at any point during the day, the operations management system automatically flags the local Bird Canada team to relocate vehicles accordingly.

How can I report a misparked Bird Canada e-scooter or unsafe riding?

Any Bird Canada e-scooter that is inappropriately parked or being used unsafely can be reported directly to Bird Canada. Parking complaints will be dealt with within 30 minutes. Complaints can be submitted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via:

To assist with reporting, each e-scooter has two unique identifiers.

When submitting a complaint, please provide the location and either the:

The pilot program includes these features:

The commercial e-scooter operator is required to pay fees to the City. These include:

Bird Canada has also provided funding to support the installation of bike racks within the service area.